Audrey Capel Doray facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Audrey Capel Doray
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Audrey Capel Doray
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| Born | 1931 (age 93–94) |
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| Known for | Electronic sculptor, filmmaker, painter, graphic artist, installation artist |
| Spouse(s) | Victor Doray |
Audrey Capel Doray, born in 1931, is a Canadian artist. She creates art using many different methods. These include painting, printmaking, electronic art, murals, and films. Her artwork has been shown in important places. For example, it was part of the 6th Biennial Exhibition of Canadian Painting. This show happened at the National Gallery of Canada in 1965.
One of her special prints, called Diamond, is kept in the Tate Gallery in London. It is also at the National Gallery of Canada. People describe her art as combining strong ideas about society. She also explores themes like constant motion and how sound and light interact.
Contents
Audrey Capel Doray's Life and Art Journey
Early Life and Art Training
Audrey Capel was born in Montreal, Quebec. She started studying art at age 15. Her classes were at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. There, she learned from a famous artist named Arthur Lismer.
She then went to McGill University to study fine arts. Lismer was one of her teachers there. Other teachers included John Goodwin Lyman and Gordon Webber. After finishing university in 1952, she taught art in Montreal schools. She also continued to learn from artist Jacques de Tonnancour.
In 1956, Audrey spent a year in Europe. She studied etching in Paris at Atelier 17. Her teacher was Stanley Hayter. His book taught her a lot about printmaking. She also learned lithography in London. This was at the Central School of Arts & Crafts.
Starting a Family and Moving to Vancouver
In 1956, Audrey married Victor Doray. He was also an artist. When they came back from Europe, they settled in Vancouver. Audrey taught at the Vancouver School of Art for two years.
Her first solo art show was in 1961. It took place at the Vancouver Art Gallery. In 1964, she also showed her art at the New Design Gallery. This was the first gallery in Vancouver to show modern art. It was next to a space that hosted plays, movies, concerts, and poetry readings.
One art expert noted that Audrey Capel Doray was an early artist to explore new ideas. Her paintings in 1965 looked at how people were changing. They moved from a world of books to a world of electronics. She then created amazing art using light, sound, and motion. Later, in the 1970s, she returned to painting.
Founding Intermedia Society
Audrey and Victor Doray helped start the Intermedia Society in 1967. This group was inspired by ideas from Marshall McLuhan. It was a place for artists from different fields to meet and work together. The Canada Council helped fund the society.
Intermedia was very important for Vancouver's art scene for ten years. It led to new projects like the Video Inn. This was a place to share video art. It also helped create the Western Front Society. An exhibition in 2008 showed Doray's multimedia art from this time. The exhibition catalog called her a "pioneer" of interactive art. This included art that used computers.
Exhibitions and Electronic Art
After her shows in Vancouver, Audrey exhibited her art in other places. She showed work at Simon Fraser University in 1966. She also had shows at the Bau-Xi Gallery in Vancouver and the Jerrold Morris Gallery in Toronto. Her art was also in the 6th Biennial Exhibition of Canadian Painting in 1965.
By the late 1960s, Doray became known for her special sculptures. These were made of clear plastic. They used light, sound, and movement. She showed these works in Canada and the United States. She connected these multi-sensory artworks to ideas about learning through touch.
The magazine Art in America featured Audrey's artwork called Hexagon. This is a large art piece with six panels. It uses polarized light, movement, and sound. The magazine felt it showed the power of electronic art. In 1978, an interview with her in Vanguard magazine talked about her work. It covered her murals, animated films, and electronic art. It also discussed how her paintings explored themes of motion and constant change.
Focus on Nature and Later Works
The Dorays created a summer home on Savary Island. Audrey became more interested in painting landscapes. She also cared deeply about environmental issues. By the 1980s, she and her husband were active in protecting Canada's old growth forests. These are found on the West Coast. They took part in art projects for places like the Stein, Carmanah, and Tsitika valleys. In 2014, her art was shown at the West Vancouver Museum. This exhibition focused on how artists see the land in British Columbia.
Doray's art is part of the permanent collections of many important galleries. These include the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa. Her work is also at the Vancouver Art Gallery and the Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery. Another piece is at the Confederation Centre Art Gallery in Prince Edward Island. Her print Diamond is held in the Tate Gallery London and the National Gallery of Canada.
Her art is also in private and company collections. For example, Mazda Motors asked her to create an electronic mural in 1973. The Waterfront Centre Hotel in Vancouver also asked her for paintings in 1991. Audrey continues her interest in interactive art and movement. Her most recent work is a multi-media installation. It is called Here and Beyond. It was shown in 2014 with music by David Hykes.
