Olive Bagshaw Artist Northern School 1931-2017

Please refer to notes about copyright and Artist's copyright at the end of this blog.

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Update August 2025

A separate collection of Olive Bagshaw's works (1960s to 1980s) has been added prior to the Abstracts section towards the end of this blog.

The following links enable reference to various sections

BIOGRAPHY

LANDSCAPES

ABSTRACT WORKS

COASTAL/SEASCAPE

SILHOUETTE WORKS

PORTRAITS

NUDES

FLOWERS

JACQUELINE'S PRIVATE COLLECTION

A Brief Biography

Olive Bagshaw was born on 27th November 1931 in Salford, Lancashire.

Olive studied Textile Design at Salford School of Art from 1946-1949. Working as a designer, at the age of 21, she enrolled at the Regional College of Art in Manchester for part time studies in Portrait Painting in 1953 and each successive year until 1961. *

Olive knew Harry Rutherford, an eminent artist of the Northern School. Harry Rutherford was very probably Olive's tutor at the Regional College of Art where he taught. See Note 1

Olive Bagshaw Self Portrait (Private collection)

Olive was a passenger in a car involved in a road accident in 1961 which left her unable to walk. Olive was in hospital for a year. Olive married Greg Driver, who had known Olive since he was 16 years old, in the autumn of 1965.

Olive wanted her artistic merit to stand alone, quite separate from her personal circumstances and her physical disability. Always a very private individual, she lived happily with her husband for the rest of her life at Riverside Cottage, Birchin Lane near Chorley in Lancashire. In the last part of her artistic development, in her later years, she focussed on abstract works, many in acrylic and mixed media, constantly developing her unique vision.

Chronology of Exhibitions 

In her early career, Olive Bagshaw specialised in portraiture, still life subjects and some landscapes. To begin with, her still life subjects were quite varied and eclectic, but as time passed, Olive concentrated more on paintings of flowers in her still life works. 

She maintained the focus on portraits until 1972.  Her portraits were exhibited by the Royal Society of Portrait Painters in London. She exhibited also at The Royal Academy, The Royal Institute of Oil Painters and the Federation of British Artists (The Mall Galleries). Her most important exhibitions were at Salford Museum and Art Gallery.

1966  A very early private exhibition was held at The Limes, 816 Wilmslow Road, Didsbury in 1966.

1970  Her first exclusive exhibition was at the Monks Hall Museum and Gallery in Eccles in May 1970, when she exhibited 36 paintings. (See Appendix 1 below and Appendix 2, a contemporary review). 

1971  There followed an exhibition at Salford Art Gallery in 1971 (16th December - to 23rd January 1972). A catalogue for this exhibition can be found in Appendix 3. An appreciation of Olive's work by F W Fenton, the Northern Art Critic for the Daily Telegraph forms the foreword. I am indebted to Peter Ogilvie, the Collections Manager at Salford At Gallery for this document.

A newspaper feature from the Manchester Evening News has also been included at Appendix 3.

1972 She exhibited again at the Monks Hall Museum and Gallery in Eccles from January to May 1972. 

Olive stopped painting portrait commissions after this exhibition. In March, 1972, she wrote, "I've recently had a chance at outdoor landscape painting and it's been  a revelation to me after all these years of painting faces."Note 2.  From that point on, she embarked on a long period when she worked on landscapes. From the beginning, she appreciated the work of the Impressionists, particularly Claude Monet. Olive found constant inspiration in Nature. 

1973 In  June 1973, she exhibited 32 paintings in the BDP Vernon Gallery in Preston. Appendix 4.

As well as many more landscapes, Olive extended her subject matter to larger figure studies and nudes. 

1977 In 1977, her paintings across three genres were featured at a major exhibition at the City of Salford Art Gallery and Museum (19th August - 28th September). At that time, she was concentrating mainly on landscapes. 47 paintings were included. See Appendix 5a and 5b.

1985 Some paintings were exhibited at The Mall Galleries "Flowers and Gardens" exhibition in 1985. See below painting number 154. 

Paintings are held in the collection of the Salford Art Gallery and Museum.

Abstract Works

Subsequently, from the 1980s Olive Bagshaw began another phase in her painting, creating abstract works. An exhibition of her abstract works has never taken place. It is possible that some may have appeared at local exhibitions.She continued to paint abstracts mainly in acrylic paint but also with other materials until shortly before her death in 2017.

Final years

Olive's home suffered a flood early in 2015 and all the stored works had to be moved. Olive said that she had found it fascinating to see works which had been in storage for decades and which she had virtually forgotten about. She wrote that there were four distinct phases in her work. Towards the end of her life, I had discussions with Olive about the possibility of a retrospective exhibition. The failing health of her husband and of Olive herself made this an unachievable objective. Olive was in a care home with Greg at Fulwood near Preston and the paintings were in storage. 

Many of Olive's portraits were commissions. Nonetheless Olive's appetite for painting was such that she would paint a large number of uncommissioned  portraits. Many still life, landscape and figure paintings including from the exhibitions were sold throughout her life.

Sale of Studio Works 2019

After the death of her husband, Greg, the executor's sale took place at Silverwoods Auction in Clitheroe, Lancs in early 2019. It is believed that all the works were sold to a single buyer. These were then split up and a number of these were sold at David Duggleby's Winter Art sale in 2019 and Spring Art sale in 2020. These were termed the "Artist's Studio Sale".  

Collection of Works 

In this account a collection of images of oil and acrylic paintings (including those from the Duggleby's  "artist's studio" sale) has been gathered from private and public collections, but it is just a sample.

