Sunday, July 21, 2019

MAN ON THE MOON

The Red Cardinal, about fifty years ago

Exactly fifty years ago, the world watched in wonder as a man from Earth walked on the Moon for the first time.
Like many of my vintage, I remember that day very well.
It was a bleak Winter's day in Brisbane, a working day, and there was a television at my office where we could watch progress.
At lunch time I walked to the shops down the street, and remember people watching televisions in the stores.

Of course, we have all seen the historic vision of Neil Armstrong as he stepped down that 'one small step for man', many times since.  But nothing equals that historic and awesome day.

We all imagined that by fifty years on, there might be people living there, or continued space voyages to further planets.  Perhaps we did not realise the fragility of that first and the few subsequent moon landings and the high possibility of tragedy.  Future trips to the moon, if they occur, will be vastly different.

This weekend we went to see 'Appollo 11' and enjoyed it immensely.  It really felt like re-living the day, but in brighter colour.  
And it was fun to see those 60s fashions again too...


A few weeks after the Moon Landing, I moved to a new office, in a different part of town.  In fact, I went to work in this building:

Margaret Olley [1923-2011] The Treasury Building (Brisbane) 1947
Mr Cardinal and I like to pretend we are the couple in the foreground.
Because this is where we met, working in a Government office, and a few years later we were married.  
Sadly, we think, the beautiful old Treasury Building has become a casino..

This picture is part of a current exhibition at GoMA, Brisbane:
 Margaret Olley: A Generous Life...

Catch it if you can.  It is very popular, with happy crowds every day.

Margaret Olley was a popular Queensland artist and personality, decreed a National Treasure before she passed away in 2011..

Here are a few of my personal favourites:

Margaret Olley 'Marigolds and Limes' c 1975
Margaret Olley Lemons and Oranges, 1964

Margaret Olley 'Cliveas' 1984 and 'Chianti Bottle and Pomegranates 1994-95

Margaret Olley 'Yellow Room' - her home in Paddington, Sydney.
Margaret Olley was not only a prolific painter, she was a popular muse with her fellow artists.  Her portrait was painted by many very well-known Australian artists, and twice she was the subject of the winning Archibald Prize, Australia's foremost prize for portraiture of well-known identities:

In 1948, as a young woman, she was painted by William Dobell:

William Dobell: 'Margaret Olley 1948'
This winning portrait caused a sensation in post-war Australia.
Olley wears a dress she made from parachute silk and a pair of sleeves from a wedding gown.  She covered her straw hat with everlasting daisies she had picked herself.

Ben Quilty 'Margaret Olley 2011' and the Red Cardinal
In the final year of her life, Olley was painted by young Australian artist Ben Quilty, who she had mentored and encouraged in his development as an artist.
She was 88 years old, and enjoyed the fuss and accolades of the Archibald Prize win.  Quilty says that when he finished the painting, he took a photo of it to show the now frail Olley at her home.  She took a look and said 'That's the old girl'!  
And that is this old girl... 












In a few short weeks we are off on our next adventure:  a trip to the south of France, via London, and on to Canada to see our daughter and her family.

Hello Canada Duck!



Be good
xxxx










34 comments:

  1. Thank you for the introduction to Margaret Olley - I am very taken with her still-life paintings and also the wonderful portrait of the 'olde gal'.
    Love the photo of you in your white boots - I had a pair too, but mine were dusty pink suede - now I wonder whatever happened to them.
    Lots of happy days for you both with all of those exciting travels ahead. Take care.

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    1. Thank you Rosemary - I love the sound of your dusty pink suede boots: they would look great with my dusty pink skirt in that photo! The Margaret Olley exhibition is a very happy space, lots of fans enjoying the memories found in her paintings, and the gorgeous tropical colour. Count down now to our travels, a big trip for us, right around the globe.

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  2. Dear Patricia - I'm with Rosemary (as I find I often am - and we met back in Bath, UK in May of this year - it was such fun!) regarding Margaret Olley's beautiful paintings.

