Donald Ayres

1936

Donald was born in Bexhill-on-Sea in 1936 and spent his formative years during and after the war wandering the Sussex countryside and Downs, developing a love for both the sea and the landscape.

He 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 he enjoyed the creativity of working with jewellery Donald could not bear being indoors all day. Out of desperation to see the world he joined the Royal Navy, travelling extensively for eight years.

In his late twenty’s, after a few years in advertising, Donald suffered a fairly long illness. Short of money, his wife placed a few of his sketches in a local shop where, to their surprise, they sold instantly, and a succession of people came knocking at the door. As Donald recovered, he spent more and more time sketching and painting and as his confidence grew, he decided to move to Cornwall to set up as an artist full time.

Dissatisfied with the way art was being taught in the 1960s Donald looked instead to the techniques of the ‘Old Masters’ from which to draw inspiration.

With a great spiritual love of the countryside Donald has spent his entire artistic life travelling, painting and sketching the length and breadth of our wonderful country.

Donald has 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 he taught wildlife painting on what was then the only course of its kind in the country.

Donald Ayres

1936

Donald was born in Bexhill-on-Sea in 1936 and spent his formative years during and after the war wandering the Sussex countryside and Downs, developing a love for both the sea and the landscape.

He 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 he enjoyed the creativity of working with jewellery Donald could not bear being indoors all day. Out of desperation to see the world he joined the Royal Navy, travelling extensively for eight years.

In his late twenty’s, after a few years in advertising, Donald suffered a fairly long illness. Short of money, his wife placed a few of his sketches in a local shop where, to their surprise, they sold instantly, and a succession of people came knocking at the door. As Donald recovered, he spent more and more time sketching and painting and as his confidence grew, he decided to move to Cornwall to set up as an artist full time.

Dissatisfied with the way art was being taught in the 1960s Donald looked instead to the techniques of the ‘Old Masters’ from which to draw inspiration.

With a great spiritual love of the countryside Donald has spent his entire artistic life travelling, painting and sketching the length and breadth of our wonderful country.

Donald has 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 he taught wildlife painting on what was then the only course of its kind in the country.

Work currently available