Viola Annie McVicars (1911–1990) was born in Korumburra on 29 April 1911. At the age of 21, she married William John Ayling (1909–1995). After their marriage in 1932, they moved to Kew, initially to 81 Tennyson Street, and later to 180 Pakington Street. A professional tailoress, Viola Ayling was also a talented amateur potter, creating her ceramics at her home in Pakington Street, where she had an internal studio and a handmade, wood-fired brick kiln in her backyard. Following her death in 1990, her studio pottery passed to her daughter, and following the daughter’s death, to her granddaughter. This piece of glazed earthenware is part of a collection of 15 functional and decorative ceramic items donated by Viola’s granddaughter to the collection in 2024.A handmade, abstract figurative sculpture, expertly potted and glazed. The style is representative of Australian ceramic design of the period, particularly that employed by Klytie Pate.Hand modelled ceramic sculpture of a Madonna and Child figural group. The abstract figures are fully covered in an olive green overglaze, apart from the base which is overglazed in cream. The base has an incised spiral beneath the glaze, which was used to decorate the hidden surfaces of a number of pieces, The base is signed with the artist's name around the edge.Signature to base: "V. Ayling"ceramics, pakington street -- kew (vic.), sculptures, abstract art, madonnas and child, viola annie mcvicars, viola annie ayling

Viola Annie McVicars (1911–1990) was born in Korumburra on 29 April 1911. At the age of 21, she married William John Ayling (1909–1995). After their marriage in 1932, they moved to Kew, initially to 81 Tennyson Street, and later to 180 Pakington Street. A professional tailoress, Viola Ayling was also a talented amateur potter, creating her ceramics at her home in Pakington Street, where she had an internal studio and a handmade, wood-fired brick kiln in her backyard. Following her death in 1990, her studio pottery passed to her daughter, and following the daughter’s death, to her granddaughter. This piece of glazed earthenware is part of a collection of 15 functional and decorative ceramic items donated by Viola’s granddaughter to the collection in 2024.A handmade dish, expertly potted and glazed. The style is representative of Australian ceramic design of the period, particularly that employed by Klytie Pate.Hand thrown earthenware dish, covered with a chocolate brown glaze into which a design on the cavetto and well has been incised. The cavetto has a design of four groups of joined semicircles filled with horizontal and vertical lines. The well includes an abstract representation of a flower. The signed, finely shaped foot and rim are glazed in cream with the artist's signature incised on the base. Signature to base: "V. Ayling"ceramics, pakington street -- kew (vic.), dishes, viola annie ayling, viola annie mcvicars