John Henry Olsen, Born in Newcastle in January 1928, moved to Bondi Beach with his family in 1935, beginning his lifelong fascination with Sydney harbour bridge.
Olsen attended St Joseph’s College in Hunters Hill until he left school in 1943.
After leaving school, he studied at the Dattilo Rubbo Art School in 1947, the Julian Ashton Art School from 1950-53 and the Auburn School from 1950-56.
In 1957 Olsen was sponsored to go to Europe and paint by businessman Robert Shaw and his then-wife, Annette, supported by art critic Paul Haefliger.
After travelling to London and Cornwall in England, Olsen left for Europe, studying printmaking in 1957 at Stanley William Hayter’s Atelier 17 etching studio and then travelling to Spain spending two years in Deià.
Olsen, working for brief periods both there and in Ibiza as an apprentice chef, after learning how to cook through Elizabeth David’s “A Book of Mediterranean Food”.
During this period in Deià, he developed an interest in Eastern philosophy & poetry through his friend Robert Graves. He was also influenced by the Taochist artists, Antoni Tàpies and Jean Dubuffet, the CoBrA group and Miró.
He sent artworks back to Australia from Spain for his first solo exhibition at Macquarie Galleries in 1958 and returned to Sydney in 1960 to teach at the East Technical College (National Art School).
In 1960 the Art Gallery Of NSW acquired “Spanish encounter” painted by Olsen and exhibited it at the Terry Clunes galleries.
And in the early 1960’s Olsen won the Rockdale Art Award, and he also began painting the ceilings of buildings.
The first was a commission from art dealer Frank McDonald “Summer in the You Beaut County”, followed by several other ceiling paintings, two of whom were gifted to the Newcastle Art Gallery in 2011.
He also won the H.C. Richards Memorial Prize in 1961, the Perth Prize, the Royal Easter Show A.E. Armstrong Art Prize and in 1964, he was awarded the Launceston Art Purchase Exhibition Prize.
Returning to Europe in 1965, Olsen spent almost two years in Portugal painting.
In 1967, the Bakery Art School was set up in Paddington, Sydney and was run by Olsen.
And in 1969 he was awarded the Wynne Prize for his artwork ‘The Chasing Bird Landscape’.
Olsen was then commission to paint a large mural, “Salute to Five Bells”, in 1970 by Sir William Dobell Art Foundation and was inspired by Kenneth Slessor’s poem, Olsen completing the mural in 1973.
In 1977, Olsen was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in Australia’s New Years Honours.
He also again was awarded the Wynne Prize for his artwork “A Road to Clarendon: Autumn” in 1985 and won the Sir John Sulman Prize in 1989 for his painting “Don Quixote enters the Inn”.
And in 1993, awarded an Australian Creative Fellowship, and in 2001 Australia Day Honours, Olsen was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia.
He was also awarded the Centenary Medal in 2001 and won the Archibald Prize in 2005 with a self-portrait.
Olsen was a regular visitor of Lake Eyre and in 2011 was invited by Paul Lockyer to fly over the lake, but Olsen declined due to a recent heart operation, saving him from a fatal helicopter crash killing Paul and two other colleagues. Olsen later offered an artwork and a poem in memory of those killed
Olsen’s work has been marked by a deep engagement with the Australian landscape introducing a spiritual and mystical insight into the landscapes he paints and the life that inhabits them having lived for long periods in different parts of the country and having travelled widely in it.
He has also produced some of the most collectable portfolios of prints ever published in Australia including Lake Eyre and the Desert Sea, Edge of the Void, Earth Hold, Spring in the Valley, Down Under, Summer at Owls wood, New York Nowhere and Seaport of Desire.
Olsen has worked with many master print-makers, and his contribution to Australian Print-making is nothing short of amazing.
He has served on the boards of the Art Gallery of New South Wales and the National Art Gallery John’s work is represented in the National Gallery of Australia all State Galleries numerous regional galleries and many private and corporate collections
Limited Edition Etching “Papageno” John Olsen AO OBE (Australian 1928-)
Olsen passed away on April 11, 2023, at his home near Bowral, New South Wales, at the age of 95. The Prime Minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese, and the Director of the National Gallery of Australia, Nick Mitzevich, paid tribute to him. ABC Australia also aired a special honoring Olsen’s life.
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Further Reading:
https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/JohnOlsen_ArtworkLabels.pdf
https://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/collection/artists/olsen-john/