Eileen Mayo (1906–1994) was a prolific British-born artist and designer whose career spanned England, Australia and New Zealand. All but forgotten today, in her day she was celebrated for her versatility, mastering nearly every medium from fine art painting and printmaking to applied designs for stamps, coins and tapestries.
Before establishing herself as an artist, Mayo was a prominent artist's model in London for figures like Laura Knight and Duncan Grant. She used the money to fund her education at the Slade School of Fine Art and later noted that observing these masters taught her more than art school ever did.
Mayo's work was deeply rooted in the natural world, often featuring meticulous, scientifically accurate depictions of flora and fauna. Her signature style combined technical precision with decorative patterns, particularly her tempera paintings and linocuts.
After emigrating to Australia, she became a key figure in the postwar print revival. The native animal depictions she created for travel posters for the Australian National Travel Association and postage stamps are iconic designs.
In 1962, Mayo moved to Christchurch, New Zealand to be near her family. During this time, she taught at the University of Canterbury and continued to receive major public commissions for coins and stamps.
She was appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire, just days before her death in 1994.
Eileen Mayo by Sara Cooper is number 8 in the Modern Women Artists series of mini-monographs about brilliant women artists. Find out more and start collecting the series here.
