John Olsen b. 21 January 1928

Also known as John Henry Olsen
  • Artist (Painter),
  • Artist (Printmaker),
  • Artist (Cartoonist / Illustrator),
  • Designer ,
  • Artist (Ceramist)
John Olsen's exuberant paintings, which were first exhibited in Sydney in the 1950s, are often celebrations of Sydney, Majorca, marine life, good food and sunshine. He is an abstract artist whose work remains grounded in the landscape or in evocations of poetry, a painter whose distinctive curvilinear style continually pays homage to the quality of a wanderingline.
Tags: Sydney abstraction, Art and food, Archibald Prize
You are viewing the version of bio from April 12, 2023, 7:31 p.m. , as edited by Joanna Mendelssohn (moderator approved).
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Name
John Olsen
Also known as John Henry Olsen
Gender
Male
Roles
  • Artist (Painter)
  • Artist (Printmaker)
  • Artist (Cartoonist / Illustrator)
  • Designer
  • Artist (Ceramist)
Other Occupation
  • Clerk (ANZSIC code: 33) 1944 - c.1945 Elders Smith, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  • Cleaner (ANZSIC code: 84) 1950 - c.1954 Clinic for crippled children, North Sydney, NSW, Australia
  • art master (ANZSIC code: 802) 1956 Moreland High School, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
  • Teaching painting (ANZSIC code: 810) 1960 - 1964 East Sydney Technical College, Darlinghurst, NSW
  • Art lecturer (ANZSIC code: 810) 1960 - 1964 University of New South Wales, Kensington, NSW
  • Art teacher (ANZSIC code: 810) 1960 - 1964 Desiderius ("Deo") Orban's studio, Sydney, NSW
  • Teacher of art (ANZSIC code: 82) 1960 - c.1965 Mary White Art School, The Rocks, Sydney, NSW
  • Proprietor and teacher (ANZSIC code: 821) 1968 Bakery Art School, Sydney, NSW
Tags:
Sydney abstraction
Art and food
Archibald Prize
Birth date
21 January 1928
Birth place
Newcastle, NSW
Death date
11 April 2023
Active Period
  • c.1952 -
Residence
  • 1928 - 1934 Newcastle, NSW
  • 1934 - 1955 Sydney, NSW
  • 1955 - c.1956 Melbourne, Vic.
  • 1956 Victoria Street, Woolloomooloo, Sydney, New South Wales
  • 1956 - 1959 London, France, Spain, Europe
  • 1960 - 1962 Victoria Street, Woolloomooloo, Sydney, New South Wales
  • 1962 Hill End, NSW, Australia
  • 1963 Yarramalong, NSW, Australia
  • 1963 - 1965 Watsons Bay, Sydney, NSW
  • 1965 - 1967 USA, France, Portugal, England
  • 1967 - 1968 Watsons Bay, Sydney, NSW
  • 1969 - 1971 Dunmoochin, Cottles Bridge, VIC, Australia
  • 1971 - c.1973 Watsons Bay, Sydney, NSW
  • c.1972 - 1980 Dural, NSW
  • 1980 - 1981 Wagga Wagga, NSW
  • 1981 - 1987 Clarendon, Adelaide Hills, SA
  • 1987 - c.1988 Paddington, Sydney, NSW
  • c.1989 - c.1999 Wentworth Falls, NSW
  • c.1999 - 2011 Owlswood, Glenquarry, NSW, Australia
  • c.2011 - Hidden Lake, Avoca, NSW, Australia
Training
  • Drawing, 1946 Julian Ashton Art School, Sydney, NSW
  • Life drawing, 1947 - c.1950 Dattilo Rubbo's school, Sydney, NSW
  • painting and drawing, 1950 - c.1953 Julian Ashton Art School, Sydney, NSW
  • drawing with Godfrey Miller, c.1953 East Sydney Technical College, Darlinghurst, NSW
  • Painting, 1953 Desiderius Orban, Sydney, NSW
Website

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Date modified April 12, 2023, 7:31 p.m. June 22, 2018, 2:08 p.m.
Related events
  • The Australian Landscape (exhibited at)
  • Direction 1 (exhibited at)
  • Pacific Loan Exhibition: Contemporary Australian Painting (exhibited at)
  • John Olsen: selected graphics (exhibited at)
  • John Olsen: the land beyond time (exhibited at)
  • John Olsen retrospective (exhibited at)
  • John Olsen: paintings and drawings from the permanent collection (exhibited at)
  • John Olsen: encounters with drawing (exhibited at)
  • John Olsen (exhibited at)
  • You beaut country: the art of John Olsen (exhibited at)
  • John Olsen (exhibited at)
  • Arthur Boyd: family and friends (exhibited at)
  • John Olsen: in search of the open country (exhibited at)
  • Recent Australian Painting (exhibited at)
  • NSW Society of Artists' Annual Exhibition (exhibited at)
  • Save Victoria Street (exhibited at)
  • The Australian Landscape (exhibited at)
  • Direction 1 (exhibited at)
  • Pacific Loan Exhibition: Contemporary Australian Painting (exhibited at)
  • John Olsen: selected graphics (exhibited at)
  • John Olsen: the land beyond time (exhibited at)
  • John Olsen retrospective (exhibited at)
  • John Olsen: paintings and drawings from the permanent collection (exhibited at)
  • John Olsen: encounters with drawing (exhibited at)
  • John Olsen (exhibited at)
  • You beaut country: the art of John Olsen (exhibited at)
  • John Olsen (exhibited at)
  • Arthur Boyd: family and friends (exhibited at)
  • John Olsen: in search of the open country (exhibited at)
  • Recent Australian Painting (exhibited at)
  • NSW Society of Artists' Annual Exhibition (exhibited at)
  • Save Victoria Street (exhibited at)
  • Spring Festival of Drawing (exhibited at)
  • Arts Vietnam (exhibited at)
  • Janet Dawson: Colin Lanceley: Robert Klippel: John Olsen (exhibited at)
Field Changes
Biography
Date modified April 12, 2023, 7:30 p.m. Jan. 4, 2012, 11:15 p.m.
Death embedded
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