It is hoped and intended that this blog, which I aim to be a basis for a catalogue, can be improved and expanded. Better quality images may be included in the future and more information about their history and details of their subject matter, etc, as a result of information received from those who knew Olive and Greg and who sat for portraits. I shall be grateful for any information. Please see my contact details at the top of this blog.  

No systematic documentation of Olive's paintings was found to exist after her death, so for a chronology I have had to rely on those paintings which were dated, information from owners, portrait subjects of the paintings and the changes in Olive's painting style in order to attribute approximate periods of time. 

What follows is an attempt at a broad chronological order, though not wholly so, as some paintings have been grouped by sitter or theme. As far as the abstract works are concerned, I have tried to group them into similar bands, but it is all guesswork, although one sequence is clearly derived from a physical location, Whin's Bridge. Note 3

Still Life, Landscapes, Flowers

A glance at the first exhibition catalogue in 1970 (see Appendix 1) shows that from the beginning, Olive was painting in several genres. Three examples below of a still life with flowers, a still life of "Georgian Junk" and a landscape show that Olive painted across a range of subjects while she also focussed on the development of her portrait painting.

1. Still Life (c early 60s) believed to be "Georgian Junk"

Listed as 78 below. Landscape (mid 60s) (Private collection Mrs N Shelton)

Listed as 138 below.  Chrysanthemums c 1966  22" x 26" (OBP)

Portraits

In the first stages of Olive's development as a portrait painter, she was hugely keen to practise and to improve. Consequently she needed a range of models to pose for her.

4. 1960 (Nicole) (Private collection Mrs N Shelton)

The first portrait in this collection was painted well before the other three paintings featured above. It is a straight on full face pose, largely two dimensional. It shows a concentration on facial features and while it captures character, the features do not blend naturally. The artist's confidence with a range of poses was to grow swiftly and her technique to deepen perspective likewise. Sound oil painting technique and subtle use of colour were already in evidence. These would become more and more instinctive and free as Olive explored her full capability. With her early portraiture skills, Olive nonetheless creates a striking portrait.

We know that Olive painted three members of the cast of the Granada Television soap opera Coronation Street. Pat Phoenix, Doreen Keogh and Ivan Beavis were painted in 1962/63. This was at the studio address of church architect Edward Blackwell at 10a Plymouth Grove West, Manchester. I have not found images of these early portraits.

More natural formal portraits with the sitters' heads positioned at a slight angle, painted in 1964 and 1965, reveal major developments in Olive's technique some five years after the 1960 portrait above (4). 

The first of these is described as Sir William Rothwell Hulton, 2nd Baronet (1868–1943) by ArtUK and Judges Lodgings where it is in the collection. However, I think this is a portrait of  Sir William Rothwell Hulton's son, Sir Geoffrey Hulton (1920-1993). I base this on the date of Sir William's death (1943) when Olive was around 12 years old. A contemporary photograph of Sir Geoffrey bears a strong resemblance to the portrait. A further point is that Olive always painted from a live sitting, not from photographs. At the time of adding this portrait (September 2022), ArtUK is investigating the provenance to check the facts. The style of the portrait, dated 1964, is consistent with the following portrait of Dorothy Heap, dated 1965.

 

5(a) Sir Geoffrey Hulton (1920-1993) 1964 

(On loan to Judges' Lodgings, Lancaster) 

                                           This portrait of Dorothy Heap (5) was donated to Touchstones, Rochdale.

5(b) Dorothy Heap 1965 Touchstones Rochdale 

In 1966, a portrait of a young woman (below) shows a much more assured, freer style. Olive used to paint directly from the sitter without sketches, drawings or photographs and though she aimed for a likeness, she was always seeking to capture the sitter's personality and their character. This young woman (6) was also painted later (see number 15)

6. Gillian c1966 (Private collection Mrs G Barry)

Olive explored a range of different poses when painting her subjects .

7.  Full length Portrait of Rita with cat (Ling) c1967   

                       

    

                              

8.Thomas Jolliffe 1967 (Private collection Mrs N Shelton)

   

9. Portait of a Woman c1967 

    

10. Portrait - Possibly "Head Study" 1970 Exhibition

                                                                           

Over time, Olive's style became freer and the poses and composition more adventurous.The portrait restricted to a woman's head above (10) is another development.

Olive wished to develop her skills and techniques as a portrait artist aimed at creating an accurate depiction and of character. At the same time, she followed a path which had been trodden by her mentor, Harry Rutherford who taught her; and further back by Harry Rutherford's mentor, Walter Sickert. Indeed it goes back to Impressionist painters who sought to capture real people.

According to Harry Rutherford, Sickert encouraged his students to find models straight from their daily existence: ""The importance of depicting real people from the real world was underlined by Sickert at the second meeting of the painting school. Rutherford remembers his tutor entering the class accompanied by an elderly gentleman. When Sickert had arrived at London Road Station he noticed the old man who he decided would make an excellent model for that evening's class. The artist approached the man, gave him a pound note and took him to the Parsonage." p 151 See note 4. See also the section under portrait number 28A below.

Consequently quite a number of portraits are studies carried out not as commissions, but as explorations of character. This applies to many portraits below, for example those of Dolly, and more extensively, of Albert Bateson and of George Templeton.

 

 11. Dolly c 1967

The portrait of Dolly above shows great confidence in the use of colour and free brushstrokes.

                                              

There follow a number of portraits from 1967 onwards. Dates, many approximate, have been added where possible. Variations in poses are again evident.     

                                

             

             

  12. Portrait of an Artist - Salford Exhibition 1972 number 77  20" x 16" (OBP)

                                                            

13.  Dolly c 1967 

14. Young Woman seated near a Window c 1967 23" x 16" on board signed (Possibly "Ellen" from 1970 exhibition. (OBP)

                                  

The portrait of the Young Woman seated Near a Window (14) above uses the silhouette approach which the artist deploys from time to time throughout her portraiture works. In this case, it achieves an effect of great sensitivity.

