[1] Ainslie was born on 10 April 1934 in Bedford, Eastern Cape,[2] where his family farmed a parcel of land called Spring Grove”.
He also taught art at Cyrene Mission in Zimbabwe and King Edward VII School in Johannesburg, his alma mater [3] In 1960, Bill married Sophia Jansen-Schottell (known as Fieka).
The studio was a non-profit organization began informally, operating from fellow artist Cecily Sash's home before Ainslie eventually, in 1977, bought a house that came to be the Johannesburg Art Foundation.
[9] Ainslie helped start FUBA (the Federated Union of Black Artists), FUNDA (which means learn in Xhosa) and the Alexandra Arts Centre.
[10] In 1985, the year of South African State of Emergency, Ainslie formed the artist's residency, Thupelo Workshops, in Cape Town with David Koloane and Kagiso Patrick Mautloa, supported by Triangle Network, FUBA, FUNDA and the Johannesburg Art Foundation.