Ken Done facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ken Done
|
|
|---|---|
Done in 2014
|
|
| Born |
Kenneth Stephen Done
29 June 1940 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
|
| Nationality | Australian |
| Alma mater | National Art School |
Kenneth Stephen Done (born June 29, 1940) is a famous Australian artist. He is well-known for his bright and simple designs. His art often shows Australian places and has been used on popular clothes and home items. Even though his designs are very popular, Ken Done's main passion is being a painter. Many people who know him say he is a very serious artist.
Contents
Early Life and Art Journey
Ken Done grew up in Sydney, Australia. He was an only child. He left high school at 14 to study art. From 1954 to 1959, he attended the National Art School in East Sydney. After his studies, he traveled overseas. He worked with advertising companies in New York and London. In 1969, he came back to Sydney. He wanted to focus on his art. By 1975, he became a full-time painter.
Amazing Art Shows
Ken Done had his first art show in Sydney in 1980. Since then, he has had over 100 solo exhibitions. His art has been shown in many countries. These include Australia, Japan, and France. His first European show was in Paris in 1996. In 2000, his paintings were shown in Los Angeles and London.
Expo '88 Creations
Ken Done created special art for the 1988 World Exposition in Brisbane. He designed the "Children of the World" facade for the United Nations Pavilion. He also made several 6-meter-tall alphabet letter blocks. These decorated the entrance and exit of the Australia Pavilion. His work was very popular. It played a big part in celebrating Australia's Bicentennial year. These artworks were among the most photographed at the Expo. They were fully restored in 2018 for the Expo's 30th anniversary.
Major Exhibitions
In 1994, the Powerhouse Museum held a big show of Ken Done's work. It looked back at his career. In 2015, he had a solo show called 'The Joy of Colour'. This exhibition featured selected works from his career. It was his first show outside his own gallery in The Rocks, Sydney.
His traveling exhibition, Paintings you probably haven't seen, toured Australia for almost three years starting in 2019. It showed 35 artworks in 11 galleries. The exhibition traveled over 10,000 kilometers.
Done Art and Design Company
Ken Done and his wife, Judy Done, started a design company. It is called "Done Art and Design". They began by making small numbers of T-shirts. These T-shirts featured Ken's art and Judy's clothing designs. In 1993, their company won a big award. It was the Fashion Industries of Australia's Grand Award.
Ken Done's original artwork was also featured on the cover of a Japanese women's magazine. The magazine was called Hanako. His art appeared on the cover every week from 1989 to 1999.
Supporting Good Causes
Ken Done has been a UNICEF Australia Goodwill Ambassador since 1988. This means he helps promote UNICEF's work for children. In 1989, he won the Australian father of the year award.
In 1995, the Australian Prime Minister asked Ken Done to design new flags. Done submitted sixteen flag designs. Some of these he had created as early as 1981.
He was also asked to create art for the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. His work was part of both the opening and closing ceremonies.
Ken Done has always supported art in Australia. He especially encourages school students. He does this through awards and sponsorships. However, there was a time when an Australian band, TISM, used his artwork on an album cover without permission. Ken Done felt this was not right. This led to the album being re-released with a different design. The new cover showed edited pictures of Irish singer Sinéad O'Connor.
In 2006, he designed a special bear for Australia. It was part of the United Buddy Bears project. These bears promote peace and understanding worldwide.
You can visit The Ken Done Gallery. It is located in The Rocks, Sydney.
Recognitions and Awards
Ken Done has received many honors for his work.
- In 1992, he was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM). This was for his services to Art, Design, and Tourism.
- He won the Father of the Year award in 1989.
- In 1993, he was named Mosman Citizen of the Year.
- He received the Paul Harris Fellow award from Rotary International in 1994.
- In 2007, he received the Japanese Foreign Minister’s Award.
- He was inducted into the Design Institute of Australia Hall of Fame in 2013.
- In 2022, he received the Australian Fashion Laureate Lifetime Achievement Award.
Ken Done's Thoughts on Art
Ken Done has shared many thoughts about art.
- He believes art should be seen for what it aims to do. He says not everything he creates is "art." Some of it is design, illustration, or graphics. He sees art as part of everyday life and business.
- He thinks art should not be something only for quiet galleries. He believes art is everywhere. It's about enjoying visual things. He feels art is for everyone, not just one group of people.
- He has always thought that well-designed things should have no limits. He disagrees with the idea that art should only stay in galleries. He believes art has a role in public life.
- He says there are no rules in art. If there are rules, you should break them. He wants to use any way possible to share his feelings through art. He believes art should touch people's everyday lives.
- He often talks about the unique Australian light. He finds it sharp and clear. He also loves the colors of Australia. He hopes Australian painting always feels optimistic.
