Ken Knight

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Ken Knight

Ken Knight

 

Australian Plein Air Master

 

Born in 1956 in Sydney, impressionist artist Ken Knight is one of Australia’s most revered landscape painters.   In his own words, Ken says “Landscape images, derived from a direct response to the subject for the integral theme in my work. As an impressionist I paint en plein aire, painting in oils with a spontaneous and free manner. The challenge for me lies not so much in relaying photographic information, but in capturing the essence and spirit of a scene. By reducing the landscape and abstracting elements from it, I enable the viewer to make an intimate interpretation of the image. Thus perception follows observation in the same way as the viewer may have responded to the original subject. Through the elimination and reduction of detail I can convey reality strongly and more robustly, without creating areas of unnecessary distraction which detract from the overall picture. It follows that in this impressionist pursuit “less becomes more”. The challenge for the artist becomes one of finding the right dynamic balance each time the easel is set up outside – to observe, perceive, interpret, and abstract. In finding this balance, the artist relies heavily on colour – perhaps the greatest tool available. Colour should not be limited to merely setting a mood or establishing time of day, it should create energy and set up tensions that are integral to the life force of the painting. The control and exaggeration of colour in the landscape are fundamentally important. Used in conjunction with thick paint, palette knife and energetic brushwork, the artist can create a painting that offers something a little different each time." Early Years Ken was always interested in art and from the age of 9 he began to paint and draw. Holding a paintbrush or pencil always felt entirely natural and his love of the outdoors became the feature of all of his artwork, especially inspired by camping trips with his father and the rest of his family in the countryside. His very first painting was when he was ten years old and was a small watercolour based on the Georges River, which he visited with his father. Ken went to the Sydney University where he originally trained to be a social science teacher. He had tried to get on the Fine Arts course but as he didn’t choose art as a subject in High School he did not gain a place on the course immediately. However, in 1978 he achieved a Bachelor of Arts from Sydney University before embarking on secondary school teaching. Eventually, he became a teacher but after three years, he decided to focus on painting as it was always his passion.  He studied art overseas in London and Paris and in 1995 gained an Artist in Residence at the Arthur Boyd Bundanon Trust. He continued his art studies overseas, revisiting Paris and London as well as studying in Amsterdam.  In 1998, Ken became an Associate Member of the Royal Arts Society in New South Wales. Ken continued studying art in various cities and countries of the world from 2001 to 2007 including Los Angeles, New York, Boston, Washington, Chicago, Egypt, Vienna and once again he studied in London and Paris. Style Ken favours the “plein aire” approach which involves contact with nature and all of his paintings have an air of freedom and honesty.  His style means he always paints outside which allows him to “feel” the subject and he prefers not to paint from photographs. When he paints, he sometimes closes one eye while blurring the other so he isn’t distracted by detail that overshadows the main subject of his picture. Ken often paints water, especially beach, river and harbour scenes. He also favours mountains, hinterlands, plains and tablelands.   Influences Ken says that he is inspired by various artists. He remembers at the age of 19, standing in front of Elioth Gruner’s “Spring Frost” at the Art Gallery of New South Wales.  Additionally, Ken is inspired by Arthur Streeton, Michael Shannon, Rubery Bennett and Arthur Boyd.  In 1996, Ken collaborated with Arthur Boyd while staying in Riversdale on the Shoalhaven River. Ken holds great admiration for Monet, Turner and Diebenkorn. Exhibitions Ken’s first exhibition was in 1979 and he sold out. He has exhibited at the Wentworth Gallery and his work is displayed in private collections and corporate collections in Australia, England, the USA, Mexico, Italy, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, South Africa, Singapore, Japan, France and New Zealand. 


 "For Ken, painting outside is a deeply emotional and necessary experience for capturing the essence and spirit of the scenes he depicts in his en plein air masterpieces. His inspiration comes from the great outdoor painters, the impressionists from Turner through to Monet, and from Australians like Streeton and Boyd. Ironically, in a country desperately short of life’s most precious commodity, there’s plenty of water in his work. From beaches, rivers and harbour-side shores to snow capped mountains and in the starkly beautiful, yet subtle and muted golden hues of hinterlands, plains and tablelands. His images are as Australian as all get-out. And it’s these images of the faces of the dry continent that Ken simplifies by gentle abstraction to produce very modern impressions of the land. He paints quickly but surely, not wanting to concentrate on the detail, less it inherit a photographic quality in his eye and hence his brush. Rather, he imbues his elements with passion, emotion and a love for the landscape that has become his raison d’être and an integral part of himself. He’ll blur lines, soften edges and abstract elements to leave the work open for an interpretation that the viewer can call his or her own. This is his art." - Stan d’Argeavel MA (Visual Arts) ANU

