An interview with Margaret Olley and Robyn Berkeley

• Report rights infringement
• published: 09 Feb 2013
• views: 518

Margaret Olley http://www.berkeleyeditions.com.au/content/margaret-olley 1923 - 2011 Born in Lismore in 1923, Margaret Olley studied at the Brisbane Central Technical College then at East Sydney Technical College graduating in 1945 with first class honours. She went on to study and travel extensively - to France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Papua New Guinea, Malaysia, China, Russia and Cambodia. During the 1940's she became a prominent figure in the Sydney art scene and joined other artists such as Donald Friend at Hill End. Olley held her first solo exhibition in 1948 and has held at least one exhibition annually. She is known for her colourful interiors and still life paintings. She is also widely known for being the subject of the famous William Dobell portrait which won the Archibald Prize in 1948. Olley's close friend, the Australian entertainer Barry Humphries writes "A visit to Margaret Olley is certainly an unforgettable experience. Her house is a series of studios, filled burgeoning with furniture, textiles and objects that she incorporates into her ravishing nature mortes. In each room, and in various stages of completion, stands a painting, propped sometimes against a chair, or flung with seeming carelessness upon a sofa - there is no sign of so formal an accoutrement as an easel. A simple table, covered with gourds and tangerines and upon which might also rest a Turkish pot, a jar of flannel flowers or a dish of desiccated raspberries, stands against a black and gilded Chinese screen. In the foreground, Miss Olley's painting of this subject is casually appended. It is not difficult to image that she was once (in 1959) the proprietrix of an antique store." Margaret Olley is a legend in the art world - both as an artist and a generous philanthropist. Her paintings are highly sought after by public and private collectors both in Australia and all around the world. In 1991 Margaret Olley was awarded the Australian Office of the Order of Australia (AO) and in 2006 she was awarded the Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) in the Queen's Birthday Honors List. In 2007, Margaret Olley was appointed a Fellow of the National Art School. She is only the third Fellow to be appointed, joining Peter Rushforth and John Coburn. Margaret Olley sadly passed away on 26th July 2011 in her home in Paddington, Sydney. Collections National Gallery of Australia Art Gallery of New South Wales National Gallery of Victoria Queensland Art Gallery Art Gallery of Western Australia Art Gallery of South Australia Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery Artbank Australian National University University of New South Wales University of Queensland University of Sydney Bendigo Art Gallery Lismore Regional Art Gallery Newcastle Region Art Gallery Toowoomba Art Gallery Tweed River Art Gallery Wollongong City Gallery Reference: Margaret Olley, a Biography Christine France (1990); Margaret Olley Barry Pearce (1996); Margaret Olley Recent Paintings (1997).'Far From A Still Life' a biography by Meg Stewart (2005) Berkeley Edtions Margaret Olley Limited Edition Artworks are highly collectable and some of our editions run to as few as twenty-five prints. Each work is numbered and signed by the artist. The Berkeley Editions 'chop' (embossed blind stamp) is your guarantee of authenticity. Fine Art Limited Editions appreciate in value as the artist's career escalates, so the sooner you acquire a limited edition the more you can enjoy the sophistication it brings to your home, the beauty of the artwork and the potential growth in its value. Berkeley Editions publish Fine Art Limited Editions for the local and international markets and they are featured in leading galleries, institutions, and major corporate collections all around the world. We also acquire and commission artwork for private and corporate collections. Specialised knowledge and personal service are the keys to our highly prized reputation and we look forward to being of assistance to you. Australian Artists * Jason Benjamin * Charles Blackman OBE * Arthur Boyd AO, AC, OBE * David Boyd * Criss Canning * Fred Cress AM * Ray Crooke AM * Melissa Egan * Frank Hodgkinson AM * Malcolm Jagamarra * Jasper Knight * Colin Lanceley * David Larwill * Kerrie Lester * Bob Marchant * Helen Norton * Margaret Olley AC, AO * Kevin Pearsh * Clifton Pugh AO * Craig Ruddy * Martin Sharp OA * Garry Shead * Andrew Southall * Tim Storrier AM * Salvatore Zofrea For more information please visit: www.berkeleyeditions.com.au