In 2010 Rolf Harris: A Life in Art was published, a stunning retrospective art book brimming with fabulous paintings and photographs, dedicated to his life and work. In the book Rolf describes what he calls
“the constant joy of a life in art. I love painting, it’s something I will never tire of. I spend every moment I possibly can in my studio painting”.
His versatility is legendary, and his subject matter is vast, ranging from images of big cats in the wild to atmospheric scenes of London’s most famous landmarks emerging from the fog. Yet whatever the subject, Rolf’s style is unmistakable, combining an impressionistic approach with a distinctive,
vibrant palette. His characteristic use of unexpected colours and intricate shadowing often leads to him being categorised as a modern impressionist, but his observational skill and portrayal of fine detail is second to none.
Rolf’s progress from a Perth schoolboy who loved to draw in his spare time, to a best selling and highly-acclaimed artist with a CBE and a royal portrait under his belt, has been fascinating. His celebrity has simply grown and grown, and his painting has remained at the heart of his enormous popularity and success. His Rolf on Art BBC television series received the highest TV ratings ever for an
Arts programme anywhere in the world. He has also hosted many other art series and events ranging from a massive project to recreate Constable’s Haywain with the help of a host of other artists, both amateur and professional, in Trafalgar Square to BBC1’s New Year’s Day 2006 programme highlighting his painting of the royal portrait, The Queen, by Rolf.
Inevitably Rolf has been the subject of a number of documentaries himself, most recently a prestigious feature length Arena: Rolf Harris Paints His Dream (BBC Two Christmas 2010), directed by the multi-award- winning Vikram Jayanti. While concentrating first and foremost on a series of paintings, the film branched off into the many landmarks of Rolf’s long career. We saw him mobbed by art fans, rocking the 2010 Glastonbury crowds and playing the Pacific National Exhibition Concert stage in Vancouver. 2011 has seen Rolf launch his stunning ‘Midsummer Night’s Dream’ collection in Mayfair, followed by ‘The Studio Collection’ in the Spring, and these latest pieces make this an extraordinarily rich year for his artwork. Clearly he is the ultimate celebrity artist, running an extraordinarily busy career in show business alongside his first love of painting, while effortlessly maintaining his place in the nation’s heart.
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