 

  Ken Knight Timeline

1956 born Sydney
Studies Bachelor of Arts, Diploma of Education, Sydney University 1975-78
1979-82 Secondary School Teaching
1993 Overseas Study, London, Paris
1995, 97 Arthur Boyd Bundanon Trust, Artist in Residence, Bundanon
1996 Overseas Study, Paris, London, Amsterdam
1998 Associate Member Royal Arts Society, NSW
1999 Overseas Study, Los Angeles, New York, Boston, Washington, Chicago
2001 Overseas Study, Paris, London, Vienna
2002 Painting trip to England
2004 Overseas Study, Paris, London
2007 Overseas Study, Egypt
2009 Overseas Study, India
2010 Overseas Study, Kashmir
2012 Overseas Study, Istanbul, Venice
2013 Overseas Study, Croatia, Florence, painting in Venice
2014 Overseas Study, India, Turkey
2015 Overseas study, Iran
Painting trip to Venice
2016 Overseas study, Canada, Alaska
Artist in Residence, East Kimberleys WA
2019 Study trip to Istanbul
2020 Western District, Victoria
2020 Antarctica
2020 Kimberley Coast, Western Australia

Solo Exhibitions
1979 St Georges Terrace Gallery, Parramatta, NSW
1980 Toowoon Bay Gallery, Toowoon Bay, NSW
1987 Gallery 460, Gosford, NSW
1988 Cooks Hill Gallery, Newcastle, NSW
The Schubert Gallery, Broadbeach, Qld
Gallery 460, Gosford, NSW
1989 The Schubert Gallery, Broadbeach, Qld
Jarman Gallery, Melbourne, VIC
1990 Gallery 460, Gosford, NSW
1991 Jarman Gallery, Melbourne, Vic
1992 Gallery 460, Gosford, NSW
The Schubert Gallery, Main Beach, Qld
1993 Eastgate Gallery, Hawthorn, Vic
Artique Gallery, Sydney, NSW
1994 The Schubert Gallery, Main Beach, Qld
1995 Hayman Island, Great Barrier Reef Qld
Hill- Smith Fine Art, Adelaide, SA
Savill Galleries, Paddington, NSW
1996 McKenzie Gallery, Perth, WA
Eastgate Gallery, Hawthorn, Vic
1997 Woodbyne Gallery, Jaspers Brush, NSW
Cintra Galleries, Brisbane, Qld
1998 McKenzie Gallery, Perth, WA
Framed, The Darwin Gallery, NT
1999 Hill Smith Fine Art, Adelaide, SA
Eastgate Gallery, Hawthorn, Vic
2000 Kenthurst Gallery, Kenthurst, NSW
Artique Gallery, Sydney, NSW
2001 McKenzie Gallery, Perth, WA
2002 Artique Gallery, Sydney, NSW
Eastgate Gallery, Hawthorn, Vic
2003 WH Patterson Fine Art Ltd, London
Jonathan Grant Galleries, Auckland, New Zealand
2004 McKenzie Gallery, Perth, WA
Tryon Gallery, St James’s, London, UK
Ronald Coles Investment Galleries
2005 “A Love of Landscape”, Celebrating 20 years of Painting, A Survey
Show, Gosford Regional Gallery
Jonathan Grant Galleries, Auckland, New Zealand
Masterpiece Fine Art Gallery, Hobart, Tas
2006 Bungendore Woodworks Gallery, Bungendore NSW
Ronald Coles Investment Galleries, Kenthurst, NSW
Eastgate and Holst, Hawthorn, Vic
2007 Hill Smith Fine Art Gallery, Adelaide, SA
Jonathan Grant Galleries, New Zealand
2008 Cudgegong Gallery, Gulgong, NSW
Bungendore Woodworks Gallery, Bungendore, NSW
Tryon Gallery, St James, London, UK
2009 Christopher Day Gallery, Paddington, Sydney
Linton and Kay Galleries, Perth, WA
“Vantage Points” A Survey Show, Gosford Regional Gallery
2010 “Iconic Australian Coastlines” Hill Smith Gallery, Adelaide
Eastgate and Holst, Hawthorn, Vic
2011 Wentworth Galleries, Sydney, NSW
Bungendore Woodworks Gallery, Bungendore, NSW
“The Pilbara, en plein air” Linton and Kay Galleries, Perth, WA
2012 Tryon Gallery, St James, London, UK
