Rose Wylie: Nonconformity, Ageing & the Beauty of an Unruly Home

At 91, Rose Wylie has one of the most remarkable stories in contemporary British art. She stopped painting in order to raise her three children and returned to it in middle age, finding widespread recognition in her seventies. 

Today her work is exhibited around the world, and earlier this year she had a major show at the Royal Academy.

For the past 58 years, Rose has lived in the same house in Kent. It’s an extraordinary space where piles of discarded paper are strewn across the floor, and the windows are covered in paint. 

Rose has little interest in domestic rules: she doesn’t tidy her studio, leaves her garden to run wild, and lets the house adapt around her life and art.

In this conversation, we explore the influences that shaped Rose’s unconventional life  – from her wartime upbringing as the youngest of seven, to her partnership with her late husband Roy Oxlade, and finding global acclaim later in life.

Rose’s story is one of freedom, creativity, ageing, and the value of allowing a home – and perhaps a life – to develop on its own terms.

Join our Patreon community to watch the exclusive video walkthrough inside Rose Wylie’s home and studio: http://patreon.com/HomingWithMatt

Rose Wylie:

Rose Wylie's exhibition at David Zwirner Hong Kong is called Napoleon and Wild Flowers. It is a show of new paintings. It will be on view from 24 November 2026 to 6 March 2027.

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Matt Gibberd’s book, A Modern Way to Live, is available here: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/320176/a-modern-way-to-live-by-gibberd-matt/9780241480496

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