Ethel Carrick was born in Middlesex, England, and trained at the Slade School of Art (1893-1902), later working at St. Ives in Cornwall where she met E. Philip Fox, whom she married in 1905. She developed an increasing interest in the work of Matisse, evident in her painting in her application of pure colour and the decorative treatment of her subjects. Carrick immigrated with her husband to Melbourne in 1913, remaining there until his untimely death in 1915.
She soon after travelled to Europe, the Middle East and Asia, intermittently returning to work and exhibit in Australia. In the 1930s, Carrick-Fox became an important advocate for Impressionist and Post-Impressionist painting in Australian public collections.
Carrick Fox's work is represented in the collections of the National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne and the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney.
