Tess Jaray facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tess Jaray
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Early Piazza, 1964. Oil on canvas
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| Born | 31 December 1937 Vienna, Austria
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| Died | 24 May 2026 (aged 88) |
| Education | Saint Martins School of Art, Slade School of Fine Art |
| Known for | Painting and drawing |
Tess Jaray (born December 31, 1937 – died May 24, 2026) was a talented British artist. She was known for her beautiful paintings and prints. Tess Jaray also taught art at The Slade School of Fine Art from 1968 to 1999. For more than 20 years, she created many large art projects for public spaces.
She was recognized for her amazing work, becoming an Honorary Fellow of RIBA (Royal Institute for British Architects) in 1995. She also became a Royal Academician in 2010. In 2017, she received a special award from Norwich University of the Arts for her contributions to art and art education. In 2025, she received an honorary doctorate from the University of the Arts London (UAL).
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About Tess Jaray
Her Early Life
Tess Jaray was born in Vienna, Austria, on December 31, 1937. When she was very young, in 1938, her family moved to rural Worcestershire, England. They left Austria because it became unsafe for them to live there. Her father, Franz Ferdinand Jaray, was a clever chemical engineer. Her mother, Pauline Arndt, studied art in Vienna. Tess also had a great aunt, Lea Bondi Jaray, who helped bring many famous German artists to London. Tess later shared that the artist Gustav Klimt was one of the first artists who inspired her as a teenager.
Learning and Traveling
Tess Jaray went to art school at Saint Martins School of Art and later at the Slade School of Fine Art. Before starting at the Slade, she took a break to travel to Paris, France. There, she met other artists and explored the city.
When she returned to the Slade, she learned from important teachers. These included William Coldstream, a painting professor, and E.H. Gombrich, an art historian. Both of them greatly influenced her artistic ideas.
After art school, Tess received two special scholarships to travel. In 1960, she went to Italy. This trip was very important because she discovered how much she loved Italian architecture. The buildings and spaces inspired her deeply. In 1961, she received another scholarship to go back to France. She spent several months living and working in Paris. During this time, she learned etching techniques at a famous studio called Atelier 17.
Her Unique Art Style
Tess Jaray's travels in Italy greatly shaped her art style. She was fascinated by the architecture, especially the ceilings. She noticed how simple lines could change a space and make people feel different emotions.
Her paintings often explore how shapes, patterns, repetition, and colors affect how we see space. She created patterns that made spaces seem to shift and change, playing with the viewer's mind. One art critic described her early paintings as "ceiling geography." They made you feel like you were looking up at an interior space from below.
Tess Jaray started teaching art in 1964. She taught at Hornsey College of Art for four years. Then, in 1968, she became the first female teacher at the Slade School of Fine Art. She continued to teach there until 1999, becoming a respected professor.
Art for Public Spaces
From 1985 to 2000, Tess Jaray spent a lot of time creating art for public places. She used her knowledge of architectural space and patterns to design large projects.
One of her important works in the 1980s was a beautiful floor pattern for London Victoria train station. In the 1990s, she completed more big public projects. These included paving, lamps, and railings in Centenary Square, Birmingham. She also designed areas for Wakefield Cathedral and Jubilee Square in Leeds. Another project was the entrance area for the British Embassy in Moscow.
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Her Passing
Tess Jaray passed away on May 24, 2026, at the age of 88. Her artistic legacy continues to inspire many.
Where to See Her Art
You can find Tess Jaray's artwork in many important art collections around the world. Here are some of them:
- Abbot Hall Art Gallery, Kendal, UK
- Arts Council Collection, London, UK
- Art Gallery of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
- British Museum, London, UK
- Brooklyn Museum, USA
- The Tate, London, UK
- Victoria and Albert Museum, London, UK
- Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, UK
Her art was also featured in a special exhibition called Women in Abstraction at the Centre Pompidou in 2021.
Tess Jaray's Writings
Besides painting, Tess Jaray also enjoyed writing about art. She often wrote about her own work, thinking deeply about her creative process. Later in her career, she also wrote about the art of other artists. Some of her writings appeared in exhibition catalogs and on BBC Radio 3. In 2010, a collection of her essays and thoughts on art and life was published in a book called Painting: Mysteries & Confessions.
