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As far as putting colour into my work, I was particularly influenced by the Bonnards and the Matisses that I’d seen when I was away.¹
– Margaret Olley
Margaret Olley lived a life dedicated to art and artists. She drew inspiration from the great modern masters she admired – Bonnard, Matisse, Morandi, Gauguin, Cezanne and others. She understood the importance of experiencing the work of another artists in ways that were impactful to her own creative practice.
As a legacy of this, and Olley’s generous support for fellow artists, the Tweed Regional Gallery & Margaret Olley Art Centre (TRG MOAC) presents an exclusive program of exhibitions that stimulate the creation of new work by artists living in and beyond our region.
Gallery Director Susi Muddiman OAM said the program offered tremendous opportunity for regional artists.
“The Gallery’s program is not just about exhibiting work but also about creating professional development opportunities for regional and national artists,” Ms Muddiman said.
“The next exhibition in the Margaret Olley Art Centre, titled Light & Life, is an exciting example of this.
"To realise this exhibition, three contemporary painters - already exploring the genre of still life - were invited to undertake a residency in the Gallery’s Nancy Fairfax Artist in Residence Studio and make new work in response to objects in the recreation of Margaret Olley’s home studio. This gives the Tweed Regional Gallery a unique edge as a creative hub that goes beyond the exhibition.
“Margaret Olley painted in her Duxford Street home studio for nearly 50 years. Her home was an ecosystem of art and life, making the recreation of her home studio a rich and evocative portal into her practice as an artist.
“We have always felt it vital that the home studio recreation remains a subject matter for artists, just as it was for Olley.”
The exhibition Light & Life brings together superb examples of Olley’s work, from public and private collections, that have been carefully selected to be exhibited alongside the contemporary works made in response to her home studio. This gives visitors the opportunity to see Olley’s work from various decades of her enduring career and consider them in a contemporary context.
Light & Life: Margaret Olley, Laura Jones, India Mark and Mirra Whale will be on display in the Margaret Olley Art Centre from 18 October 2023 until 28 April 2024. The exhibition is complemented by a range activities and events including artmaking programs for families, master class workshops, artist talks, Auslan tours and more.
For all activity and event details visit the Gallery website.
1 Margaret Olley in Meg Stewart, Margaret Olley: Far from a still life, rev. edn, Random House, Sydney, 2012, p.271.
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