Margaret Olley’s unique approach to house cleaning resulted in an eclectic, flower-filled home studio interior. Fresh, dried, and synthetic flowers occupied the space; even desiccated flowers, far beyond their prime, were left in place so she could see “the bones” of the flowers and continue to refer to them as subjects for painting as though they were fresh from the garden.
This exhibition celebrates Olley’s love for these blooms through works spanning five decades, the earliest being Still life, 1956, and the latest being Poppies and checked cloth, 2011.
Margaret Olley, Basket of calendulas, 1967, oil on composition board, 74.5 × 100cm Donated anonymously 2002. University Art Collection, Chau Chak Wing Museum, University of Sydney. © Margaret Olley Art Trust. Courtesy Tweed Regional Gallery & Margaret Olley Art Centre, New South Wales
Tweed Regional Gallery & Margaret Olley Art Centre
7 September to 12 March 2023
New South Wales
