Painter, Printmaker, Photographer and Artist.
Berni's paintings are inspired by the Australian landscape and an understanding of Indigenous culture cultivating a knowledge and sense of place and an intimidate level of respect for fauna and flora. Her landscapes have been described as alluring, enticing in detail, and inviting the viewer to consider the artists journey and sensory experience while immersed in remote bushlands, back paddocks and escarpments. Each work offers a blend of the traditional and contemporary, executed with brushes and mono printing techniques.
Berni is primarily self taught with informal encouragement from a variety of prominent artists of the 1970's and 80's who she was fortunate to accompany when they painted en'plien air around the Sydney harbourside. At 16 Berni exhibited her first oil landscapes however tragically suffering a stroke at 19 saw Berni elect another career path and not pick up her brushes again until 1990, and changing her name to her biological name: Berni Ayreart.
Her exhibition history across Australia is extensive with dozens of prizes. Berni periodically enters major Art Shows and Prizes, however prefers to support Rotary Art Show 's where profits go towards Australian rural and remote community projects.
Today, Berni crafts a small quantity of landscapes and flora studies each year from her studio in rural Vic. where it is common to see an array of leaves, bark, dirt and rocks, and photographs brought back from a recent expedition. Berni is a committed volunteer mentor and teacher for VCE Art students, isolated regional and indigenous artists, and those who seek more confidence to pursue their passion for art. She remains a Gov. Advisor for Arts Culture Heritage and Conservation.
Diplomas in Photography, Biomedical and Forensic Photography, Photojournalism, Graphic Arts - Printing; and Business Studies. Informal Artisan workshops at the Woollahra Art School.
1975-79 Sydney Group exhibitions: Artarmon International Gallery, Birkenhead Point Gallery, The Rocks Gallery Space Circular Quay, Open Air 'Artists' Hyde Park.
1990's - current: too many to note here. Berni is a frequent entrant in the Seafarers Mission Maritime Art Prize, Rotary Art Shows and Select Group Exhibitions across Australia. Catalogued VIN No. works can be found in Museums, Universities and Govt. institutions across Australia, Tonga, New Zealand and Great Britain.
We would like to pay our respects to the traditional owners of the land on which our building stands, their leaders, past, present and emerging.