14a Spanish Lace c 1968/69 30" x 22" Signed

Formerly owned by Pearl Blackwell. Appeared in two exhibitions: 1970 Catalogue number 19 ;  1972 Catalogue number 15 (OBP)

15. Gillian c1967 (Private collection Mrs G Barry)

16. Artist's Husband, Greg c1967  22" x 18" (OBP)

17. Greg, Artist's husband 1968  16" x 12" (OBP)

This portrait of Greg is a much less formal painting than the previous one.

18. Dolly 1969 Probably "Dolly in Blue"   24" x 20"  number 81 1972 Salford Museum and Art Gallery exhibition  (OBP)

The portrait above of Dolly (18) was painted two years later (1969) than 13 above and is a deeper study of her character. Olive often experimented with different costumes.

19  Jacqueline c 1969 Salford Museum and Art Gallery

19a. Jacqueline c1968. Almost certainly the same sitter as number 19 

.

20. Cyrilla Jolliffe catalogued as Mrs R Jolliffe 1970 (Private collection Mrs N Shelton)

21. Paul 1970  (Private collection Mrs N Shelton)

Salford Museum and Art Gallery Exhibition (16th December 1971 - to 23rd January 1972) Catalogue number 69

22. Jenny 1970 (signed) (Collection the Finch family) 

Salford Museum and Art Gallery Exhibition (16th December 1971 - to 23rd January 1972) Catalogue number 67

22A Girl in a White Headscarf 1970 (signed)

Salford Museum and Art Gallery Exhibition (16th December 1971 - to 23rd January 1972) Catalogue number 28 (See Appendix 3)

Photo Courtesy of Capes Dunn Auctioneers

Olive originally studied textiles at the Salford School of Art and her appreciation of textures in materials shows in studies which she painted of fabrics, in interior furniture and in costumes worn by her models. The Mandarin Jacket is a notable example. Similarly, the matador's costume, (modelled by Greg) is a study of a material as well as a portrait. Olive enjoyed exploring fabrics within her portrait genre.

   

23. Thomas in the Mandarin Jacket, 1970 ( Salford Art Gallery 71-72 Exhibition, Catalogue number 10) 

24. The Mandarin Jacket, 1970 22" x 24" (OBP)

 25. The Matadors' Costume (Greg) 30" x 26"(OBP)

This painting may be a reference to Harry Rutherford's 'The Matador', 'Souvenir a Juan Belmonte'.

Freer painting technique and intense depiction of character in models featured more strongly in Olive's later portraits such as 26 below which is tightly framed, striking and luminous.

26. Portrait of a Woman 1971

27. Portrait of a Man  18" x 15" on board Signed 1971  (OBP)

28. Portrait of a Young Man 1971

28A    Bert       (Private Collection)

It was noted above that Harry Rutherford was almost certainly Olive's tutor at the Regional College of Art in Manchester where Olive attended portrait painting classes for a number of years in the 1950s. This was towards the latter part of Rutherford's painting career. Originally, in 1925, Harry Rutherford himself was taught by Walter Sickert, who was a leading British artist and a pupil of Degas with strong connections to the French Impressionists. Sickert had opened a class in Manchester. After a short time he handed it over to Harry Rutherford and called him, "My intellectual heir and executor". 

As noted above, a passage about Sickert's methods makes the following observation,

"The importance of depicting real people from the real world was underlined by Sickert at the second meeting of the painting school. Rutherford remembers his tutor entering the class accompanied by an elderly gentleman. When Sickert had arrived at London Road Station he noticed the old man who he decided would make an excellent model for that evening's class. The artist approached the man, gave him a pound note and took him to the Parsonage." p 151

Tandy V. (1986) "Harry Rutherford" in Lock, A. (ed.) Looking back at Hyde. Tameside.

Olive always spoke with great affection for and respect about Harry Rutherford, and indeed she is the subject of one of Rutherford's most well known portraits. Note 1. 

The search for realism which this approach reflects is echoed in Olive Bagshaw's studies of Albert Bateson, a man encountered by chance by Greg, Olive's husband. Albert Bateson sat for many portraits. Later, George Templeton became the subject for a number of Olive's portrait studies.

Olive's husband, Greg, met Albert (below) by chance, who agreed to sit for Olive. See Appendix 3 below. She painted Albert a number of times. Ten of these studies were exhibited in her Salford Art Gallery exhibitions (Dec 1971- Jan 1972).  It is notable that Olive's style became much freer and more confident in comparison with her early work.

Albert Series , c 1968

29. Albert (Albert Bateson, subject of an article in Appendix 3. A number of portraits were included in the Salford Art Gallery exhibition 1971/1972

29A Possibly Old Man reading, or Old man in a blue cap, certainly Albert Bateson. Signed and dated. May have been exhibited in Salford Art Gallery in 16th December 1971 to 23rd January 1972. Private collection.

30. Albert - 16" x 20" Possibly Man Stroking his beard Signed oil on board.(OBP)

31. Albert   Signed 16" x 12" (OBP)

              

                 

32. Albert  Signed  30" x 22" (OBP)

33. Albert  1971 Signed (Wessex Auctions 2022)

 

34. Albert 1971 Signed (Wessex Auctions 2022)

35 Albert  30" x 22"(Oil on canvas) (OBP)

35A  Albert   20" x 16"(OBP)

35B Albert   signed  20" x 16" (OBP)

36. Old Man Reading 

37. George  (Bolton Road)  20" x 16"(OBP)

               Two sketch portraits of the artist and her husband below are of uncertain date.

