Carole Ayres

Carole Georgina Ayres (born 19 June 1944) is a Western Australian contemporary artist celebrated for her mixed-media paintings that blend abstract landscapes, decorative motifs, and deeply personal interpretations of memory, environment, and inner vision.

Early life and education

Carole Ayres was born in the United Kingdom; her birth reportedly occurred during a wartime "bomb blast" when a buzz bomb struck the hospital where her mother was. She emigrated to Australia in 1951 and later became a citizen of Australia. Prior to formal art training, she worked in shorthand at a business college. Ayres later studied at the Fremantle College of TAFE (Perth), where she completed a Certificate and then a Diploma of Art.

Artistic style and influences

Ayres's work is characterised by a unique fusion of influences and a deeply personal approach. She cites as sources of inspiration:

• The decorative richness, mosaic-like patterns and gold backgrounds reminiscent of Gustav Klimt, a noted Austrian Symbolist and Art Nouveau painter.
• The refined aesthetics of 17th-century Japanese court figure painting.
• The landscapes, deserts and bushlands of Western Australia.

Rather than producing literal or photographic representations, Ayres describes her method as creating “from within,” working “In a Mind’s Eye” — aiming to express memories, emotions, atmosphere, and spiritual resonance rather than objective reality. Her paintings frequently incorporate layered textures, gold tones, collage/mixed-media techniques, symbolic or figurative motifs, and abstracted landscapes — combining decorative ornamentation with meditative and sometimes dreamlike compositional qualities.

Exhibitions and Career

Solo Exhibitions

Between 1987 and 2022, Ayres held 21 solo exhibitions.

• 1987 – “In a Minds Eye,” No.1, Film & Television Institute, Fremantle.
• 1987 – Royal Commonwealth Society, Perth.
• 1989 – A Shed, Victoria Quay, Fremantle.
• 1991 – A Shed, Victoria Quay, Fremantle.
• 1993 – A Shed, Victoria Quay, Fremantle.
• 1994 – Stables Gallery, Perth.
• 1995 – “In a Minds Eye,” NO 7. Waterway Gallery Armadale.
• 1996 – Araluen Country Club (March).
• 1997 – Moora Woman's Forum.
• 1998 – St John of God Medical Centre, Murdoch.
• 1999 – Chemotherapy Dept, St John of God Medical Centre, Subiaco.
• 2000 – “Inside out Design”, Mount Pleasant.
• 2003 – “Inside out Design”, Mount Pleasant.
• 2007 – "In a Minds Eye 14 ", Rainier Fine Art Gallery, Armadale.
• 2010 – “In a Mind’s Eye XV”, Kingfisher Gallery, West Perth, WA.
• 2013 – “In a Mind’s Eye XVI”, Gadfly Gallery, 131B Waratah Avenue, Dalkeith, WA.
• 2013 – 1st August - October 9th, A selection of Carole Ayres artworks from Gadfly Gallery shown at the Perth Concert Hall.
• 2014/2015 – Continuous exhibition of works on display at Mine Space, 1292 Hay Street, West Perth 6005.
• 2016 – 24th June - 10th July, “In a Mind’s Eye XIX”, Shop 9, The Biscuit Factory, 330 South Terrace, South Fremantle, WA 6162.
• 2019 – 1st November - 10th November, “In a Mind’s Eye XX”, Shop 9, The Biscuit Factory, 330 South Terrace, South Fremantle, WA 6162.
• 2022 – 25th November - 5th December, “In a Mind’s Eye XXI”, Shop 9, The Biscuit Factory, 330 South Terrace, South Fremantle, WA 6162.

Group / Joint Exhibitions

Ayres has participated in 247 group exhibitions from 1979 onward. Her work has appeared in various venues such as galleries, art awards, wineries, hotels and public art events across Western Australia and beyond.

Collections, Commissions and Recognition

Ayres's artworks have been acquired by private collectors, corporate bodies, and institutions both in Australia and internationally — including in Europe, North America, Asia, and South Africa. Her works have been displayed in landmark interiors such as The Perth Mint and the foyer of Sheraton Hotel Perth, as well as in corporate boardrooms, public buildings, and private residences. Several works by Ayres are held in the Fairview Art Collection in Subiaco, Western Australia — including a two-part series inspired by the historic Canning Stock Route titled Magic Hillside (1991) and Desert Trees (1991). Her painting Woman of the Desert was selected to represent Australia in the Royal Overseas Art Exhibition in London, in 1980.

She was also featured among 45 prominent Western Australian artists in the book Arteffects, with the following selected works:

• Woman of the Desert (c. 1980)
• Magic Hillside (1991)
• Desert Trees (1991)

More recent works exhibited during "In a Mind’s Eye XXI" (2022) such as Birdsong, My Tree of Memories, Pisces Dreaming, Geisha in Pinks and Gold, and Fly Me to the Moon.

Artistic Vision and Themes

Ayres's body of work reflects a synthesis of cross-cultural and environmental influences — marrying European decorative tradition, Asian aesthetic sensibilities, and the rugged, evocative landscape of Western Australia. Her declaration, “I am an artist who creates from within … In a Mind’s Eye,” captures her aim to transcend direct representation and evoke personal memory, atmosphere and emotion.

Significance and Legacy

Over a career spanning four decades, Carole Ayres has contributed significantly to contemporary art in Western Australia. Through her extensive exhibition history, presence in public and private collections, and distinctive aesthetic that bridges cultural influences with local landscape sensibility, she has established a unique voice in Australian art. Her inclusion in the Fairview Art Collection helps preserve and highlight her work for future generations and situates her among a community of women artists whose contributions to Australian art have often been under-recognized.

External Links

Official website: https://www.ayresart.com/

References

This article "Carole Ayres" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:Carole Ayres. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.

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