AVA NIALL

I was born and educated in Prague, Czechoslovakia. My parents both worked in creative professions: my father as a Director of Photography in the Czech Television and my mother was a fashion and costume designer in Couture Salon in Prague and Olomouc Theatre. Their – and my husband’s - love for honest, innovative art has been inspiring.

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Although I graduated with Degree in Economics (University of Prague), my heart was always drawn to literature and visual arts, which led me to work as a translator and interpreter for The International Writers Organization in Prague, for the Czech Television, for Venture USA and subsequently HBO.

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I left Czechoslovakia prior to the Velvet Revolution in 1989 and worked at the College of International Business in Melbourne. Graduated with the International Trade Certificate at CIB and Diploma of Hospitality Management at William Angliss College. However, my pull towards arts continued to grow and led me to studies of calligraphy, Adobe Photoshop QED Certificate and painting in oils with Sandra Harvey.

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In 1996 my husband and I started our life in Castlemaine.  Although we are still considered to be “blow ins”, we treasure Castlemaine as our home. I was lucky to become part of DSAS, unique working studio in the Mill Complex.