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Bernard Ollis’s art takes you on a journey. It might be down a windy road down a back lane in Sydney, across a bridge in Paris or you might find yourself in a park or a swimming pool or a fishing boat and you might meet people or animals along the way.

But you’ll also be turning corners and seeing what’s beyond the buildings and fences around you without ever leaving that 2D plane. His wonderful use of perspective and colour takes us to a moment in twisted space which is surprising and brimming with optimism.

He’s had over 50 solo shows exhibiting from London to Paris to Berlin to Shanghai to Auckland and right across Australia. Many major art institutions have acquired his work and his paintings are held in many private collections.

He’s also found time to make his mark in art education holding leading positions in universities and is well known for his time as the director of the National Art School in Sydney, a position he held for over a decade. He continued painting throughout that time but for approximately the last 10 years he’s been a full time artist working 7 days a week.

Ollis was born in Bath, England and grew up in a working class family.  This episode starts at a point in our conversation when he was in his early twenties after he had completed his qualifications at  Cardiff College of Art and Design and was considering his next step. Would it be a Diploma of Education, a course in Art Therapy or should he pursue the almost impossible dream of getting into the Royal College of Art?

To hear the podcast episode press ‘play’ under the feature photo above.

You can see a short video of Ollis in his studio on the Talking with Painters YouTube Channel here.

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Show notes

‘Rhodens Lane, Sydney’, oil on linen, 100 x 153cm

‘Self portrait after Matisse’, 2017, oil on canvas

‘Self portrait with brushes’, 2015, mixed media, 156 x 122cm

‘Enchantment’, oil pastel on paper, 80 x 140cm

‘Ponte Vecchio Florence Night’ 2016, mixed media, 102 x 141cm

‘Marrakech Bathroom’ 2017 oil pastel on Arches paper, 52 x 36cm

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2 thoughts on “Ep 49: Bernard Ollis”

  1. Trevor Victor Harvey

    Hi Maria, thank you for this wonderful interview with Bernard Ollis… such intelligent questions that bought out the best in Bernard. Bernard you spoke so well, congratulations to you both and thankyou for your passion and giving to the arts community. We are all richer for it. Trevor Harvey ❤️

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