Friday 9 May 2014

Almost caught up - and Margaret Olley

Yeeaaah, I have caught up with the ironing.  That is the worst thing about going away to a conference - there is always a mountain of washing followed by lots and lots of ironing!
I have had a week of doctors' appointments, meetings with subsequent minutes to write up, and now an unexpected but pleasant brief visit from our younger son.  So there has not been much spare time to edit photos.
I really do want to show you some of the photos I took at the Tweed Art Gallery, which now houses two rooms of iconic Australian painter Margaret Olley's house in Paddington in Sydney.
 Everything except the flowers is original.  They had to reproduce the flower arrangements as the originals disintegrated when touched, they had been there so long - Margaret never threw away any of her arrangements for painting!


 She was a wonderful painter of still life, but a very eccentric lady, who lived and painted in the most amazing clutter.  After she died, curators photographed and catalogued everything in these rooms, then packed everything up and transported them to their present home in the Tweed Gallery.  Margaret had her palettes set up in front of every window in the house and worked on whichever one had the best light at the time.
Apparently she was also a very good cook, but in later years if her friends were offered lunch they said they had already eaten.  This is the kitchen, so no wonder.

 I am amazed she could manage to cook anything in the middle of this!
These rooms have only been open for a few weeks and we were lucky enough to see an exhibition of about ten of her paintings, which will hang there for the next couple of months. 
To see some of Margaret Olley's paintings here is a link:
https://www.google.com.au/search?q=margaret+olley+gallery&rlz=1T4GGLL_enAU356AU356&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=YXlsU96EAYf-lAXp4ICADA&ved=0CDwQsAQ&biw=968&bih=668

The gallery itself is magnificent and in a wonderful location.  This is the view from the balcony

 I didn't notice the sign till we were leaving - it says OLLEYWOOD.
This visit was the highlight of the week I think.

4 comments:

  1. Hope to see it if we manage to get to Queensland this year.

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  2. What a fascinating and glorious clutter Margaret Olley lived in. I'm not the world's best housewife by any standards but couldn't live like it myself, but it must be wonderful to be able to walk round her house and soak up the atmosphere. Beautiful surroundings too. Hope you are not too exhausted on your return, especially after the dreaded ironing.

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  3. Fabulous place, what a character! I flap & fold me, except for B&B bedding ;(

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  4. What a fascinating amount of clutter. It makes me feel better about my working conditions!. The setting of the gallery is stunning.

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