Australian Women Artists

The podcast

Ep. 34 Margaret Olley AC – a conversation with Professor Lisa Slade

This is a fascinating and impassioned insight into the life of one of Australia’s most beloved artists.

I’m talking with Professor Lisa Slade about the legendary Australian artist, Margaret Olley.

Professor Lisa Slade is the Hugh Ramsay Chair in Australian Art History in the School of Culture and Communication at the University of Melbourne. She is both a curator and art historian and between 2015 and 2024 she was Assistant Director, Artistic Programs at the Art Gallery of South Australia. Until 2024 Lisa was Chair of The National Cultural Heritage Committee and between 2014 and 2019 she served as the Chair of Artlink Australia. She is a national voice for artists and art history with decades of experience as a keynote speaker, broadcaster, mentor and educator.

Margaret stands as one of Australia's most beloved and accomplished artists whose distinctive still life paintings and vibrant use of colour established her as a central figure in twentieth-century Australian art. Over a career spanning more than six decades, she held over 90 solo exhibitions. Margaret Olley developed a unique artistic voice that celebrated the beauty of everyday objects while maintaining deep connections to both European artistic traditions and the distinctive character of Australian life. 

And, outside of her own work, it was what she did for art and artists generally through her benevolence and mentoring and much, much more, that is almost as astonishing.

Head to the link in my bio for our conversation

Instagram Images (more to follow)

Portrait Margaret Olley, Greg Weight 1991

Still life with pink fish, 1948, oil on cheesecloth on hardboard 76.3x97

Margaret Olley, William Dobell, 1948 oil on hardboard 114x85 Archibald winner
  

Portrait in the mirror, 1948 oil on hardboard 68x84
  

Chinese screen and yellow room 1996 oil on hardboard 75x75

Margaret Olley, Ben Quilty 2011 oil on linen 170x150 Archibald winner