Averil Burleigh studied at Brighton School of Art and married fellow
painter Charles Burleigh (1870’1956) ‘ together they spent much
of their lives in Hove and Sussex. 

She specialised in tempera painting and her work is
characterised by a bright palette underpinned with a bold sense of
graphic design. She often painted decorative renaissance subjects
whilst adding a touch of modernity, through the inclusion of
contemporary clothing. Her compositions are usually dominated
by female figures ‘ often in various states of revelry. She frequently
used her daughter, the artist Veronica Burleigh (1909’1999), as
the central model. She also illustrated many books, including
Thistledown by Leolyn Louise Everett, published in 1927. 

She exhibited extensively throughout her career, including at
the RA, the RSA, the NEAC, with the SWA, the ROI, Walker Art
Gallery and the Paris Salon. She was also a member of the SMDPT
and was elected a member of the RI in 1936 and an associate of the
RWS in 1939.