painter and engraver.
Encouraged by his parents to pursue his art, it was his war time experience, though, that truly formed his approach and productivity, with lot’s of time available, on the Islands north of Australia, and amazing subject diversity and influenced by the pen and ink masters of the day he amassed some 500 drawings and watercolours, many of which are illustrated in his War Drawing Book and most of which are now in the Australian War Memorial.
Ken developed expertise in handling and a exploring the possibilities of a particular medium, the breadth of which was staggering – drawing and draftsmanship, calligraphy, pen and ink, pastel, gouache, oil painting, acrylic painting and watercolour for which he is widely recognized as a master.
Then there’s the printing methods of etching, dry-point, screen printing, engraving, linocut, lithography, wood-cut, perspex engraving, some time combining most of these methods into one print. He was a knowledgeable educator in this artform teaching for many years at the then Caulfield Institute of Technology (now Monash University).
In his retiring year 1968 Ken was appointed Deputy Head of C.I.T. Art School and later (1969 – 76) he became Member of the Council of Caulfield Institute of Technology. Not long after he became a Foundation Member of Federal Government’s Artbank Board (1980 – 83)
Ken would be fascinated with the history of Australia in particular the outback explorers and the Murray River, we all know his Murray paddle-steamer prints and watercolours.
He brought the stark beauty of the outback to the city dweller filtered through his eye and tempered by the richness of a musically inspired depth he would work with his beloved Mozart, Beethoven, Bach, Brahms or Hayden the textures of their music he made visible for us.
Great encouragers and promoters of his work were The Purves family of Australian Galleries, Brian Johnston in Brisbane, David Dridan in Adelaide, John Brackenreg in Sydney, Barry Newton in Adelaide and more recently Brian and Thelma Richards of Greythorn Galleries, but the greatest of these encouragers was his wife, Betty.
Ken exhibited in Perth, Hobart, Adelaide, Orange, Sydney, Bribie Island, Townsville, Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Melbourne and overseas; Ken would shape the works of an exhibition as a suite or composition of works that somehow resembled a musical composition. He is represented in collections throughout Australia and overseas.
Ken was honoured for his services to art in 1987 with AM and in 1982 with an MBE and his admission to the Royal Watercolour Society in London in 1977, a rare achievement for an Australian painter. In 1981 he became the President of the Victorian Watercolour Society 1979-81 and Patron from 1981. Member of Australian Watercolour Institute since 1955. Foundation Vice President of AGRA (Australian Guild of Realist Artists) 1974-81 and Honorary Life Member 1989.
- Writers:
- Staff Writer
- Date written:
- 1999
- Last updated:
- 2017
