John Olsen was an Australian artist known for his landscape paintings, prints, and tapestries.
He was born in Newcastle, New South Wales, on January 21, 1928, and is considered one of Australia’s most significant living artists.
Olsen’s art career began in the 1940s when he studied painting at the Julian Ashton Art School in Sydney.
He later traveled to Europe, where he studied in Paris and London, and was influenced by the works of French Impressionists such as Cézanne and Matisse.
In the 1960s, Olsen became associated with the Sydney art movement known as the “Sydney Push,” which included other prominent Australian artists such as Brett Whiteley and Martin Sharp.
He began to develop his own unique style, characterized by vibrant colors, bold brushstrokes, and an emphasis on the Australian landscape and its native flora and fauna.
Olsen’s work has been exhibited in major galleries and museums throughout Australia and internationally, and he has received numerous awards and accolades for his contributions to Australian art.
He was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2001 for his services to the arts.
Olsen died on 11 April 2023, at his home near Bowral, New South Wales, at the age of 95.
Tributes were given by Prime Minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese and Director of the National Gallery of Australia, Nick Mitzevich.
John Olsen Wife: Who was John Olsen married to?
John Olsen has been married four times. His first wife was Valerie Strong, whom he married in 1962.
They had two children together, a son named Tim and a daughter named Louise. Olsen’s second wife was a fellow artist named Noela Cruickshank, whom he married in 1960.
They had three children together, a son named Rex and two daughters named Alexandra and Fiona.
Olsen’s third wife is a writer and editor named Katharine England, whom he married in 1990. They currently reside in the New South Wales town of Bowral.
His daughter Jane Olsen (with first wife Mary Flower), died in 2009.
source:nsemwokrom.com
