Donald Ayres was born at Bexhill-on-Sea in 1936. He trained initially as a jeweller and subsequently served for 8 years in the Royal Navy. He first began painting professionally in 1965 at the age of 29. During the seventies, he taught at the Dyfed College of Art, on what was then the only wildlife illustration course in Britain. Dissatisfied with the style of teaching in the art colleges, he turned to the techniques of the old masters for his inspiration. Living in various areas of Britain has considerably helped Ayres to extend his portfolio, to include subjects from traditional woodland and landscape to harbour and marine scenes. He is also now one of Britain’s best known painters of landscape and country pursuits. His work has been on the covers of such magazines as Field, Shooting Times and Horse and Hound. His work has also been sold through Harrods. His reputation rests on the quality of both his oils and watercolours and on over 35 years of professional experience. His second book on Exmoor, "Exmoor Revisited" was published in November 2006.
Google Gallery of some of Donald Ayres' recent work:
Link to Donald Ayres' website:
http://www.ayresfineart.co.uk/
Personal statement by the artist (With due acknowledgement):
I was born in Bexhill-on-Sea in 1936 and spent my formative years during and after the war wandering the Sussex countryside and Downs, developing a love for both the sea and the landscape.
I left school to become an apprentice Diamond Setter working with one of the jewellers who had reset the crown jewels for the 1936 coronation and although I enjoyed the creativity of working with jewellery I could not bear being indoors all day. Out of desperation to see the world I joined the Royal Navy, travelling extensively for eight years.
In my late twenty's, after a few years in advertising, I suffered a fairly long illness. Short of money, my wife placed a few of my sketches in a local shop where, to our surprise, they sold instantly and a succession of people came knocking at the door. As I recovered, I spent more and more time sketching and painting and as my confidence grew I decided to move to Cornwall to set up as an artist full time.
Dissatisfied with the way art was being taught in the 1960s I looked instead to the techniques of the 'Old Masters' from which to draw inspiration.
With a great spiritual love of the countryside I have spent my entire artistic life travelling, painting and sketching the length and breadth of our wonderful country. Moving house as our family needs changed, we lived in Sussex (where I was born) Hampshire, Kent, Dorset, Devon, Cornwall, Wales and Scotland (where I ran my own gallery).
During this time I have exhibited across Britain, including Harrods in London, as well as in Europe and America. Approached by the Dyfed College of Art, for a few years I taught wildlife painting on what was then the only course of its kind in the country.
After my wife died in 2003 I moved to Derbyshire, where I now live on the edge of the beautiful Peak District with my partner Diana.
I have had two books of my Exmoor paintings published by Halsgrove.
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