  

   38.    Self Portrait c1975 (Private Collection)

39. Greg - Artist's Husband

Additional portraits of an unknown date

 

 40.  A gentleman from Bolton  20" x 16"  (OBP)

 

41. Retired Nurse from Manchester 16" x 22" (written on reverse canvas). Signed (OBP)

 

42. Young Woman sitting in a Chair 16" x 24" (OBP)

Nudes

             

Olive Bagshaw began to paint nude figures around 1968. There is a composition dated 1975, so it is probable that the following nudes were painted between 1968-1977. She used a small number of models and experimented with various compositions. 

43. Jackie 1968 (David Duggleby Studio sale 2020) 

44. Woman in a Chair c 1970-75 (David Duggleby Studio sale)

A composition including a nude figure which is only a part of an overall interior is interesting and is followed by two paintings with substantial emphasis on the interior composition, but in which the nude figure takes a more significant role and focus.

45. Female Nude by The Window

46. Female Nude by The Window 

47. Woman sitting on a Bed 22" x 18" on wooden panel  c1973-1975 (David Duggleby Studio sale) (OBP)

         

    

           

 48. Woman sitting by a window with Brass Bed 20" x 16" oil on board  Signed c1973-1975 Salford Museum and Art Gallery

               

In her later paintings of nude figures Olive took a careful account of the choice of background fabrics . Furniture fabrics were also painted with care.

49. Young woman on Chaise Longue 1 (David Duggleby Studio sale)

50. Young woman on Chaise Longue 2 Signed and

Dated 1975 12" x 20" (David Duggleby Studio sale) (OBP)

51. "Female Nude Sleeping in an Armchair" c1975 (David Duggleby Studio sale)

52. Female Nude with Oranges c 1975 (David Duggleby Studio sale)

A more impressionistic technique is used for this nude study below.

53.   Sleeping Nude c1975-77 20" x 16" on board (David Duggleby Studio sale) (OBP)

Further Portraits

A portrait of Ann Cotton in 1975 (below) shows the development of Olive's technique and portrayal of character. This is arguably one of her best portraits. A black and white image is from her 1977 exhibition catalogue.

54. c 1975  Ann Cotton 20" x 16"  Signed (David Duggleby Studio sale) (OBP)

54a  Ann  1976 (From Salford Art Gallery Exhibition 1977)

55. Keith (Williams) 1976 (Private collection K and S Williams)

The three other male models featured below sat for Olive. She painted them a number of times. It is interesting to study the approaches which Olive took with the same model. Many others are in private collections. The ones shown below were those retained by Olive and which appeared in the studio sale after her death.

Two of the following set are dated 1976. They are probably all of George Tarleton.

56. 16" x 24"    (OBP)

56a.   George Tarleton 30" x 16" 1976 (name written on reverse) (OBP)

   57.  24" x 16" Signed dated 1976 (OBP)

58. George  Signed and dated 1976 23" X 13" (OBP)

59. George  24" x 16" Signed (OBP)

59A

Portrait of the same model smoking a pipe and wearing a buttonhole with dresser in the background. (Private collection of Vladimir Stoyanov.)

The contextualised portrait of an Old Man Peeling Potatoes (below) appears to involve the same model. This was exhibited at the 1973 exhibition at the BDP Vernon Gallery in Preston.

60. Old Man Peeling Potatoes (David Duggleby Studio sale)

61. Georgie  22" x 30"  (Written on canvas) (OBP)

                                                                                                  

Three varied compositions which follow appear to use the same model which may be Mr Campbell.

62."Man in a Green Jacket"+14" x 20" (OBP)

63. "Man in a Red Hat"+ 20" x 16"  Signed (OBP)

64.  Portrait of a Man with Journals (Mr Campbell)  24" x 20" (OBP)

                         

The next portrait (65) has inscribed on the reverse, LSL by OB. The previous owner, Lancashire Fine Art included the following description, "We believe this is a portrait of L.S.Lowry, (it is faintly inscribed verso) whom Olive is bound to have known if not been friends with because they were both Manchester artists, active in Manchester art circles for many years and we also know that Olive definitely knew Harry Rutherford (1903-1985) another of the great northern school (Manchester) artists (who was a life-long friend of Lowrys after they met when studying art together under Valette) because he famously painted her portrait back in the 1960s and exhibited it and it is one of best remembered portraits he ever painted." Please see Note 1 below.

65. Portrait of L S Lowry (?) See above 18"x 22" (OBP)

A female subject  is included in three studies, one unfinished. 

  

66 Renee - Woman in a Pink Blouse (Titled 2021)  (OBP)

   . 

67. Renee - Woman in a Green Pullover 16" x 20" (titled 2021) (OBP)

68.  Renee - Woman in a Green Dress  18" x 12" Signed (Titled 2021) (OBP)

Silhouette Compositions

A silhouetted woman seated by a window was featured from 1967 (see above fig 14). Olive continued and developed the approach until 1979 when it appears that Olive took the further step of very rarely including people in her work but she focussed on flowers and her abstract work. What follows are paintings where the silhouette technique is chosen for the composition. 

69. Young Woman Sewing 1975 (David Duggleby Studio sale)

70. Young Woman Reading (David Duggleby Studio sale)

71. Woman  reading behind a jug of dried Honesty (David Duggleby Studio sale 2022)  20" x 14" on board   (OBP)

71A Woman sewing behind a jug of Honesty  (David Duggleby Sale Summer 2023)

72. Young Woman Peeling Apples (David Duggleby Studio sale)

73. Mother and Baby 20" x 16"  (David Duggleby Studio sale)  (OBP)

This does not fall into the silhouette category, nor nude studies, but has been placed here as it may be part of a sequence with the same sitter from this period.

