SMH: ‘At last she is being heard’: Valerie Strong, matriarch of the Olsen family, has first solo exhibition

SMH: ‘At last she is being heard’: Valerie Strong, matriarch of the Olsen family, has first solo exhibition

Article by Linda Morris

Valerie Strong was a student at East Sydney Technical College when John Olsen was briefly a teacher. The man who is now one of Australia’s most famous living artists praised Strong’s marks on paper: “I should have done that. I wish I’d done that line.”

That first interaction led to a passionate marriage, two children, divorce and the beginnings of a living artistic dynasty that has, for the most part, revolved around the glittering orb that is the career of Olsen, the Archibald Prize-winning painter.

A new exhibition, however, finally puts the focus on the unsung work of Strong, who died in 2011. It will be held at the National Art School, her alma mater, and is curated by her children, Tim and Louise, who knew her best.

Read more through the link below.

Image: Louise, Valerie and Tim, 1983. Photo: John Lewis

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Bid in silent and live auctions featuring extraordinary works by NAS Fellows and alumni and compete for once-in-a-lifetime experiences that money (almost!) can’t buy. Then dance into the night as our iconic Cell Block Theatre is taken over with live music, DJs, artist activations, immersive projections, gourmet food, and flowing beverages.

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Friday 21 November, 6.00pm – 11.30pm
Cell Block Theatre, National Art School 

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