Wednesday – Sunday, 10 am – 4 pm.
Margaret Olley (1923 – 2011) Cornflowers with pomegranates 1991. Oil on board, 67.5 x 90 cm Tweed Regional Gallery collection. Pending – Gift of the Tweed Regional Gallery Foundation Ltd. ©Margaret Olley Art Trust.
Studio? Who needs a studio? I paint anywhere the mood takes me. Easel? Who needs an easel? Margaret Olley The latest exhibition in the Margaret Olley Art Centre tells the story of Olley’s incredible life and enduring career through her greatest legacy – her art.
Presented exclusively at the Tweed Regional Gallery & Margaret Olley Art Centre to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Margaret Olley’s birthday, the exhibition is drawn entirely from the Tweed Regional Gallery collection. Olley painted in her famous Duxford Street home studio in Paddington, Sydney for nearly five decades, but as a fledgling artist she established herself as a landscape painter and throughout her life, travel was a regular past-time, making her life far from still. “This exciting exhibition gives visitors the opportunity to understand Olley the artist, the world traveller, the friend, the muse, the philanthropist,” Gallery Director Susi Muddiman OAM said. “But above all else, she was a painter, and her greatest legacy is her art. This exhibition celebrates her 100th birthday anniversary with this dynamic collection of work that provides breadth and insight into her extraordinary career.” The earliest painting in the exhibition is a still life painting Olley did at high school when she was just 15 years old. The latest is Cornflowers and Red Lacquer Compote 2010/11 painted in the final year of her life, age 88 years.
“This is a unique opportunity to a diverse collection of works by Australia’s most celebrated artist,” Ms Muddiman said.
To celebrate Olley’s enormous capacity for friendship, visitors to the exhibition can take a moment to write a postcard to a friend and post it in the Gallery. This is a free activity with postcards featuring artwork by Margaret Olley.
Far from a Still Life will be on display in the Margaret Olley Art Centre from until 8 October 2023. The exhibition is complemented by activities and events including free, drop-in artmaking activities for families during the summer school holidays and master class painting workshops for adults. For all activity and event details visit the Gallery website gallery.tweed.nsw.gov.au
Margaret Olley (1923 – 2011) Everlastings and apples 1982. Oil on board, 76 x 106.6 cm Tweed Regional Gallery collection. Pending – Gift of the Tweed Regional Gallery and Margaret Olley Art Centre Inc. and the Tweed Regional Gallery Foundation Ltd. ©Margaret Olley Art Trust
Photo 1: Cornflowers with pomegranates
Margaret Olley (1923 – 2011) Cornflowers with pomegranates 1991. Oil on board, 67.5 x 90 cm Tweed Regional Gallery collection. Pending – Gift of the Tweed Regional Gallery Foundation Ltd. ©Margaret Olley Art Trust
Photo 2: Everlastings and apples
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Call 02 6670 2136 or email for all media or interview requests.
Tweed Regional Gallery & Margaret Olley Art Centre 2 Mistral Road (corner of Tweed Valley Way, Murwillumbah South) PO Box 816 Murwillumbah, NSW 2484
The Gallery is open from Wednesday to Sunday 10 am to 5 pm (Café 8:30 am to 4 pm).