B. 1906 – 1994 

Born in England, Eileen Mayo was an artist who worked in almost every medium: drawings; woodcuts; linocuts; tapestry; painting; and silk screening. In addition to being a printmaker, illustrator, calligrapher and muralist, she designed coins, stamps, tapestry and posters, and wrote and illustrated eight books on natural science. 

After studying at the Slade School of Art in London under Claude Flight, Mayo relocated to Australia in the early 1950s and then again to New Zealand in 1962. In Australia she taught at the National Art School in Sydney and contributed to the postwar print revival, going on to design stamps and posters for the Australian National Travel Association. In 1994, she was awarded a DBE for lifetime dedication to art. 

A much esteemed figure in British, Australian and New Zealand Art, Mayo’s designs were described by art critic Kenneth Clarke as “outstandingly good”. Her work can be found across public collections including at the National Gallery of Australia, the Tate Museum in London and the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa.

To read a more in-depth biography of the artist, click here.