Australian National Treasure
Margaret Hannah Olley was an Australian artist who had over 90 exclusive exhibitions during her life. She was born in Lismore, New South Wales, on July 24, 1923 and died at her home in Paddington on July 26, 2011, she was 88 years old. She never got married or had children. Attended school in Somerville House in Brisbane, the capital of Queensland, where she distinguished herself by her strong interest in art. She quit her French classes to take additional art courses.
Her work was concentrated on still life. In 1997, a major retrospective of her work was organized at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. In 1947 she received the first Mosman Art Prize, which was granted for the first time. Olley donated more than 130 art pieces, with a total value of over 7 million australian dollars (7.313 million USD).
TRIBUTES AND HONORS
Olley was the subject of two paintings winning the Archibald Prize; the first was painted by William Dobell in 1948, the other by Ben Quilty in 2011. She was also subject to other artists, her friends, such as Russell Drysdale.
On June 10, 1991, during the celebration of the Queen’s birthday, Olley was on the Honor Roll. That day, she was made Officer of the Order of Australia “for her service as an artist and art promotion.” On June 12, 2006, she received the highest civilian honor in Australia, The Companion of the Order, “for her service as one of Australia’s most distinguished artists. For her support and philanthropy to visual and performing arts, and for encouraging emerging and young artists. In 2006 she received the honorary degree of Doctor of Fine Arts from the University of Newcastle.
FINAL EXHIBITION
Out of the last paintings Olley made before her death, 27 were exhibited in the art and auction house, Sotheby’s Australia in Woolahra, during an exhibition named “The Inner Sanctum of Margret Olley.” The exhibition opened on March 2, 2012, Olley was putting the finishing touches the day before her death, and Phillip Bacon, who had exhibited her work for decades, had prepared a catalog to show her that weekend. The opening night was attended by 350 people, among them, was the General Governor of Australia, Quentin Bryce, who gave a speech in which he said Olley’s work was often as herself “full of optimism.” Other attendees were Penelope Wensley, the Governor of Queensland Edmund Capon, Ben Quilty and Barry Mumphries.
LEGACY
After Olley’s death, the Art Gallery of New South Wales applied the funds donated by its Collection Circle to buy Nastuftimus, a painting by E. Phillips Fox, as a memorial to her. His ideas on art were explored during conversations held with writer Barry Pierce, between October 19, 2009 and September 22, 2010, whose book was published based on the year of Olleys death.
Part of Olley’s home in Paddington-described as “the installation of a lifetime”, is well known by objects that the artist collected and used as theme of her art, will be recreated in the Tweed River Art Gallery, a close area to where the artist was born. The architect of the New Center Tweed’s Margaret Olley, Bud Brannigan said he would be faithful to Olley’s home “in all of its glory.”
The photographic record of their study and work. Taken by photographer Greg Weight the morning of her death. This set of prints were donated to the Tweed River Art Gallery.
The documentary “Margaret Olley: A Life in Painting” by filmmaker Catherine Hunter, follows Olley while she finishes her last-and many say, best-pieces, painted during the 18 months prior to her death. The film, which has been critically acclaimed, interprets Olley style, her passion and artistic evolution, through her peers’ reflections, including former director of the National Gallery of Australia, Betty Churcher; curator Barry Pearce and Ben Quilty, whose portrait of Olley won the Archibald Prize in 2011.
Text: AMURA ± Photo:The day brightener