Ken Done facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ken Done
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Done in 2014
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Kenneth Stephen Done
29 June 1940 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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| Nationality | Australian |
| Alma mater | National Art School |
Kenneth "Ken" Stephen Done AM (born 29 June 1940) is a famous Australian artist known for his incredibly bright and colorful paintings. His pictures often show famous Australian places, like the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House.
You might have seen his art on clothes, mugs, and other items from his brand, "Done Design." While his designs are very popular, Ken Done sees himself first and foremost as a painter. Art expert John McDonald has said that anyone who knows Ken Done understands he is a "very serious artist."
Contents
Early Life and Career
Ken Done was an only child who grew up in the northern suburbs of Sydney. He was so passionate about art that he left high school when he was only 14 to study at the famous National Art School from 1954 to 1959.
After finishing his studies, he traveled the world and worked for a big advertising company in New York and London. He returned to Sydney in 1969 to focus on his art and became a full-time painter in 1975.
Art Exhibitions and Famous Works
Ken Done had his very first solo art show in Sydney in 1980. Since then, he has held over 100 exhibitions just for his own work! His art has been shown in many countries, including Australia, Japan, and France.
Expo '88 in Brisbane
One of his most famous projects was for the 1988 World Exposition in Brisbane. He created a colorful design called "Children of the World" for the United Nations building. He also made several giant, six-meter-high alphabet blocks for the Australian Pavilion. These artworks were very popular and became symbols of Australia's Bicentennial celebrations that year.
Major Exhibitions
In 1994, the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney held a major exhibition looking back at his career. More recently, his touring show, Paintings you probably haven't seen, traveled to 11 different galleries across Australia from 2019. The 35 paintings in the show traveled over 10,000 kilometers!
The "Done Art and Design" Company
Ken Done and his wife, Judy, started a design company called "Done Art and Design." They began by making small batches of T-shirts with Ken's art on them. The company became very successful, and in 1993, it won a top prize from the Fashion Industries of Australia.
For ten years, from 1989 to 1999, one of Ken Done's original artworks was on the cover of the Japanese magazine Hanako every single week.
Working for Important Causes
Ken Done has used his art and fame to support important causes. From 1988 to 2024, he was a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF Australia, helping children around the world. In 1989, he was named Australian Father of the Year.
Art for Australia
In 1995, the Prime Minister of Australia, Paul Keating, asked him to design some new flags for the country. At the time, many people were talking about republicanism (the idea of Australia having an Australian head of state instead of the British monarch).
He was also asked to create art for the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, which was a huge honor.
Protecting His Art
Ken Done believes his art should be respected. In 1993, the Australian band TISM used a drawing that looked like his style on an album cover without his permission. The album was originally called ... the Lucky .... Done took legal action to stop the sale of the album with that cover. The album was later released with a different name and a new cover.
Honors and Awards
Ken Done has received many awards for his work in art, design, and for promoting Australia to the world (tourism).
- 1992: Made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM), one of Australia's highest honors.
- 1993: Won the Fashion Industries of Australia Grand Award.
- 1993: Named Citizen of the Year for his local area, Mosman.
- 2007: Received The Japanese Foreign Minister’s Award for his positive impact in Japan.
- 2013: Inducted into the Design Institute of Australia Hall of Fame.
- 2022: Received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Australian Fashion Laureate.
Quotes by Ken Done
- "Art's everywhere. It's how you use your eyes. It's about the enjoyment of visual things."
- "Wherever you are in the world, there's always something about the Australian light. There's something about the sharpness of it, something about the clarity of it, something about the colours of Australia."
