Margaret Olley
Margaret Hannah Olley (24 June 1923 - 26 July 2011) was an Australian artist.[1][2] She was born in Lismore, New South Wales, and died in Paddington, New South Wales. She was well known for generous gifts of paintings and money to public art galleries in Australia.[1] These gifts included works by Cezanne and Picasso.[3] She is also famous for being the model for portraits. Two paintings of her won the Archibald Prize; William Dobell's painting in 1948, and Ben Quilty's in 2011.[1] She was described by Julia Gillard, the Prime Minister of Australia, as a great artist and a true Australian national treasure.[2]
She grew up on sugarcane farms in Queensland, and her artistic talent was noticed at school.[4] Her teachers convinced her parents she should study art at the Brisbane Technical College.[4] She then moved to Sydney and studied art at the East Sydney Technical College.[1] She held the first of her 90 exhibitions in 1948.[1] Many of her paintings were of things around her home such as flowers and bowls of fruit.[2] In 1996 she was given Australia's highest honour, the Companion of the Order of Australia.[4]
Margaret Olley Media
Olley's home in Paddington
Hibiscus in flower in front yard of her Paddington home, March 2014
Antique fountain originally in Margaret Olley's Paddington garden, now part of Wendy Whiteley's garden at Lavender Bay
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References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Morgan, Joyce (26 July 2011). "Artist Margaret Olley dead". smh.com.au. Retrieved 1 August 2011.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Olley, painter and national treasure, dies". news.smh.com.au. 26 July 2011. Retrieved 1 August 2011.
- ↑ Kruger, Paula (13 July 2006). "Olley donates 'birthday' Picasso to gallery - (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)". ABC News. Retrieved 1 August 2011.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "Artist Margaret Olley dead". ABC News. 26 July 2011. Retrieved 1 August 2011.