    Yes, I had those white stretchy go-go boots also to wear with my mini skirts and dresses - we really didn't wear pants much back then. I used to make a lot of my clothes through the 80's, plus my mum made some for me. I'd mail Vogue Designer patterns and fabric home to England and she mail back the finished garments - all so beautiful as she was an accomplished dressmaker.
    Such a great post here and lovely pics of you at different times in life - how time flies!

    Your upcoming trip sounds awesome and I send the best wishes for safe, fun travels as you circle the planet. Where in Canada does your family live? Bon voyage to you and hubby Patricia dear XX

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    1. Dear Mary, How wonderful that you met Rosemary, and I do remember reading about it. I am sure it was terrific fun. Alas we are only going to be in London this year, a little too far away from Bath. Yay, you also had the go-go boots (I forgot we called them that). I have always been a keen sewer too, especially back in those days, made heaps of Vogue dresses for myself. These days I still sew a bit, but as I have trouble even threading the needle I am very slow. Your Mum sounds lovely, doing all that sewing for you. Time flies indeed, and of course I feel the same girl on the inside as I was then :) Our daughter lives and works in Ottawa, and lives in a gorgeous century old cottage on the outside of the city. I am counting the days...xxx

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  3. I do like Margaret Olley's paintings. I had a friend who did very similar paintings and I have a few which I bought from her on my walls. Whenever I think of the idea of having colonies etc. on the moon I remember a ride that was in Disney World about 20 years ago, which was looking into the future. I think even in those days it seemed rather corny, I remember it had a teenager on the moon calling her boyfriend who was fixing his car! And they had dioramas of agriculture on other planets, plus lots of other rather 1960s looking animatronic figures going about their daily lives in outer space!

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    1. Glad you enjoyed the Olley paintings. I would love to own one for their joyful gorgeousness, but alas they are now Very Expensive. You have reminded me of Tomorrowland, which was featured on the Disney TV show. Yes, those ideas do seem corny now, but so exciting at the time. The predictions were lots of fun, as you say, picturing agriculture on other planets. It will take much longer than we thought.

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  4. Hi Patricia lovely post,good to have you back my friend,love the first pic of you,you would make a lovely model,hope you have a wonderful day my friend xx

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    1. Thank you Sheryl. I did do a bit of modelling in my younger years; alas, those days are gone :)
      Glad you enjoyed. xx

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  5. Even back then you were into fashion, Patricia. What a cute picture of you. Love those white boots! That's nice that you have a vivid memory the day man walked on the moon for the first time. I'm glad you enjoyed the movie, Apollo 11. I'll have to see it sometime. These paintings are delightful, especially the lemons and oranges. And I wanted to tell you that wasn't my painting on the post today. It was at a coffee shop, and I always admire it every time I go in there. It looks similar to a painting of roses I had and gave away, and I regret doing so. I noticed that owl in your flower pot. He's so cute. And the sweet birds on your posts I appreciate so much. Wow, you have a trip to France coming up, that's so exciting. I look forward to hearing all about it.

    ~Sheri

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    1. Ha, yes I was big time into fashion back then! Those funny white boots, how we loved them. I love the lemons/oranges painting too - in fact I have a dress with lemons on it which I wear sometimes to work at the Exhibition. The owl in the pot is cute but he is there to chase away the cockatoos and their mischief-making and wrecking of the plants. A funny thing happened last Sunday when a whole flock of little birds arrived and took great exception to the owl, screeching and making a terrible noise. I thought there was a snake out there as they kept sitting on the rail of the deck facing in to the house, shrieking and going on. But it was the owl!! My husband took it away, and they all left. Isn't that weird? Yes, France in about five weeks - Goody :)

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  6. So many things about your post to enjoy! My boots were bright red, the leather very fine. I kept them for years and eventually gave them to Oxfam. My younger daughter was furious!
    It is always nice to be taken round an art exhibition. (I've just been to a Vuillard show on my Miss Cellany site.) I love the Dobell portrait especially. Is it possible to buy a print of the Treasury building painting for you to hang on your wall at home? It would be a nice way to honour your romantic connection!

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    1. Oh, I love that you had red boots - we have almost started a boot club here. I understand, so hard to let them go. The Vuillard show must have been excellent, and he was one of Olley's major influences. She studied in Europe, particularly France, for about four years. I would buy a print of the Treasury picture in a heartbeat but alas it has not been released at this stage. However, I keep taking photos of it, and the best one I get I was thinking of framing. Thank you for thinking of this.