74. Ann Cotton Signed 1979 18" x 20" (OBP)

  

75. George 20" x 16" Canvas on board Salford Museum and Art Gallery 

76. Old Man Drinking (David Duggleby Studio sale)

77. Old Man reading with a Vase of Flowers 22" x 18" (David Duggleby Studio sale) (OBP)

Later Portraits

77A. Sue Williams 1983 Signed and dated (K and S Williams Collection) A rare late portrait, a friend of the artist.

77B John Abbott  1983 Signed and dated Private Collection Abbot family 

Landscapes, seascapes, flowers and still life 

Olive painted landscapes, seascapes, flowers and still life subjects throughout her career until she began to paint abstracts.

One or two have been included in the earlier section on Portraiture. In the following section the works are arranged (as far as it has been possible to judge) in a chronological or style sequence. It is hoped to add locations in due course.

78 . c1967 (Also included above) Signed

78A "Winter Sunshine". 14" x 10" on board Signed.  Same subject as 2 above (?) Label on reverse suggests it appeared in an exhibition, possibly the first ever private exhibition held at 816 Wilmslow Road Private collection. (OBP) 

78B  

Signed and dated 1966 (?) Private collection P Dordi

The only example of a painting of a stream or pond known.

79. Country Lane 20" x 18" Signed (OBP)

80. The Thaw, Pleasington, 1972 (BDP Exhibition 1973) (OBP)

81. "Cottage on a Frosty Morning"+ c 1970s 

82. "A Frosty Morning"+ Signed 18" x 22" (OBP)

82A

"Cottage" Signed 1973  (Private collection Mr P Blackwell)

82B 

December Morning Mist,  26" x 16" oil on canvas. Catalogued number 7  in Salford Museum and Art Gallery Exhibition August to September 1977 (Appendix 5)

Signed and dated 1973 (Gumtree Sales)

83.

Old Mill Botany (?) Written on reverse (Double sided with number 94) 24" x 18" (OBP)

84. First Cut of Hay 24" x 20" (OBP)

85. "Landscape in Early Summer "+ 20" x 24" (OBP)

86. A Bare Tree in Early Spring. 20" x 16" on canvas Signed (OBP)

87. "A Bare Tree under a Grey Sky" 20" x 16" (OBP)

88. "Flowers in the Hedgerow" On reverse of 93 20" x 24" (OBP)

   

89.  22" x 26"  (possibly) Barley Field Digby House Farm (OBP)

90. "Grain Fields in the Summer"+ 20" x 26" (OBP)

91. "Walking the Dog in the Lane" (Pivate collection Mr J McNally)

92. "Spring Blossom "+ 22" x 18" (Titled 2021) (OBP)

93. Near Pope Farm (Written on canvas) 20" x 24"  On reverse of 88 (OBP)

94. "From Mr D's Garden" written on canvas reverse. 24" x 18"  Double sided with number 83. (OBP)

95. Misty Winter Landscape, Lancashire 1975 27" x 19" (OBP)

96. (possibly) Cabbage Field Croston or Cabbage Field Bretherton  Signed 1973 20" x 24" (OBP)

97. "Young Girl in the Garden"+ 18" x 24" (OBP)

98. "The Garden Chair "+ 20" x 28" (OBP) 

99. Breakfast in the garden 1976 

100. "House at the End of the Lane"+ 16" x 20" (OBP)

100A  Silver Birch Wood  55cm x 45cm Signed (Wilson55 Auctioneers (Image Copyright with Wilson55)

101. Harvest Field  Signed 1976 24" x 20" (Private Collection - Don and Sue Berry)

 

102. Farmworkers Fencing 24" x 20" (OBP)

       103. The End of the Day - signed and dated 1971  Listed Number 2 1977 Salford Exhibition with Exhibition labels verso 12" x16 " Private Collection, Mr Nick Coleman

 

104. Snowy Morning Marsh Lane  1977 26" x 24" (1977 Salford Exhibition) 

105. Snow Covered Landscape Rivington 1977 Signed  20" x 28" (OBP)

106. Adams Hill, Winter 1978 (Salford Museum and Art Gallery)

107.  Monk's Hill 1978 (Collection K and S Williams)

108  Frosty Sunrise (1977 Salford Art Gallery Exhibition catalogue)

109.  Olive Bagshaw - Frosty Sunrise  c 1975

    

110. "Cottages across the Fields"+ 36" x 22"  Signed 1977  (OBP)

110A  "Trees in a Landscape"+ Signed 24" x 14" (OBP)

110B "Muddy Field"+  On reverse of 97 18" x 24" (OBP)

111.  "Canal Scene"+ 16" x 20" (OBP)

112. A Cracking Day Caught   24" x 20"(OBP)

113 "Bare Trees and Ploughed fields"+  24" x 18" (OBP)

Coastal/Seascape and associated Interiors

The following group is probably from around Morecambe, carried out when Olive was on holiday. For outdoor painitngs on location, Greg, her husband made a bespoke tent attached to the back of his vehicle which gave protection from the elements. Olive told me that she took her cats with her to Anglesey.  Some works are painted from interiors. One is identified as Morecombe.

114. Low tide, Morecambe Bay, Lancashire  13" x 11" (OBP)

115.  "Morecambe Bay with Cottages"+18"  12" Signed (OBP)

.

