Wendy Whiteley
Wife and muse to the late artist Brett Whiteley, Wendy is creator of the Secret Garden, a jewel on the Sydney Harbour foreshore
SUMMER IS... Sunshine and chirping cicadas. I love the beautiful light. It’s specifically why I decided to stop living overseas and come back here.
CHILDHOOD MEMORIES OF SUMMER? They are all about the beach. We used to go camping down at Coledale [south of Sydney], right on the beach. Or at Ulladulla [on the NSW South Coast]. Wading into the water, pulling out bucketfuls of prawns and eating them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
QUINTESSENTIAL SUMMER MEAL? Really big Queensland prawns cooked in lots of garlic, parsley, and oil on black squid-ink pasta with a green salad. Everybody loves it. Summer food is about a lot of fish and a lot of salads. Simple food, simply prepared so you can soak up the flavors.
FAVOURITE SUMMER PLANTS? Gardenias. And great big blue echiums. And lavender, grevilleas, and hydrangeas. I love flowers you can pick and bring into the house.
WHAT’S ON YOUR READING LIST? Helen Garner’s Yellow Notebook: Diaries Volume 1 1978-1987 [$29.99, Text Publishing]. And the biography of my friend, Anna Schwartz [Present Tense: Anna Schwartz Gallery and Thirty-Five Years of Contemporary Australian Art by Doug Hall, $59.99, Black Inc].
SOUNDTRACKS OF SUMMER? Indian music – Ravi Shankar. And I really like the music of Joseph Tawadros, an Australian oud player. Bob Dylan. Leonard Cohen. And classical music.
HOLIDAY FASHION STAPLES? Always deconstructed and loose clothes, like djellabas. And I’ve always worn headgear – headscarves and cloche hats.
FAVOURITE SUNSET TIPPLE? Pear juice with mineral water and ice. Or Fever-Tree ginger ale.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Megan Morton's - RURAL IDYLL
The stylist and author reveals the secrets to her decorating journey with Mimosa Moon, her home in the Northern Rivers region of NSW.
RURAL RETREAT
A Colonial-look 1970s property on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria is gently renovated with an English-country aesthetic in mind.
Michael Reid OAM
The renowned art dealer and entrepreneur, who runs a congregation of creative businesses across the globe, shares the moments and muses that have shaped his extensive career.
MASTER peace
Gallery owner Michael Reid has created his own living paradise, a rambling garden he keenly shares with fellow art lovers who visit the Murrurundi, NSW, gallery location.
GARDENS of the world
Up close and personal with the most memorable gardens in Morocco and Spain.
INTO the wild
Three words inspired the rework of this Kangaroo Valley, NSW, home among the gum trees: embracing, vibrant and Animalia.
COUNTRY kitchen.
Flavourful and warming dishes from The Cordony Kitchen with seasonal vegetables as the stars of the show.
HOLIDAY at home
Missing the Indonesian villa they enjoyed on a recent holiday the owners decided to recreate their own retreat at home.
STATEMENT piece
For a holiday home that embodies the coastal beauty of Bermagui, NSW, minimalist bricks were the natural choice, inside and out.
EFFORTLESS charm
With a discrete street frontage, this home fulfils the brief to keep its visual impact on the lush surrounds to a minimum.