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  7. Oh dear, after updating my computer a fews again my Safari browser no longer lets me post comments ... a long way of explaining that my comments sometimes do post on your blog. For this one let me try to remember what I said:

    I said no used to argue with me when I am right, Trish: You are a hottie in your white boots and mini dress, Trish! It's sounds like Mr. C agreed and agrees with me. I love hearing how couples met.

    I hope I get a chance to see Margaret Olley's work. Perhaps her exhibition will come here in the future! I love her style very much.

    Your flowers are beautiful! I see the birds are fans too.

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    1. oops, "a few weeks ago" And "my comments sometimes do not post." Also 'no use in arguing with me' -- I am making mistakes because I have to go to a different browser to post a comment that will stick.

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    2. OH dear, Blogger is such a mystery to me, and why it behaves like this I do not know. Even if I post questions on the help page, no help comes which I can share with those friends who can read but not comment. Well, Mr C must agree with you re that photo; last night he was showing it off at a function we attended when the discussion went to the moon landing. Hello from the Aussie birds and flowers :)

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  8. I can certainly remember you wearing those boots. And maybe that outfit too - was that lovely coat pink perhaps am I remembering? Long time ago so no guarantee I am remembering correctly. Great to share time with you recently at the Margaret Olley exhibition, it was the best exhibition (and in the best company too).

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    1. What a fantastic memory you have! I did have a pink coat which I loved, a linen one, however it is not the one in the picture. This one was warm, made of kangaroo skin with vinyl trim. It was cream so must have been bleached in some way. So un-PC these days, I have not seen such products for many years, as public attitudes change. It was a very handy coat at the time. I am glad you enjoyed Margaret Olley, such a happy exhibition, always smiling crowds enjoying the memories along with the art. It was fun to show you around, and thank you for taking the photo of me with 'the old girl'.

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  9. What memories, Patricia! I was 14 in 1969, so more focused on music than moon landings, but of course I remember the excitement. I love your photo. It could easily be today too with those fashions. Margaret Olly’s paintings are wonderful. I haven’t heard of her, but I’ll look her up. Enjoy your trip to Europe and Canada!

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    1. I think I am more impressed by the moon landings now, fifty years later, than I was at the time. With the outlook of youth, it all seemed like normal progress :) Funny how the old fashions re-emerge, isn't it. I wish I still could fit into those clothes today!

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    2. Me too, Patricia! I think that about a lot of things that were new back then. It was just normal at the time and now it seems amazing! Yes, I too wish I could still wear those clothes. I’m no heavier than I was, but somehow my waistline has expanded :)

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  10. Stopping by to say hello. I'm not on the computer much these days. I really like that picture of you, quite fashionable at the time. The moon landing was certainly a big exciting event. I hope you enjoy your comming trip. Maybe you are on your way already - or at least packing.

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    1. Hello Darla, so good to see you again. Ha, I thought I was such a fashion girl back then! No not on our way yet, but definitely trying to figure out the packing, meaning keep within weight limits but cater to all occasions :) Keep well.

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  11. If they can put a man on the moon...what did they say before 1969?😄 I love the artist you have introduced us to...there's the old girl! Quote a character, I imagine, wish I could have met her! And that building where you once worked, it's gorgeous. I do love architecture, I need to do a post! Hope you have great fun on future trip. Look out for moon pies!

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    1. The Old Treasury is still a beautiful building - I do wish it was not a casino though :) Definitely on the lookout for Moon Pies.

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  12. I liked your selection of images.
    Nice to meet your blog.
    Janicce.

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    1. Thank you for dropping by, and glad you enjoyed.

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  13. Oh my...I remember it well!!
    My boyfriend (same one) were driving home on a Sunday night from my cottage up north, and we heard it all on the radio...I was 19!!!
    Cheers!
    Linda :o)

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    1. On the radio! That is cute. It was very memorable, I am not surprised you remember precisely where you were too. Seems we found our boyfriends at around the same time :))

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