  

116. Morecambe Bay (?) Through a net Curtain 22" x 18" on board (OBP)

117. " Morecambe Bay (?) through the window with a candlestick and matches "+ 20" x 16" c1970s (OBP)

  

118. "The Yellow Blouse"+ 16" x 14" (OBP)

119. 20" x 16" (OBP)

                       

120. Seascape, probably the North Wales Coast from Anglesey 24" x 16" c1970s  (OBP)

121. (Possibly Menai Straits Storm Approaching c1977)

122. "North Wales Coast from Anglesey"+  18" x 10" Salford Museum and Art Gallery 

Both the above are very probably the North Wales Coast from Anglesey. The latter (122) is an oil sketch.

123. The Little Terrace 20" x 24" (OBP)

124. "Cottages by the Water"+ 12" x 10" (OBP)

As mentioned at the start of this brief summary, Olive was inspired by the Impressionists, as Harry Rutherford had been, but particularly by Claude Monet's attempts to capture the endless changes in light in the natural environment and on water. Her seascapes were undoubtedly a challenge she anticipated with much enthusiasm. She painted seascapes in England, Wales and Scotland. See 120, 121, 122 above.

 125. Rocky Seascape 1976 Probably Treadur Bay 28" x 30" Signed (OBP)

126. Treadur Bay 28" x 24" c1970s  (OBP)

127  Rocky Seascape (Treadur Bay?) c1970s. 28" x 20" (OBP)

Whin's Bridge Series

The following sequence of landscapes based on the same landscape subject may be a transition point in the artist's direction when she begins to paint abstracts. Two of these paintings are dated 1978, so it is probable that they all date from that period.

128. Whin's Bridge 1978 (K and S Williams Collection)

129. 1978 Whin's Bridge with Trees Series  Signed 20" x 24" (OBP)

130. Whin's Bridge with Trees Series  28" x 20" (OBP)

131. Whin's Bridge with Trees Series 24" x 16"Signed (OBP)

 

132.  Whin's Bridge with Trees Series Signed 18" x 16"(OBP)

133. 1978   Whin's Bridge with Trees Series Signed 10" x14" (OBP)

134. Whin's Bridge with Trees Series Acrylic 24" x 18" Semi Abstract (OBP)

In the painting above, which may appear to be an unfinished representational painting of the familar subject, there may be the beginning of an exploration of motifs, which appear more strongly in the following painting.

135.  Olive Bagshaw - Whin's Bridge with Trees Semi Abstract 76 x 61cm (OBP)

These motifs can be found in her abstract works below including 168, 171, 180.

Flowers

Still life paintings of flowers were a major feature of the artist's life work. Flowers were included from time to time in portraits and interiors as can be seen in portraits and interiors above.

136. Still Life of Roses 20" x 18"   1965 (OBP)

137. (Chrysanthemums) Salford Museum and Art Gallery  c1960s

138.Chrysanthemums in a Cream Jug 22" x 26" (Also illustrated above) Signed (OBP)

138A  "Chrysanthemums in a Plantpot"+ (1960s?) Private collection P Dordi. Photo Keith Williams

138B 

138 B  Chrysanthemums  Photo kindly supplied by Homeless Hounds, Dogs in Need Charity. Signed  24" x 20" 

138C "Chrysanthemums with Oranges"  Salford Museum and Art Gallery Exhibition  December 71 - Jan 72. Cat No 27   45cm x 36cm 

139. 20" x 30" (OBP)

    140. "White Roses in a Vase"+ Signed 16" x 20"   (OBP)    

140A  "Roses in a Pewter Vase"+ Signed, date from 1960s? Private collection P Dordi. Interesting treatment of the roses' container. Photo Keith Williams.

140B Roses (Signed) Private Collection Abbot Family

141. "Mixed Roses in a Decorated White Jug"+ 20" x 16" (OBP)

141A  Still Life of Flowers in a Jug (David Duggelby Spring Art Sale 2021)

141 B   "White Daisies in a Jar"+ c1970s

With kind permission from The Brian Nolan Trust  Signed (top)

142. Pink and Yellow Roses in a Vase and on the Table OBP

143.  Yellow and White Roses in a Blue Vase  20" x 16" Signed (OBP)

144. "Summer Roses"+ 14" x 16"  (OBP)

145."Daisies in a Vase"+ 20" x 24" (OBP)

146. 20" x 24" (OBP)

"Early Morning" Written on canvas

147.  "Daisies" 23" x 18" (OBP)

148.  "Arranging the Daisies" 24" x 20" Signed (OBP)

149. "White Daisies in a Glass Jar"+ 24" x 20" (OBP)

150.  "Philadelphus in a Vase"+ 

151. "White Roses"+

152. Still Life of Flowers (David Duggleby's Sale)

153 "Chrysanthemums in a Jug"+ 16" x 16"  .(OBP)

154 "Honesty"+

155. "A Vase of gyphsophila with Shells"+ 14" x 18" (OBP)

156. Buttercups in a Vase 16" x 20" (OBP)

157.  "A Bouquet of Flowers in a Decorated Pottery Jug" 12" x 16" (OBP)

158. "Summer Flowers in a Vase"+ c1980s 16" x 20" (OBP)

Some paintings were exhibited at The Mall Galleries "Flowers and Gardens" exhibition in 1985.

159. Buttercups in the Rain signed 1983 24" x 20" (OBP)

160. "Buttercups and Daisies" c1983

161.  "Wild Flowers in the Wood"+ 38" x 20" This painting is a landscape, possibly a clearing in a wood or large garden, but contains many wild flowers. (OBP)

Other Still Life Paintings

162. Still Life of fish and tomatoes (David Duggleby's sale)

162 A. 

Probably Still Life with Kippers, number 42 1977 Salford Exhibition   Signed and dated 1976

(Private Collection of Jane Blunt)

162B Kippers and Carpet 1968

Probably "Kippers and Carpet" catalogue number16 exhibited at Monks Hall Museum and Gallery, Eccles, May 1970. Signed and dated 1968(?) With kind permission from the Brian Nolan Trust

162 C

6 1/4" x 9 1/4" Green Bottle and Oranges"+ "From "Still Life" group.  Private Collection.

