Ken Done

Ken Done is an Australian artist born in 1940.

Ken dropped out at the age of 14 to join the National Art School in Sydney. After several years of study, he succeeded and became an artistic director and designer in New York, London and Sydney.

He had his first solo exhibition in 1980, but he has already participated in several other exhibitions in Australia, Europe, Japan and the United States. Today, and for several years, he devotes himself to painting.

His paintings are colorful and in them, the viewer can appreciate the view of the artist's studio in Sydney: the sea and the garden. He paints extremely quickly as this allows him to capture the constant changes in light.

Ken Done draws his inspiration from his immediate environment, whether for his patterns or his colors. The artist likes to capture exotic nature scenes.

In 2022, Ken Done was awarded the Australian Fashion Laureate Lifetime Achievement Award, "which celebrates individuals who have, over time, made a significant contribution to the growth and development of the Australian fashion industry".

Major projects in his diverse career include the painting of a BMW car and the entire decoration of the Garden Restaurant at the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney. In 1994, a major retrospective of Ken Done's work, "Ken Done, the art of Design", was organized by the Powerhouse Museum. In 1999, Ken Done was invited to create a series of works for the programs for the opening and closing ceremonies of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.

The artist's first European exhibition was held in Paris in 1996 and was very well received. In 2000, Ken Done's art was successfully presented in Los Angeles and London. Ken Done lives and works in Sydney.

In 2016, Ken Done launched his book "KEN DONE, A Life colored in" and dedicated it to his family, with love forever.

Ken Done had the privilege of serving as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador for over 30 years.

His favorite subjects are Sydney, the harbour, the opera house and the bridge which he likes to paint in the Chinamans Beach cabin. He also likes to paint the coral reefs that he discovers with his underwater camera, the frangipani and nasturtium flowers, all the sailboats, beaches and palm trees - and of course, always his DOG.

Living by the Sea reflects the artist's affinity with the sea and coastal life, whether it be his garden, Chinamans Beach, or iconic Sydney Harbour. The exterior painting is executed with deliberate speed, the immediacy embracing the ever-changing light of Australia's east coast.