Unlocking Margaret’s House: Still Life Challenge | Chinese Screen and Yellow Room

The inspiration for this still life challenge is Margaret Olley’s ‘Chinese screen and Yellow Room’ 1996. Featuring the small, unassuming room on the ground floor of her Duxford Street home studio in Sydney – Olley described it as her favourite room in the house, her sanctuary – she painted still lifes and interiors in here for decades. By re-arranging posters, furniture, textiles and objects and capturing them in morning, afternoon and evening light, she made this room a ‘subject of endless possibilities’.

The black and gold screen in the painting forms a decorative backdrop to a still life arrangement on a marble topped table. The still life is nestled within a composition bursting with pattern and colour and texture. And although no actual figures are depicted, everything is suggestive of life; of a story within a story - the figure in the poster, the view to the next room, the empty chair, the open drawer. Even the objects on the table turn to each other as though they are actors on a stage.

For this challenge we have focussed on Olley’s beautiful arrangement of objects in front of the of the black and gold screen. The green jar, the fluted tea cup and jugs, and delicate handles on the marble topped table add colour, pattern and warmth. We have so enjoyed re-creating this scene for you, and whether you paint, draw, photograph or sculpt, we can’t wait to see what you do!

Don’t forget to share your artwork with us with the hashtag #unlockingmargaretshouse.

Image Credit: Margaret Olley (1923–2011) ‘Chinese screen and yellow room’ 1996, oil on board, Art Gallery of New South Wales collection. Purchased 1996. © Margaret Olley Art Trust.