Ken Howard (artist)
Encyclopedia
Kenneth Howard - Artistic Genius (Von Dutch)
Kenneth Howard OBE
RA
(born December 26, 1932) is an English
artist and painter. He is President of the New English Art Club
.
. He studied at the Hornsey College of Art
(1949–53) and the Royal College of Art
(1955–58). In 1958 he won a British Council Scholarship to Florence. He spent his National Service
in the Royal Marines (1953–55). In 1973 and 1978 he was the Official War Artist to Northern Ireland, and 1973–80 worked in various locations, including Hong Kong, Cyprus and Canada with the British Army. In 1983 he was elected an Associate of the Royal Academy (ARA). In 1984 he became a member of the Royal Academy, and in 1988 President of the New English Art Club
. In 1991 he was elected a Royal Academician (RA).
He paints in a "traditional" manner, based on strong observation and a high degree of draughtsmanship combined with tonal precision. The depiction of light is a strong and recurrent element of his work. A notable theme is the nude model in his studio. Another theme is a city scene, such as Venice, with emphasis placed on the reflection of light from puddles after rain. He has said:
His work is in public collections including the National Army Museum
, Guildhall Art Gallery
, Ulster Museum
and Imperial War Museum
.
Howard was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2010 Birthday Honours.
Kenny Howard
Kenneth Robert Howard , also known as Dutch, Von Dutch, or J. L. Bachs , was a motorcycle mechanic, artist, pinstriper, metal fabricator, knifemaker and gunsmith...
Kenneth Howard OBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
RA
Royal Academy
The Royal Academy of Arts is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly, London. The Royal Academy of Arts has a unique position in being an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects whose purpose is to promote the creation, enjoyment and...
(born December 26, 1932) is an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
artist and painter. He is President of the New English Art Club
New English Art Club
The New English Art Club was founded in London in 1885 as an alternate venue to the Royal Academy.-History:Young English artists returning from studying art in Paris mounted the first exhibition of the New English Art Club in April 1886...
.
Life and art
Ken Howard was born in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. He studied at the Hornsey College of Art
Hornsey College of Art
Hornsey College of Art is a former college centred in Crouch End, London, England. Since 2008, the building has been a part of Coleridge Primary School, upon its expansion to four form entry...
(1949–53) and the Royal College of Art
Royal College of Art
The Royal College of Art is an art school located in London, United Kingdom. It is the world’s only wholly postgraduate university of art and design, offering the degrees of Master of Arts , Master of Philosophy and Doctor of Philosophy...
(1955–58). In 1958 he won a British Council Scholarship to Florence. He spent his National Service
National service
National service is a common name for mandatory government service programmes . The term became common British usage during and for some years following the Second World War. Many young people spent one or more years in such programmes...
in the Royal Marines (1953–55). In 1973 and 1978 he was the Official War Artist to Northern Ireland, and 1973–80 worked in various locations, including Hong Kong, Cyprus and Canada with the British Army. In 1983 he was elected an Associate of the Royal Academy (ARA). In 1984 he became a member of the Royal Academy, and in 1988 President of the New English Art Club
New English Art Club
The New English Art Club was founded in London in 1885 as an alternate venue to the Royal Academy.-History:Young English artists returning from studying art in Paris mounted the first exhibition of the New English Art Club in April 1886...
. In 1991 he was elected a Royal Academician (RA).
He paints in a "traditional" manner, based on strong observation and a high degree of draughtsmanship combined with tonal precision. The depiction of light is a strong and recurrent element of his work. A notable theme is the nude model in his studio. Another theme is a city scene, such as Venice, with emphasis placed on the reflection of light from puddles after rain. He has said:
His work is in public collections including the National Army Museum
National Army Museum
The National Army Museum is the British Army's central museum. It is located in the Chelsea district of central London, England adjacent to the Royal Hospital Chelsea, the home of the "Chelsea Pensioners". The National Army Museum is open to the public every day of the year from 10.00am to 5.30pm,...
, Guildhall Art Gallery
Guildhall Art Gallery
The Guildhall Art Gallery houses the art collection of the City of London, England. It occupies a building that was completed in 1999 to replace an earlier building destroyed in The Blitz in 1941...
, Ulster Museum
Ulster Museum
The Ulster Museum, located in the Botanic Gardens in Belfast, has around 8,000 square metres of public display space, featuring material from the collections of fine art and applied art, archaeology, ethnography, treasures from the Spanish Armada, local history, numismatics, industrial...
and Imperial War Museum
Imperial War Museum
Imperial War Museum is a British national museum organisation with branches at five locations in England, three of which are in London. The museum was founded during the First World War in 1917 and intended as a record of the war effort and sacrifice of Britain and her Empire...
