Ben Quilty wins Archibald Prize with Olley portrait

As the man says:

When Ben Quilty first asked legendary painter Margaret Olley to sit for him she said no. ‘Her lack of ego is so appealing,’ says Quilty. ‘Margaret didn’t understand why anyone would want to see a portrait of her.’

Quilty met Olley when she was a guest judge for the 2002 Brett Whiteley Travelling Art Scholarship, which he won. ‘She’s been a friend and great supporter of my work ever since,’ he says.

Born in Lismore in 1923, Olley was awarded the Order of Australia in 1991 for service as an artist and to the promotion of art. In 1996, she was awarded the Companion of the Order of Australia.

More on http://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/prizes/archibald/2011/entries/28931/
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I hate to brag, but I chose this portrait as my pick on my facebook page. Humbly I bow ...