2013 “Western District Paintings” Hamilton Art Gallery, Hamilton Victoria
Eastgate and Holst, Hawthorn, Vic.
2014 Palm Beach and Peninsular paintings, Palm Beach Surf Club, NSW
2014 Venice Paintings, Jonathan Grant Galleries, Auckland, New Zealand
2015 “From the Artist’s Studio” Bungendore Woodworks Gallery, Bungendore, NSW
2016 Wentworth Galleries, Sydney, NSW
Christopher Day Gallery, Paddington, Sydney
2017 Day Fine Art Gallery, Blackheath, NSW
Eastgate Gallery, Hawthorn, Melbourne
2018 Bungendore Wood Works Gallery
Aarwun Gallery Canberra
2019 Wentworth Gallery, Sydney
2020 Milestones, Aarwun Gallery, Canberra
2021 Antarctica, Gosford Regional Gallery, Gosford
Survey Exhibition 1979-2021, Rochfort Gallery, Sydney
Flow and Ebb, Aarwun Gallery, Canberra
2022 Frontier, Rochfort Gallery, Sydney
Antarctica, Jonathan Grant Galleries, Auckland, New Zealand
Sun In Your Eyes, @ 14, Melbourne
Group Exhibitions
1981 Toowoon Bay Gallery, Toowoon Bay, NSW
1987 Cooks Hill Gallery, Newcastle, NSW
1988 Gallery 460, Gosford, NSW
1989 Cooks Hill Gallery Cooks Hill, NSW
1990 Gallery 460 10th Birthday Exhibition
Artique Gallery, Sydney, NSW
The Schubert Gallery, Broadbeach, Qld
Jim Elder Fine Art, Adelaide, SA
1993,94,96 Gould Galleries, Exhibition of Australian Art in Hong Kong
1994,95,96 Jeans for Jeans Charity Art Auction
1995 Gallery 460, Contemporary Australian Art exhibition, Kuala Lumpur
1998 The Fleurieu Biennale 98, SA
1993-05 Tattersall’s Club Art Prize
1999-05 Gallery 71, New York, NY
2000 Christopher Day Gallery, Traditional and Modern Masters
2001 WH Patterson Fine Art Ltd, London
2002 WH Patterson Fine Art Ltd, London
2003 Jonathon Grant Galleries, Modern British and Fine 19th and 20th Century Paintings
2005 Ronald Coles Investment Galleries, Winter Exhibition
2006 A Small Picture Show, Bungendore Woodworks Gallery
2007 Ron Coles Investment Galleries at Jupiters Casino, Gold Coast, QLD
Landlines, Bungendore Woodworks Gallery
2008 Borg Galleries, Greenpoint, NSW
Tattersalls Club, Brisbane
Masters Exhibition, M Gallery Avoca, NSW
Sense of Place, Gosford Regional Art Gallery, NSW
2009 Coastlines, Bungendore Woodworks Gallery
Jonathan Grant Galleries, Auckland Landscapes
Linton and Kay Galleries, Perth, Birthday Exhibition
2010 “Landscapes” Trevor Harvey Gallery, Seaforth, NSW
2011 Summer Exhibition Jonathan Grant Galleries, New Zealand
British and New Zealand paintings, Jonathan Grant Galleries
New Zealand Paintings Jonathan Grant Galleries
Summer Exhibition Christopher Day Gallery, Paddington, Sydney
2012 Maritime Paintings, Jonathan Grant Galleries, New Zealand
Important New Zealand Landscapes, Jonathan Grant Galleries
Spring Exhibition, Jonathan Grant Galleries, New Zealand
2013 Regional Views, Bungendore Woodworks Gallery
2014 Exhibition of Topographical Paintings from 18th Century to the Present
Day, Rountree Tryon Galleries St James, London, UK
2016 Jonathan Grant Galleries, “Auckland, A History in Paintings”
2016 Christopher Day Gallery, Sydney 7th December
2017 Christopher Day Gallery, Sydney 10th October
2018 Christopher Day Gallery, Paddington
2019 Christopher Day Gallery, Sydney 27th November
2019 Rochfort Galleries
2020 Day Fine Art Bushfire Appeal. January
2020 Gladwell and Patterson Fine Art Gallery. London. 9th January

