Born March 6th 1940 - Died September 23rd 2007.
Canadian photorealist artist born in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. He knew from an early age that he wanted to be
Canadian photorealist artist born in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. He knew from an early age that he wanted to be
an
artist and was support in that dream by his parents, Gertrude and Edison
Danby. [no-sidebar]
His brother, Marvin, four years his senior,
displayed natural abilities and interest in creating art as a
teenager,
which he later set aside. Ken credits Marvin's early interest with
inspiring his own. Their parents
were very supportive when Ken's
artistic skills expanded throughout his elementary years at Cody
Public
School, Ken Danbywhere he became known as "the school artist", and they
soon became aware
of the serious degree of his interest. When he was ten
years old, in Grade Six, he informed them that he
wanted to become an
artist, and that a guidance teacher had advised him of a school called
the Ontario
College of Art, where he could study art. Eight years later,
in 1958, he enrolled.
Despite certain anxieties for their son's
future, Gertrude and Edison resolved to continue their support for
Ken's
ambitions as he was unwavering in his determination. Even when he quit
the college two years
later because of the college's emphasis on
abstract art, he did so with a belief that it was the right decision
for
him. He spent the following three years experimenting with his art
before settling on photorealism, inspired
by the work of Andrew Wyeth,
an American photorealist.
His first one man show in 1964 sold out,
setting an example that was often repeated. Private, corporate
and
museum collectors responded enthusiastically to Danby's work and Danby
was recognized as one
of the world's foremost photorealist painters.
Danby's work has been the subject of several books ranging
from
reference publications to biographies.
