Samford Valley, Queensland
A realist artist in both watercolours and oils
Artworks: 63
From an early age, being an artist was in Kevan’s destiny. After completing art training at Wigan College of Art, England, he studied education to Mather College, Victoria University of Manchester finishing with a commendation in Art and Design.
After his arrival with his family in Townsville, he spent thirteen years as head of the art department at St. Patricks College.
His time in the tropics led him to explore the effect of the brilliant sunshine on the colour of the exotic , tropical flora. This fascination with the ‘play of light’ has been an increasing inspiration of scientific proportions, a life-long challenge that lead him to paint ‘living art.
He focused on using watercolour exclusively at this time, when he eliminated the use of white and black paint in order to produce the vibrancy and depth in tropical colour. He developed an acute attention to detail, which resulted in a photorealistic style. Many of his paintings were produced on a larger-than-life scale in order to emphasise the magnificence of the subject.
In 1998, family commitments brought him to Brisbane and to the serendipitous discovery of Samford Valley, which provided the inspiration to extend the scope of his works.
His work is represented in numerous private collections and business houses in Australia, U.K., New Zealand, Japan, Korea, USA., and Canada. A number of my watercolours form part of the National Collection by Art Bank.
Painting, now more exclusively in oils, he has been excited to follow new interests in still life images and cultural street scenes. The images and bustle of New York in ‘Reflections W51st, new York, ‘The Wave’ and the icons of Italy in ‘Una Serata in Via Bocca di Leone, Roma’ (An Evening on Via Bocca in Leone, Rome) and ‘La Giostra di Firenze’ ( The Carousel of Florence)
AWARDS:
2023 – Finalist in Lethbridge 20000 small works with ‘The Dolls of Lanhydrock’ .
2022 – Finalist in the Kennedy Arts Foundation Awards with ‘Una Serata in Via Bocca di Leone, Roma’ ( An evening on Via Bocca in Leone, Rome)
2022 – Finalist in Moreton Bay Regional Art Awards with ‘La Giostra di Firenze’
2021 – Finalist in the Kennedy Arts Foundation Awards for ‘L’Ombrello Giallo’ (The Yellow Umbrella) – South Australia.
2020 – Finalist in Australian Watercolour Muster with ‘Un Cerchio di Scarpe’ ( A circle of Shoes).
2020 – Finalist in Clayton Utz Art Award with ‘The Night Florist’.
2018 – Finalist in Percival Portrait Prize with ‘Another World’ (A portrait of my grandson).
2016 – Finalist in Lethbridge 10 000 Small Works with ‘Le Scarpe Delle Donna’ (The Women’s Shoes).
2012 – 1st prize winner in Australian Artist Magazine Prize Challenge No. 48 with ‘Tibouchina in Full Bloom’
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