.
Howard was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2010 Birthday Honours.
Prizes
Howard has won various prizes including:- 1996 Lord Mayor’s Art Award (first prize)
- 1978 John Moores Exhibition in Liverpool
- 1979 John Laing Competition
- 1982 Hunting Group Awards (first prize)
- 1983 RWA
- 1985 Critics Prize at Sparkasse Karlsruhe
- 1986 NEAC Centenary Award
Associations
(with date of election)- New English Art ClubNew English Art ClubThe New English Art Club was founded in London in 1885 as an alternate venue to the Royal Academy.-History:Young English artists returning from studying art in Paris mounted the first exhibition of the New English Art Club in April 1886...
(1962) - Royal Institute of Oil PaintersRoyal Institute of Oil PaintersThe Royal Institute of Oil Painters, also known as ROI, is an association of painters in London and is the only major art society which features work done only in oil. It is a member society of the Federation of British Artists.-History:...
(1966) - Royal Society of Painters in WatercoloursRoyal Watercolour SocietyThe Royal Watercolour Society is an English institution of painters working in watercolours...
(1979) - Royal West of England AcademyRoyal West of England AcademyThe Royal West of England Academy is an art gallery where Queens Road meets Whiteladies Road, in Bristol, England.- History :The Academy was the first art gallery in Bristol. Its foundation was financed by a bequest of £2000 in the will of Ellen Sharples in 1849, and a group of artists in...
(1981) - Royal Society of British ArtistsRoyal Society of British ArtistsThe Royal Society of British Artists is a British art body established in 1823 as the Society of British Artists, as an alternative to the Royal Academy.-History:...
Honorary Member (1988) - Royal AcademyRoyal AcademyThe Royal Academy of Arts is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly, London. The Royal Academy of Arts has a unique position in being an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects whose purpose is to promote the creation, enjoyment and...
Royal Academician (1991) - New English Art ClubNew English Art ClubThe New English Art Club was founded in London in 1885 as an alternate venue to the Royal Academy.-History:Young English artists returning from studying art in Paris mounted the first exhibition of the New English Art Club in April 1886...
President (1998)
Books
- Ken Howard by Ken Howard (2002) published by Thames & HudsonThames & HudsonThames & Hudson is a publisher of illustrated books on art, architecture, design, and visual culture. With its headquarters in London, England it has a sister company in New York and subsidiaries in Melbourne, Singapore and Hong Kong...
, ISBN 1903973082. - A Vision of Venice in Watercolour by Ken Howard and Michael Leitch (2002) published by Harry S Abrams, Inc., ISBN 0810966506.
- A Personal View : Inspired by Light by Ken Howard and Sally Bulgin (1998) published by David & CharlesDavid & CharlesDavid & Charles is a publisher. The company was founded - and is still based - in the market town of Newton Abbot, in Devon, UK, on 1 April 1960 by David St John Thomas and Charles Hadfield. It first made its name publishing titles on Britain's canals and railways...
, ISBN 0715308416 - Art Class by Ken Howard (1999) published by Quadrillon, ISBN 1841001619
DVDs
- The Way I See It a documentary on the life and work of Professor Ken Howard OBE RA by Dave Austin & Neale Worley. Independent production. www.nealworley.com/kenhowarddvd
See also
- New English Art ClubNew English Art ClubThe New English Art Club was founded in London in 1885 as an alternate venue to the Royal Academy.-History:Young English artists returning from studying art in Paris mounted the first exhibition of the New English Art Club in April 1886...
- Royal AcademyRoyal AcademyThe Royal Academy of Arts is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly, London. The Royal Academy of Arts has a unique position in being an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects whose purpose is to promote the creation, enjoyment and...
- Royal West of England AcademyRoyal West of England AcademyThe Royal West of England Academy is an art gallery where Queens Road meets Whiteladies Road, in Bristol, England.- History :The Academy was the first art gallery in Bristol. Its foundation was financed by a bequest of £2000 in the will of Ellen Sharples in 1849, and a group of artists in...
- William BowyerWilliam Bowyer (artist)William Bowyer RA is a contemporary British portrait and landscape painter, who works in a traditional manner.-Life and work:...
External links
- Ken Howard's Official Website
- My life inside 2002 article in The GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
.