John Olsen was born in Newcastle on 21 January 1928. He moved to Bondi Beach with his family in 1935 and began a lifelong fascination with Sydney Harbour. He … See more

In 1960, Olsen painted Spanish Encounter which was acquired by the Art Gallery of NSW and exhibited at Terry Clune Galleries in Sydney. In the early 1960s, Olsen began … See more

John Olsen lived near Bowral, New South Wales. In 1962, he married fellow artist Valerie Strong. His daughter Jane Olsen (with first wife Mary Flower), died in 2009. John Olsen was married to his third wife, artist Noela Hjorth until 1986 and married his fourth wife, … See more

In Australia's New Year's Honours of 1977, Olsen was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire; in 1993, he was awarded an Australian Creative Fellowship; and, in the Australia Day Honours of 2001, he was appointed an Officer of the See more

Olsen's works have been exhibited at numerous solo and group shows across Australia and internationally.
• 2016 John Olsen: The You Beaut Country, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne (16 September 2016 – 12 February 2017) See more

Olsen's work is represented in all Australian state gallery collections, including the Art Gallery of New South Wales (131 works); the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra; and regional galleries Australia-wide, including Newcastle Art Gallery, … See more

• Hart, Deborah (1988). John Olsen. Melbourne, Vic.: Australian Galleries Pty Ltd in association with John Olsen. ISBN 0731623673.
• Hart, Deborah (1991). John Olsen. Sydney, NSW: Craftsman House. ISBN 9768097213. See more