Berni Ayreart

Sydney born Artist Berni Ayreart (b.1961 - ) Painter, Printmaker, Illustrator, Photographer and Curator.

Berni is best known for her Australian Landscape paintings and illustrating Fauna and Flora. Her landscapes have been described as detailed, alluring, and sensitive, revealing an intimate respect for Indigenous culture, sense of place, an understanding of time and light play. Her works are often enhanced by her sensory perception of the environment, and using natural found elements for added texture when painting au plein air.

Berni spent her childhood years in rural NSW holidaying on relatives farms where she enjoyed roaming and discovering her environment. It was the colours and textures she found in the bush, the early morning pastel tones, the light and shadows over the countryside, that drew her to paint from an early age. 

Primarily teaching herself, Berni copied works of Arthur Streeton, Tom Roberts and Kenneth Jack. However, noticed by her school teacher, the avant-guarde Artist George Balyck, Berni was introduced to the wider world of art, and encouraged to pursue her talent and specialise in painting landscapes and illustrating fauna and flora.

Her weekend roaming's to the N.S.W. Art Gallery and Sydney harbourside seeking inspiration, Berni stumbled on and befriended many prominent 1970's and 1980's Artists who encouraged her with informal tuition, and provided her with old paints and discarded canvases. These artists included James R Jackson, Betty Stevens, Jack Lynn, Peter Kingston, and Luna Park mural artist Martin Sharp. 

Other part-time tuition included Art workshops at the Waverley Woollahra School of Art Sydney, Willoughby Artist's Group, and various art related courses at Sydney University of Technology.

Berni exhibited her first oil landscapes at the prestigious Artarmon International Art Gallery at age 15, where she won an UK Arts Scholarship for a traditional oil landscape: 'On the banks of the Murray'. Other early public exhibitions included: the Sydney Royal Easter Agricultural Show, Hyde Park open air weekend exhibitions, Birkenhead Point Art Gallery, The Rocks Gallery Circular Quay,  Ridge St. Gallery North Sydney, Woollahra and Darlinghurst Art Galleries and regional Rotary Art Shows. 

However suffering a stroke in 1979 Berni was forced to pursue another career path in Biomedical Forensic Photography until retiring in 1990 and being challenged to take up painting once more. Rediscovering her painting ability, Berni wondered back into the Australian countryside to reinvigorate her passion to paint. 

1990-present, notable prizes, multiple public choice awards, and acquisitions including: the ANL Mission to Seafarers Maritime Art Prize 'People's Choice' Award; Melbourne University; RMIT Contemporary Art Prize; Best in Show, Best Landscape - regional Rotary Art Shows; and features in the Australian Artist Magazine. Collections include: Shires of Mitchell, Whittlesea and Darabin Permanent Collections, Kingdom of Tonga Royal Collection, City of Rotorua People's Collection, Blackpool Gallery Collection, Vancouver Canada Expat collection, and with private collectors in Australia and overseas. 

Now living between properties on the Bellarine and in Daylesford, Berni paints frequently and enters: the Linden Postcard Show; Rotary Camberwell and Altona Art Shows; Archibald; various Printing Awards; Seymour and TARTS Tallarook Members Art Shows; regional Rotary Art shows; and Select Group Exhibitions across Australia and internationally. 

Berni is a committed volunteer Arts mentor, teacher, curator and Patron of the Arts. She has provided workshops for VCE Art students, isolated regional Indigenous young artists, and taught those who sought more confidence to pursue their passion for art. 

Berni has been a senior Gov. Advisor for - Arts Culture Heritage and Conservation, and won two Women's Day Awards for her dedication to promoting the Arts and her volunteer Youth community work in disaster recovery. Berni regularly assists with art installations and community projects across Victoria and N.S.W., and is a volunteer Curator for Rotary and regional Art shows. 

Proudly Gadigal Kamilaroi.