Kevin Best

Kevin John Best (born 27 January 1932) is an Australian artist.

Biography

Best was born in the Newcastle, New South Wales suburb of Hamilton. He demonstrated skills as an artist at a young age, spending time as a boy sketching warships and airplanes especially during the World War II years. As was typical with many Australian boys in that era, he was a member of the Boy Scouts and spent time bushwalking (hiking) and camping in the Australian bush. His love of the Australian Bush is demonstrated in many of his paintings which evoke images of outback life, stockmen, and family moments in uniquely Australian settings.

Best completed school and commenced work as an office boy with a firm of Sydney based stockbrokers. During this period Best did not paint or sketch regularly in his spare time. In 1958 he married his wife Dorn and they raised six children. He stayed in the stockbroking industry for 28 years. In 1972 he recommenced painting and drawing in his spare time, and after significant encouragement from family and friends he left his stockbroking career to become a full time professional artist in September 1977 at the age of 45.

Best is a "self taught" artist who spent many years experimenting with his art, with a strong focus on the use of light reminiscent of the paintings of famous Australian artist Sir Hans Heyson.

Best has become a popular professional artist in Australia, and now ranks amongst the top Australian artists of today.

His experiences as a youth with camping and bushwalking allowed him to develop strong insights into the Australian bush and beach. His continuing love of nature is demonstrated in his paintings. Kevin has specifically travelled across Australia to visit the most highly ranked natural beauty spots as well as "out of way" places that are largely untouched by humans to develop further his ability to depict scenes of Australia.

Best's first painting was sold for just A$90.00 (a 30"x 40" painting) and was sold by the Royce Gallery in the Rocks, Sydney. His reputation developed initially through sales at charity events, school events and small local showings. Over time his reputation developed and spread so widely that solo exhibitions often led to complete sell outs of all his art works displayed. He has made a consistent practice of donating paintings to charities for fund raising, and also spent considerable time teaching disadvantaged and disabled children how to paint.

Best was awarded the Order of Australia (OAM) by the Australian Government on the 26 January 2005 for his continuing services to Australian Art.

Paintings

Best's paintings have been reproduced in many forms including: calendars, placemats, coasters, prints, limited edition prints and books. During the 1980s and 1990s a range of Australian themed Easter and Christmas biscuit tins (cookie tins) were released through major supermarkets featuring his paintings on the lids.

Best's paintings have been acquired by numerous private and corporate collections throughout Australia and internationally.

His paintings invoke images of simpler times, childhood innocence, natural beauty, the rugged stockman, droving cattle, the roundup and other pastoral or beachside images. His paintings also cover iconic Australian themes developed by Banjo Paterson, CJ Dennis, and other colonial Australian authors.

The first book focusing on Best's art was released in 1996 entitled "A Brush with Light".

In July 2007 a second book called "Secrets of the Brush" was released which Best describes as "the final chapter in my life". The book reproduces photos of many of his most popular works, as well as covering his life, his career, and people and places of significance to his art. The book also covered his painting techniques to allow others to bring to light their own painting abilities.

See also

* Art of Australia

External links

* [http://www.kevinbest.com.au Kevin's home page]
* [http://www.kevinhillstopten.com.au Kevin Best selected as an Australian "Top Ten" artists]

Bibliography

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