The Electrical Experience

by Meg Stewart

With new chapters taking in the last few years of Margaret Olley's life, her state funeral and the enormous legacy she has left behind.'A great painter, a great woman, a great story' Barry HumphriesMargaret Olley is arguably Australia's most loved artist. She was also one of the country's most generous benefactors to public art galleries. This intimate biography begins in the 1920s in the green, tropical wet of Tully, North Queensland, where Margaret's early childhood was spent on a cane farm and dairy. The story unfolds to tell of her life-long love affair with painting.At boarding school at Somerville House, Brisbane, Margaret found a mentor in art teacher Caroline Barker, and she went on to blossom as an art student at East Sydney Technical College. The book includes intriguing revelations about her friendships with well-known figures such as Donald Friend, William Dobel and Russell Drysdale, and the success of her first one-person show in Sydney at the age of twenty-five.Bohemian adventures in Europe with fellow Australian artists, including David Strachan, were to follow. She travelled - sketchbook in hand - around England, France, Italy and Spain; met Alice B. Toklas in Paris; and lived on a vineyard at Cassis in the South of France. Her story continued back in Australia where in the late 1950s in Brisbane Margaret struggled with alcoholism and was eventually forced to face up to drying out or drying up creatively.Once she'd given up her comforting nips, her return to life and painting was joyous. This is a rich and comprehensive look at eighty-odd years of Margaret Olley, her lovers and friends, and, of course, her painting.

Genres: Biography, Art, Nonfiction

568 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

Reviews

[Lewis Woolston · Rating 3 out of 5]

I may be showing my age and lack of cultural sophistication here but i first came across Margaret Olley on "Good News Week" a popular comedy/quiz show on ABC back in the 90's.
I saw this biography of her in my local library and was curious enough to check it out.
Sometimes the biography of a creative person reaches greats heights and really takes you inside their soul, their life and their creative process, other times it's just a plodding recounting of events.
This, alas, is more just a straightforward telling of her life story. Nothing really wrong with it but nothing brilliant and inspiring either.
An okay read.

[Malcolm Frawley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Margaret Olley is certainly a major Australian artist & her success was much more substantial than I had realised. She led a fascinating life & this biog is bolstered with many memories in Margaret's own words. But there was something missing for me. In spite of the almost forensic detail, or perhaps because of it, the telling of the story seemed a little flat. But worth a look.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Margaret Olley was not a painter I knew very much about. After having seen her works in person at the Tweed River Region Gallery I was very curious to learn more about her.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading about her life, her connections and her work as a painter.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Engrossing and engaging, this warmly written biog is not only an insightful examination of one extraordinary life but also a wonderful slice of 20th century history - Australian, art and world. I am inspired to live life in a more vivid way!

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting, if somewhat overlong read. I was sent this as a gift and wasn't familiar with this artist. Although I probably wouldn't have read the book otherwise, I am pleased to be able to add Olley's life and creative work to my radar.

[Maggie Henderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book about an artist ever! I am an artist, I am australian and I share the same Christian name. I marvelled at her adventures and the company of famous artists she kept. I could read this book over and over.

[Magpie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lyn 2017

[Nola · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading about Margaret Olley's life and adventures, she lived a life of art, travel and friendship.

[Leone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely fabulous biography of Margaret olley. I loved this book and the love Meg Stewart clearly has for 'Oll' as she is known.

[Leone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely fabulous biography of Margaret olley. I loved this book and the love Meg Stewart clearly has for 'Oll' as she is known.

[Maggie Henderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book and getting an insight into an amazing life story and career.

[Vicki McClifty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Margaret Olley was very inspiring to so many people and still inspires us all daily. Such a talented artist who lived an amazing life. This was truly a great book featuring a great woman.

[Lesley Hitchens · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful book. It is a warm and fascinating account of the artist’s life and artist journey, whilst also capturing the spirit and energy of the artist.

[Maxine Dale · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

My generation grew up knowing the name of the artist Margaret Olley. As Bill Hansen and his photos are to Gen X and Y, we were familiar with William Dobell, Sidney Nolan and the rest of the Heide Circle, Donald Friend, Russell Drysdale and Olley. (Olley was, as Clive James puts it on his blog, ‘Women’s Weekly famous’. ) Without really knowing what Modernism was, and none of us able to afford to buy any of it, nevertheless we saw the work of Australia’s modernists in newspapers and magazines, around us in public spaces, and here in Melbourne at the NGV.

So I was looking forward to reading this biography of Margaret Olley. I enjoy reading books that enlighten me about how artists make art, my favourite of which is Joyce Cary’s The Horse’s Mouth. (I did not study art at school or university and my understanding of it is entirely self-taught. I saw The Shock of the New, and bought the book, but it was Carey’s modernist novel which taught me to look at modern art in an entirely different way.)

There are lots of things to enjoy in this book. Gossip about notables in the art world is entertaining, and I enjoyed Olley’s journey from childhood to old age. I was fascinated by what she did, and bemused by the way important world events such as World War 2, the birth of nuclear warfare and all the -isms which influenced her compatriots seem to have passed her by. I was amused by her philosophy on domestic ensnarement: I used to observe how people became like each other and like their animals as they got older; not only did they look the same, they hardly spoke to each other because they had nothing to say.’ (p373). I was astonished by her assessment of Newcastle as a painterly city, and have resolved to look at it with different eyes next time I’m in the Hunter Valley. I liked reading about how and when she made her paintings, the reviews of her work and her friendships with other artists. It was interesting to discover some that I didn’t know too.

But perhaps it is because Stewart is from the Sydney art world herself that she has made certain assumptions in this book, for despite its length, (506 pages, not counting the references and notes) I found myself having to look things up online and in books.

To read the rest of my review please visit https://anzlitlovers.com/2009/06/14/m...

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being a painter I obviously know Margaret Olley's work and actually knew quiet a lot about her before reading the book, but nothing to what is in the book. There was so much information that really told the story of not only her life but the culture of art and the Artists she met, so you got a good onsite into what it was like at any time in her life. I enjoyed the book although it was hard going as at times it got a bit boring with all the information. I read it between about six other faster reads. If you like her work you should read the book and if you would like to know and understand the life of a female Artist it is a good read. I

[David · Rating 2 out of 5]

Margaret's life was interesting enough without the need to mention so many friends and acquaintances. At one stage I counted twelve names in one paragraph - too many!

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an exuberant woman, what a full and varied life!