Awards
1979 Cowra Festival of Art
Penrith Art Award
Holroyd Council Acquisition of two paintings
1980 Penrith Municipal Council Acquisition
Wyong Council Acquisition
1981 Wyong Council Acquisition
1982 The Lakes Festival, first Prize, traditional landscape
1983 Wyong Festival of the Arts, first prize, landscape
1987 Royal Easter Show, third prize, traditional
Drummoyne Art Award, Sydney, first prize
1989 Ballina Art Show, first prize
Drummoyne Art Award, first prize
Wangaratta Art Show, first prize
Junee Art Award Exhibition, first prize
1990 Wyong Festival of the Arts, first prize, traditional
1991 Wyong Festival of the Arts, traditional
1992 Junee Art Award Exhibition, first prize
Drummoyne Silver Jubilee Art Exhibition, first prize
Wyong Festival of the Arts, traditional
Wangaratta Art Show, open prize
1993 Wyong Festival of the Arts, first prize, traditional
Camberwell Coles Supermarket Award, acqisitive
Camberwell Norwich Landscape Award
Junee Art Award Exhibition, first prize
AME Bale Grand Winner, Best Oil Painting Award, Melbourne
1994 Tumut Show, first prize
Box Hill Rotary Exhibition, Vic
Camberwell Rotary Exhibition, Vic
Winsor and Newton Australian Art Award
Tattersall’s Club Art Prize, Brisbane
1995 Wyong Festival of the Arts, first prize, traditional
AME Bale, Best Oil Painting Award, Vic
1996 Victor Harbour Rotary Club, first prize
1997 Wyong Festival of the Arts, first prize traditional
Tumut Arts Festival, first prize
1998 Wyong Festival of the Arts, first prize, traditional
Tumut Arts Exhibition, traditional award
Camberwell Rotary Art Show
Royal Arts Society, Spring Exhibition
The Crows Nest Club Ltd Art Exhibition, First prize
1999 Wyong Festival of the Arts, first prize, traditional
Stratco and Victor Harbour Art Show, Open Section, Corporate Prize
Camberwell Rotary/ Herald Sun Art Show “ Gold Medal Best of Show” Award
2000 Victor Harbour Rotary Art Show
Camberwell Rotary Art Show
2001 Victor Harbour Rotary Art Show, Corporate Prize, open section
2002 Sydney University and Schools Club Art Show, Members Choice Award
2003 Camberwell Rotary Art Show
Tattersall’s Club Brisbane, Members Choice Award
2007 Camberwell Rotary/ Herald Sun Art Show Gold Medal “Best Of Show” Award
2010 Camberwell Rotary/ Herald Sun Art Show
2016 Len Fox Art Prize 2016 Finalist, Castlemaine Art Gallery, Vic
2020 Gladwell and Patterson, London, "Secrets of Venice"

Collections
I.B.M.
Schwarzkopf
Kawasaki
Down to Earth Constructions
Straits Resources
Tennis Federation of Japan
Lemar Alexander, U.S. Presidential Candidate
Parliament House, Brisbane
Daiwa
Tattersall’s Club, Brisbane
A.N.A. Hotel, Sydney
Royal Australian Navy’s Judge Advocate General Collection
Burton Taylor Communications
Rose Bay Sacred Heart Convent School
Sultan of Brunei, Darussalam, Brunei
Bundanon Trust
Wyong Council
DDB Singapore
Multileaf
The Langham, Melbourne
Commonwealth Bank
Johnson and Johnson
Archbishop of New York
Rosemount Estate
ANZ Bank Head Office
Hong Kong Bank
Westpac Bank
Westpac Bank Collection
Shell Oil
Parker Pens
BHP
AMP Society
The Union Club Sydney
Castlemaine Art Gallery and Historical Museum
Tasmanian Art Gallery, Museum
Hamilton Art Gallery, Vic.
Rio Tinto
Canberra Museum and GalleryLandscape images, derived from a direct response to the subject for the integral theme in my work.  As an impressionist I paint en plein aire, painting in oils with a spontaneous and free manner.  The challenge for me lies not so much in relaying photographic information, but in capturing the essence and spirit of a scene.


 

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