Light and Life: Margaret Olley, Laura Jones, India Mark and Mirra Whale

Contemporary Australian painters Laura Jones, India Mark and Mirra Whale were invited to create new works in response to objects from the re-creation of Margaret Olley’s home studio as well as a selection of paintings from the artist spanning decades of her enduring career. The new works were created in a residency that was imagined as part of the celebrations the gallery is hosting this year in honour of what would have been Olley’s 100^th birthday.

Mirra Whale took inspiration from Olley’s work ‘Seafood Still Life 1977’ and used vessels from her composition to recreate the 2023 painting.

Margaret Olley, Seasfood Still Life, 1977, oil on board

Mirra Whale, ‘Seafood Still Life for Margaret’, oil on linen, 2023
Image from the **artist’s Instagram**

Laura Jones, ‘Dahlias with blue crystal and striped jug’ (detail) 2023, oil on linen, 137 x 112 cm. Collection of the artist, courtesy Chalk Horse Gallery. © The artist

India Mark (b.1993), ‘Still life after Margaret Olley no.2’ (detail) 2023, oil on linen. Collection of the artist, courtesy Jan Murphy Gallery. © The artist

The Tweed Regional Gallery & Margaret Olley Art Centre is housed in a large, modern, architecturally award-winning building with views to Wollumbin / Mount Warning. The fresh pieces and Olley’s works that have stood the test of time in ‘Light & Life’ are on view now until 28 April 2024.