Check In | April 29 2020

SPECIAL ADVERTISEMENT SUPPLEMENT Page 12 DailyMail, Wednesday, April 29, 2020 Australianartist KenDone isknown for hisebullient, vibrant paintings of hishomeland PICTURE THIS: KenDone, right. Beach WithBike, left top; Chinamans InSummer, left below RIGHT, bold, splashy and joyful – the spirit of Australia sings from the colourful paintings of Ken Done. Sun-drenched beaches, colourful sailing boats on azure waters, vivid flowers and, of course, the iconic Sydney Opera House – the 79-year-old’s work is familiar to us all, and if you’ve been to Australia, you’ve probably brought some of it back. Born in Sydney and brought up on the north coast of New SouthWales, Done left school at 14 for art school before finding success in advertising. He enjoyed stints in New York and London with ad agency JWalter Thompson, before the rain drove him back to the sunnier skies of the southern hemisphere in 1969. Back in Sydney, he practised art alongside his day job, holding his first B solo exhibition at the age of 40, until he quit to paint full-time five years later. Working mostly in oils and acrylics, Done’s subjects included flower-filled gardens, shoals of colourful fish, and celebrated Aussie sights such as the Outback, the Great Barrier Reef, and Sydney Harbour Bridge, One of his most famous works is Chinamans In Summer, 1987 (see below for an outline version to colour in), which he can see from his home in the smart waterfront neighbourhood of Mosman in Sydney. This feast for the eyes he describes as a ‘highly decorative and sweet painting. Like a sundae. Art to eat with your eyes.’ Done’s exuberant style appeals to everyone: generations of Aussies grew up in homes adorned with Ken Done prints and tea towels, wearing Ken Done T-shirts, and carrying Ken Done bags. His art has been exhibited all over the world, and famous fans include Taylor Swift, for whom he painted a large canvas featuring the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge ©STUART SPENCE with her name up in lights. Now in his 80th year – he will turn 80 in June – he continues to paint in his sun-filled studio in The Rocks, an historic area on Sydney’s waterfront. Visitors can also tour a gallery of Done’s and buy prints and memorabilia in a shop overlooking the Harbour. Why not have a go at bringing some Aussie colour into your life? Art therapy! Grab your paints, pens or pencils and have a go at colouring in this famous KenDone painting, Chinamans In Summer L I F E coloured IN