163A. Study of a Cat (David Duggleby's Sale) 12" x 16"  (OBP)

Olive and her husband were very fond of cats. They usually kept several. This is the sole example which I have found. In an earlier painting (number 5) above, a siamese cat sleeps on a sitter's lap. This cat belonged to Margaret "Pearl" Blackwell, a lifelong friend of the artist and her husband until Pearl's death in 1980. Pearl Blackwell gave a great deal of support to Olive and her husband and supported a very early private exhibition of her paintings at The Limes in Didsbury around 1966.

Jacqueline's Private Collection  1960s - 1980s

This collection of 25 works was added in August 2025. The works were completed over three decades, but they are not arranged in chronological order at this time. At this stage, the numbering has been prefixed with a zero and the numbering from the collection has been retained. Thanks are due to Kate and her brothers Christian and Oli who have made this collection available and have provided the titles and sizes of the works. Further details may be added in future and the collection of images may be re-arranged.

   

01 Honesty 26 x 20 inches

02  Albert Bateson  22 x 16 inches

03  Jackie  24 x 20 inches

04   Book  24 x 20 inches

05   Renee 20 x 14½  inches (Frame size 22½ x16½)

06   Rivington    20 x 24  inches   

07     Gypsophila  24 x 19½ inches   (Frame size 28¾ x 25)   

08   Jackie   24 x 20 inches   (29½ x 25½)   

09   Unknown  16 x 12  inches   (Frame size 20 x 16)    

  

010  Unknown   18 x 12½ inches              

 

011  Roses    8 x 12 inches            

012   Seascape   14 x 18  inches      

  

013  Albert Bateson    24 x 20 inches            

014   Unknown   18 x 22  inches         

015   Sam      9 x 6½ inches     (Frame size 13¾ x 11)        

016   Christian   12½ x 9½ inches   ( Frame size 15 x 12¼ )      

017   Rose   17¼ x 9¼  inches   (Frame size 22 x 14)    

      

018   Ellen  17½ x 13½ inches  (Frame size 22½ x 18½)    

   

019   Flowers in glass reflection  28 x 23½ inches   (Frame size 30½ x 26¼ )  

        

020     Jackie     11⅜ x 9½  inches   (Frame size 15 x 13)     

      

021   Daisies and buttercups    25½ x 19½ inches  (Frame size 30½ x 24½)         

022   Stool  17½ x 13½ inches   (Frame size 20½ x 16½ )    

     

023   Buttercups   17½ x 13½  inches  (Frame size 20½ x 16½ )   

      

024    Mr Campbell   22 x 18  inches 

              

025   Boots 15½ x 13½ inches   (Frame size 19½ x 17¼ )   

Abstracts

Olive created a substantial number of abstract works in the later phase of her creative life. At the executor's sale in January 2019 after the death of her husband Greg, a total of 63 abstracts were listed by Silverwoods of Clitheroe. In paintings numbered 130 and 131 above there are elements which presage the change to abstract work. A painting which falls into the category of representation, being of what looks to be a reflection in a mirror of candlesticks, but could be seen as an abstract, is reproduced as the first of the abstracts, though its date is unknown. 

A Commentary on the Abstracts has been written by Clive Bridger, which can be found at the end of the sequence below.

163 14 A Candlesticks Reflections Semi Abstract 122 x 61 cm double sided

164 14B. 122 x 61 Double sided

165 1A 122 x 61cm double sided

166 1 B 122 x 61 cm double sided

167 24. 122 x 61 cm

168 22b 84 x 76 cm Double sided

169 22A. 84 x 76 cm Double sided

170 18. 122 x 92 cm

171 3. 152 x 92 cm

172 29. 122 x 92 cm Lot 4162

173 12. 122 x 92 cm

174 13. 122 x 92 cm     Private Collection Mme Sornin Plet et M Plet, La Creuse, France

175 21 122 x 92 cm Top indicated on reverse

176 28. 153 x 92 cm Top Indicated on reverse

177 26. 91 x 61 cm

178 16.   Salford Museum and Art Gallery 122 x 61 cm framed

179 8. 122 x 92 cm Lot 4161

180 5. 125 x 94 cm signed 95 lot 4159 x

181 10. 122 x 92 cm Signed Lot 4162 x 7 Silverwoods

182   25. 122 x 91 cm Highly textured

183 23. 122 x 61 cm Framed

184   9. 122 x 92 cm

185   4. 152 x 92 cm

186   2. 81 x 55 cm

187   22A. 84 x 76 cm Double sided

188   22b 84 x 76 cm Double sided

189   27. 91 x 61 cm

190  17. 122 x 92 cm

191   11. 122 x 92 cm

192   30. 122 x 61 cm

193  19A. 122 x 61  cm

193 detail  19A detail

194  20 122 x 61 cm framed

195  15. 122 x 61 cm

196  61cm x77 cm

197  (Appears as 131 in representational section above)

198  7. 122 x 92 cm

199        122 x 92 cm 

Private Collection  of Jane Blunt

Commentary on the Abstracts

I am indebted to Clive Bridger, former Principal Lecturer in Art History at South Devon College who has written the following commentary on the abstracts. This is an unexplored field and so I have found Clive's  comments to be extremely useful bearings and signposts to directions of further study.

"Many of the abstract works seem to take their cue from Fig 163 in being a sort of ‘plan view’ looking down on a motif.  Figs 165,167,183,188,191 for instance almost seem like aerial views of settlements or field systems, or even Nazca lines.  Almost all seem to stem from the ‘abstraction’ of figurative motifs, rather than pure formal invention.

