Ondrej Mares facts for kids

Ondrej Mares 1991

Ondrej Mares (born February 11, 1949 – died March 19, 2008) was an Australian artist and furniture designer. He lived in Macclesfield, South Australia. His amazing artwork was shown in cities like Adelaide, Sydney, and Prague. Mares was best known for his special "Kachina" art pieces.

In 2002, he was diagnosed with cancer. This made him change his focus. He started creating smaller, more compact artworks instead of large ones. Sometimes, his later art even showed hints about his illness. For example, one of his Kachina pieces was called 'Stem Cells'. People said Mares' art was full of "experience, humour and detail." His pieces were usually about 50 cm (20 in) high.

Early Life and Moving to Australia

Ondrej Mares began his working life as a toolmaker in Prague. He was very skilled at this job. He even reached the top rank of Toolmaker First Class. This was before an important event called the Prague Spring in 1968.

Mares remembered going to work one morning during this time. He saw several tanks parked outside his factory. During this period, his tools were stolen. This left him with a debt to the government. Mares and another toolmaker worked extra nights to pay off this debt. After it was paid, he decided to leave Czechoslovakia and move to Australia.

Starting a New Life in Australia

Once in Australia, Mares worked in different places. These included Darwin and Broome. From 1975 onwards, Mares worked in his own workshop. This was in Macclesfield, South Australia. There, he created furniture and sculpture.

In 1979, Mares earned a Diploma in Art and Craft in South Australia. He was a very talented carpenter. He not only built his own house in Macclesfield but also another house in Goolwa. During these years, Mares traveled and gained many experiences. These helped him develop his own unique art style. He created many furniture designs and sculptures. He worked very hard, and his daughter remembered that he was always in his workshop from early morning until evening.

Travels for Inspiration

Mares traveled a lot early in his career. The ideas he got from these trips clearly influenced his art styles. Between 1973 and 1974, Mares went on a big study trip. He traveled through Europe and Asia. This included places like Indonesia (Flores), India, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan.

In 1990, Mares went to Europe again. This time, he studied furniture design in Prague and Paris. He also traveled back to Prague in 2004 and 2007.

Art Exhibitions

During his life, Ondrej Mares had 17 solo art shows. These took place between 1984 and 2006. His artwork was also shown after he passed away from lymphoma in March 2008.

Solo Shows

Here are some of the places where Ondrej Mares had his own art shows:

Group Shows

Besides his solo shows, Mares' art was also part of more than 25 group exhibitions. These shows took place in South Australia and Melbourne.

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  Untitled, by Ondrej Mares photographed at his gallery in Macclesfield, South Australia around 2000.

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  Caterpillar, by Ondrej Mares on exhibition at Stephen Sinclair gallery, Adelaide, on February 11, 2009.

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  Gum Table by Ondrej Mares on exhibition at Stephen Sinclair gallery, Adelaide, on February 11, 2009.

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  Two Wooden Cupboards by Ondrej Mares featuring metal panels made from olive tins, created around 1996-1999.

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  Two Kachinas by Ondrej Mares titled Money Launders, 1999.

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  Kachina titled Amazonia by Ondrej Mares on exhibition at Stephen Sinclair Gallery, February 2009.

Final Years

Even after being diagnosed with cancer in 2002, Mares kept creating a lot of sculptures, tables, and Kachinas. Much of his work has not yet been seen by the public.

Ondrej Mares passed away in the hospital on March 19, 2008. He was cremated shortly after his death.

Books Featuring His Work

Ondrej Mares' art and designs have been featured in several books:

• Masters of Their Craft, by Dr Noris Ioannou, 1997
• Monument Magazine Number 16, 1997
• Modern Australian Furniture, by M. Bofle and P. Landman, 1994