celebratedpainterofstilllifeandinteriors.”Centralto
theMargaretOlleyArtCentre,whichopenedin2014,is a
recreationofthelateartist’shomestudioinSydney.Over
20,000itemsshehadcollectedoverherlifetime,including
furnitureandobjectssuchasflowersandfruitbowls—the
subjectsofmanyofherpaintings—wereplacedjustasshe
hadleftthem,offeringinsightsintohowsheworked.
Meanwhile,thereis a focusonregionalworks
andartistsattheGalleryDownTown,anannex
oftheTweedRegionalGallerylocatedwithinthe
M-ArtsPrecinct,a communityinitiativewhereartists
andartloverscometogetherthroughexhibitions
andworkshopsA mixedbagofcreativesincluding
photographerJustinEalandandjewellerSeanWellshave
theirstudioshere—proofthattheTweedValleyindeed
boaststhehighestnumberofartistspercapitathanany
othershireinAustralia.
Suchcreativecommunitiesarecommonplaceinthe
region.Caseinpoint:thenearbyByronBayArtsand
IndustryEstate,whichbringstogethercreativeand
innovativelocalbusinessessuchComma,whichoffers
modernAustralianmassageexperiences;independent
localbrewery,Stone&Wood;andmakersofluxeseaside
essentials,TheBeachPeople,a brandfamousforits
roundbeachtowels—ensuringthatyouarenevershortof
optionsforholidaymementos.beginnings,Cooperstarted“paintingwhatI wasseeing
everyday”andhasanongoingseriesfeaturingthedifferent
spacesintheproperty—interestingly,somefromtheview
ofthekitchen.“WhenI comeinthemorning,thesun
is risingandthelight,colourandshadowsarecoming
throughtheblueandwhiteinteriors.It’ssopicturesque
thatit’salmostsubliminal.”
TOA FINEART
I waseagertofindoutwhatTweedhadtoofferonthe
artfrontandheadedtothecreativeandculturalhubof
Murwillumbah.A drivethroughthecountrytownoffered
a lessoninarchitecturalhistorywithheritagebuildingsin
federation-andartdeco-stylesliningthestreets.Asthe
gatewaytothehinterlands,thelastthingyouwouldexpect
tofindontheriverbanksis a world-classmuseumthatis
theTweedRegionalGallery&MargaretOlleyArtCentre.
WhenI visited,therewereexhibitionsonartdecofromthe
nationalcollectionandthelatestpaintingsofacclaimed
aboriginalartistDigbyMoran,aswellasa showcaseofthe
gallery’scollectiontomarkits30thanniversaryin2018.
GallerydirectorSusiMuddimanexplained,“Our
collectionfocusesonAustralianportraiture,Australian
artists’prints,worksabouttheregionorbyartistsof
theregionand,morerecently,anythingtodowiththe
lifeandworkofMargaretOlley,oneofAustralia’smost
From left: Visual artist Matteo Bernasconi in his studio at Peach Black Gallery in Sydney’s Chippendale; Chinese artist Jin Nü ’s Exuviate II – Where
Have All the Children Gone? from the White Rabbit Collection; Paramount House Hotel in Surry Hills is a mix of old and new; light projection on the
fac ade of the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia at this year’s Vivid Sydney
200 singapore tatler. october 2019