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Following his Art: Tim Olsen's life was mapped out from birth
The Daily Telegraph November 2009
Jenny Ringland
Tim Olsen is one of Australia's best known art gallery owners; he is also the son of one of Australia's most
celebrated living artists, John Olsen. Given his artistic heritage, Tim always knew his life would be intertwined in the art world; it was just a question of how. "I went to art school, but I was intimidated by having a famous father," he says. "I did a degree in art education to teach children and the art gallery thing evolved. I like the lifestyle of dealing with artists, who are like second nature to me."
For Tim, opening the eyes of new clients to the world of art is one of the best parts of his job.
"I say to people, only buy what you like," he says. "I hope to reveal the artwork to people so that it reveals
something about them they didn't know." Tim's taste lies in landscape and he names Ian Fairweather as his favourite artist for what he says is the most spiritual art to come out of our country.
"I look for the ability to draw, to have an eye for colour and tone," he says. "I like an element of nature; unless we have nature we die." Given his busiest days in the gallery are on the weekends, Mondays, which used to be dedicated to long lunches,
now consist of a round of golf. "On Mondays a few gallery owners play golf; we call ourselves the Fine Arts Golf Society," he says.
"I also walk to Bronte most mornings; I've lost a lot of weight this year as a result."
Tim lives in a Woollahra terrace with his wife Dominique and son James, 5. He is surrounded by
beautiful material objects, but it is his family he holds most dear. "Can, I say my son is my favourite thing?"