Margaret Olley yearned for a dog — in the early 1960s Olley’s beloved pug becomes part of her life, Olley reminisces that: ‘One day somebody arrived with a whole carload of pug dogs. They had little faces like pansies and I thought, that’s the dog for me. I arranged to get a pup from the…
Continue reading » “Meet Bonnie Sue: Margaret Olley’s beloved pug”
Two remarkable paintings by Australian artist Anne Wallace draw attention to a dark chapter in Brisbane’s history. With compassion and respect, these works tell the stories of women who suffered institutional abuse at Goodna’s Wolston Park psychiatric facility, and Wallace focuses on their hard-won resilience while demanding that we not look away. Anne Wallace Contemporary…
Australian artist Margaret Olley (1923-2011) worked extensively within the tradition of still life and interior subjects during the second half of the twentieth century, and made them uniquely her own. She established her reputation both locally and nationally with her colourful and vibrant paintings. In 1942 Olley moved from Brisbane to Sydney and enrolled at…
Continue reading » “Margaret Olley paints a room filled with her personality”
Paintings of jacarandas in bloom have become a popular and appealing subject for Brisbane artists, the most famous image of the jacaranda is R. (Richard) Godfrey Rivers’s painting Under the jacaranda, which has achieved enormous popularity since it was painted and acquired by the Gallery in 1903. The image depicts Rivers and his wife Selina…
Continue reading » “Bask in purple bloom of the jacaranda all year round”
Lewis Jarvis (LJ) Harvey (1871−1949) was the single greatest influence on visual culture in Queensland in the first half of the twentieth century, this important artist and teacher, and his students, highlights why Harvey was such an inspirational figure. Harvey was a distinguished modeller, woodcarver, potter and teacher active in Queensland during the first half…
Queensland textile designer Olive Ashworth (1915–2000) made a major contribution to Australia’s visual culture. Authors and academics Nadia Buick and Madeleine King have explored the works of this local artist , whose stunning designs are part of the Australian collection. Ashworth was born in Brisbane and educated at Somerville House. After the death of her…
Continue reading » “The textile designs of Olive Ashworth: A unique Queensland style”
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