Some feel in character and texture as though reductions of organic form (tree bark perhaps in 185 or 189). In one or two there is the suggestion of references to Aboriginal or pre–Columbian American figurative imagery, Fig 152 for instance. Or perhaps even an acquaintance with the work of Dubuffet.

Fig 131 (Whin's Bridge series) would seem to be the genesis for works such as Figs 164,166,194, 195: organic plant forms in front of a generalised atmospheric space.

The textures and colours also often seem to suggest something ancient almost archaeological (cracking and peeling paintwork, the vestiges of shapes emerging from earth colours and textures).

It is an expressive and organic form of abstraction with its roots in the visible and tactile world.

The variety of approaches suggest she is searching for a method that convinces her in these works. I feel the most successful of these are those in which there is coherence between the formal shapes and the picture plane, such as 175 and particularly 178. Here the colour and formal composition seem to complement each other most successfully, but this is very subjective."

Clive Bridger, December 2020

Purpose of this record

The aim of this blogged record and brief biography is to enlarge the wider public's understanding and appreciation of Olive Bagshaw's work. The quality of some images included is not good, but they are included until better ones become available.

If an owner of an Olive Bagshaw painting would like to have a work by Olive Bagshaw added to this record and made publicly available for the enjoyment of the general public through this record, please get in touch with me as I shall be very happy to include it. Similarly, if you have any information which you think might add to the usefulness of this blog, please let me know. See the end of this blog.

Appendix 1

Exhibition May 1970, list of exhibits.  Monks Hall Museum and Gallery, Eccles, May 1970

No               Title                 Price

1.    Chrysanthemums             60 gns

2.    Forty Winks                      30

3.    Boots No 1                       18

4.    Self Portrait                       NFS

5.    William Bromilow Esq      NFS

6.    Georgian Junk                    30

7.    Mrs N Sandeman-Allen      NFS

8.    White Roses                        25

9.                                                18

10.   September                         30

11.   Bottles                               25

12.   Jacqueline                         20

13.   Copthurst in Winter          25

14.   Miss Melleta Wilson        NFS

15.   Vegetables                         35

16.   Kippers and Carpet           35

17.   Mr C.                                 35

18.   Yellow Rose                      20

19.   Spanish Lace                    150

20.   The Pink Hat                    35

21.   Mrs R Jolliffe                   NFS

22.   Greg                                 NFS

23.   Head Study                      15

24.   Ellen                                 20

25.   Mrs G Bromilow              NFS

26.   Bottle and Fruit                15

27.   Boots No 2                       35

28.   Charles Drapkin Esq        NFS

29.   Man with Pipe                  30

30.   Thomas Jolliffe                 NFS

31.   Study in Light                   30

32.   Dolly                                  NFS

33.   Hydrangea Plant                12

34.   Mrs N Holt                       NFS

35.   Tractor in the Mist            18

36.   Old Bill's Stool                 25

Accompanying text: Miss Bagshaw was born in Salford and received her formal art trainng at Salford and Manchester Art Schools. She is now in her thirties, an accomplished portrait painter with the unique ability to portray character. 

Her work has been accepted regularly at the Royal Society of Portrait Painters, and for the past four years, "hung on the line".

Miss Bagshaw has also had her work accepted and hung at the Royal Academy, Royal Institute of Oil Painters and the Federation of British Artists.

While she is first and foremost a portrait painter, she also enjoys other subjects which her impressionistic technique lends itself to most successfully.

Appendix 2  Review

Daily Telegraph Review

Appendix 3

Exhibition Salford Art Gallery in 16th December 1971 to 23rd January 1972

Manchester Evening News January 24th 1972

Appendix 4

BDP Vernon Gallery Preston  June 1973

Appendix 5

5 a

City of Salford Museum and Art Gallery 1977 August to September

5b   Press Cutting related to the exhibition 

Whatever the weather Olive is out of doors

     Capturing

 Thanks to Nick Coleman who supplied this cutting. Probably from the Manchester Evening News.

Notes

* Thanks are due to Jeremy Parrett the Archivist at MMU who was able to verify Olive Bagshaw's attendance at the Regional College of Art.

** Also many thanks to Peter Ogilvie, Collections Manager for Salford Art Gallery for a copy of the 1971-1972 Exhibition catalogue.

1. Portrait of Olive Bagshaw by Harry Rutherford, one of his most well known paintings.

2. Letter to the author.

3. The extensive local knowledge of Keith Williams has proved invaluable. He and his wife were also friends of Olive and Greg.

4.Tandy V. (1986) "Harry Rutherford" in Lock, A. (ed.) Looking back at Hyde. Tameside.

Repeated from above: It is hoped and intended that this blog can be improved and expanded. Better quality images may be included in the future and more information about their history and details of their subject matter, etc, as a result of information received from those who have knowledge of her work,  who sat for portraits or indeed knew Olive and Greg personally. I shall be grateful for any information which I shall treat confidentially.

Please email me at: tbjolliffe@gmail.com

All comments are welcome.

Tom Jolliffe December 2020

Olive Bagshaw, circa 1967

Copyright 

Images

I have sought to record image copyright where I have been able to find it. Please let me know if you own copyright on images which is not credited. I shall be happy to record it or remove the image if you wish.

Artist's Copyright

Please note: To date, I have not been able to establish who holds Artist's Copyright for Olive Bagshaw's works reproduced in this blog. Currently, the provisions of Non Commercial Use are intended to apply. This blog is not monetized and its purpose is informational. Please let me know if you have any information about the artist's copyright. Contact details are to be found at the beginning of this blogpost.