About Pam

Pamela Ayres received her Bachelor of Fine Arts from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in Sculpture with a minor in Painting, and her Master of Fine Arts degree in Sculpture, Installation and Performance Art from Long Island University/C.W. Post Campus in Brookville, New York.

Ayres’ is currently a visual arts instructor at St. John’s Country Day School, where she has been since 2014. There, she teaches classes in 2D /3D Foundations, Painting and Drawing, Sculpture and Ceramics, and AP Portfolio for Drawing, Two-Dimensional Work, and Three-Dimensional Work. Over the years, her students have won numerous regional and national awards for such competitions as Scholastic Art & Writing, the Congressional Art Awards, and others.Ayres has also previously taught in a variety of studio art positions. These positions include: Belvoir Terrace Summer Arts Camp from 2011-15; Art Instructor at Blackbird Arts from 2011-2014;  Interlochen Arts Academy from 2007-09; and Interlochen Arts Camp from 2007-09. Ayres’ previous college teaching experience includes Central Michigan University, Bradley University, the University of Bridgeport and Nassau Community College. At Central Michigan University she taught and coordinated the BAA/BFA Seminar and the MFA/MA Seminar and at Bradley University she taught courses in Gallery Management and Collections and led the BFA Seminar. At Nassau Community College and the University of Bridgeport she taught classes in Visual Organization, Drawing, Sculpture, and Interdisciplinary Practices / Multi-Media Arts. Ayres has also served in the Master Teaching Artist Program for the Connecticut Commission on the Arts conducting workshops in welding, casting, Raku ceramics, papermaking, integrated media, performance art, educational design and curatorial programming at such places as Storm King Art Center, Weir Farm National Historic Trust, and the Music and Arts Center for Humanity. Related arts experience with the Music and Arts Center for Humanity includes serving as Director of Arts Curriculum Design and Community Programming and then serving in Development, Marketing and Public Relations. Special educational programs included MACH/Ailey Camp, Bridgeport Neighborhood Studios and Artworks.

As an arts administrator, Ayres previously served as Gallery Director at Central Michigan University, Director of University Galleries, Exhibitions, and Collections at Bradley University and Curatorial Director at the University of Bridgeport. At Central Michigan University, Ayres presided over the University Art Galleries Exhibition Committee and the Bastow Artist-In-Residence Program, coordinated an exhibition of work from the Olga Dennison Collection and served on committees for Gallery Construction and Strategic Planning, University BAA Curriculum, University Spaces and Outdoor Sculpture, Museum Curriculum and was also a member of the University Museum Board. While at Bradley University, Ayres coordinated the Bradley International Print and Drawing Exhibition as well as facilitating exhibitions supporting the Bunn Lectureship in Photography and the Cradle Oak Press Visiting Artist Exhibition. She also facilitated a number of visiting artists including Chakaia Booker, Philip Pearlstein and the Guerilla Girls, as well as serving on the University Sculpture Committee and running the University Educational Archive, which featured a diverse collection of contemporary prints and drawings. At the University of Bridgeport, she curated numerous exhibitions including: a major retrospective of the work of Stan Brodsky, a Public Sculpture Drawing exhibit featuring work by Mark di Suvero and Peter Lundberg, the gallery’s Contemporary Visions series with distinguished jurors Ursula Von Rydingsvard, Philip Pearlstein, Ivan Karp and Dr. Judy Collischan, Millennium Time Capsule in conjunction with the Women’s Caucus for Art and distinguished juror Harry Philbrick, and the Invitational Showcase series featuring cutting-edge contemporary work from established and emerging artists. Ayres was also a consultant for the Museum of Contemporary Impressionism, Artspace, the Great Bridgeport Sculpture Walk, and Celebrate Bridgeport Arts Festival in addition to serving on the Cultural Animation Forum with the Greater Bridgeport Business Council. In addition, she served for two years on the City of Bridgeport sculpture task force working with associates from Socrates Sculpture Park to create the groundwork for the Connecticut Sculpture Park that is now a part of the urban renewal of that downtown.

Ayres’ lists many exhibitions of her own work at museums, galleries and outdoor venues including: Michigan Legacy Art Park, the Bristol Art Museum, Slater Museum, Hecksher Museum, Tribecca 148 Gallery, Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art, Carnegie Museum of Art, the Hillwood Art Museum, Adelphi University Sculpture Biennial and most recently in the Guandu International Outdoor Sculpture Festival in Taiwan. Ayres’ works are in several collections including the Weir Farm National Historic Trust in Connecticut, Nanjing Art Association in China, the Departments of Public Works Collections in Pittsburgh and Aliquippa Pennsylvania as well as numerous private collections. Ayres’ maintains fine art affiliations with the American Association of Museums, College Art Association, Americans for the Arts, the Illinois Council on the Arts Registry, Woman Made Gallery in Chicago,  and the Women’s Caucus for Art and she has previous affiliations with the Alliance of the Sheldon Swope Art Museum, the Board of Directors for Arts Illiana, the Terre Haute Drawing Co-Op, Connecticut Commission for the Arts Master Teaching Artist Program and Artists Roster, Bridgeport Artists Collective; the Board of Directors for the Dominican Artistic and Cultural Academy, Associated Artists of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Society of Sculptors, and Artists Equity of Pittsburgh.