Ken White

Artists statement

Ken left school at the age of 15 and followed in his grandfather's and father's footsteps - into an apprenticeship at Swindon Railway Works. He started as a rivet hotter but became a signwriter in the carriage and wagon works, "Because I was fed up with the burns on my legs". The move encouraged Ken to take more of an interest in art and he studied and passed 'O' and 'A' level Art in evening classes.
Against his parents' wishes, but with the encouragement of fellow students Ray ('Gilbert') O'Sullivan and Rick Davies (later of Supertramp fame), he then decided to take the chance on his talent providing a living and enrolled on a four-year full-time course at Swindon Art School. He had an undoubted talent and was dedicated to learning his craft. "The caretaker would have to tell me to leave in the evenings" he recalls.

On completion of the course, he moved to London to do exhibition work for the British Council but returned to Swindon in 1978 because he did not want his children to grow up in the capital.

After a few months out of work, he landed a place on a job creation scheme for Thamesdown Community Arts. It was then that he painted his first mural - a view of the Golden Lion Bridge on the end of a house in Fleming Way, Swindon. Little did he know what an effect it would have on the rest of his life.

Paint and pharmaceutical company Bayer featured the mural in a poster advertising campaign, and suddenly Ken's work was beginning to receive interest from far afield. He received about £25 for the work. "I became a mural painter overnight," he says, "Albeit a poor one".

In the meantime Ken had met Richard Branson when the now-famous entrepreneur launched his first enterprise - a magazine called 'The Student'. Ken recalls that he sent Branson, who was aged about 16 at the time, a drawing of Dudley Moore for publication in his magazine. It was an acquaintance he would renew a few years later.

When Branson set up his Town House recording studio in London he commissioned Ken to decorate the outside of the building. The result was a stunning 3D scene which so impressed the Virgin boss that he asked Ken to do yet more work. But this time he had to turn down the work as he was already committed to another job. Branson employed another artist but was disappointed with the outcome and contacted Ken again.

This time he paid a retainer to ensure that he could always rely on Ken's availability in the future. Since then, Ken White's work has adorned the walls of Virgin establishments throughout the world, including megastores, hotels and airport lounges. With the launch of Virgin Atlantic in June 1984, Ken produced what is probably his most well-known work - the 'Scarlet Lady' emblem which features on all the airline's aircraft.

His reputation has grown with commissions from organisations such as Madame Tussauds. In addition to the more than 100 murals he has completed, Ken continues to produce his own paintings on canvas.

Alas, some of his murals have been lost due to redevelopment andd his most celebrated local work - a scene featuring famous Swindonians on the side of a wall in Prospect Place - had to be removed when the wall was found to have a damp problem.


Ken is currently busier than ever and continues to create innovative and amazing murals all over the world. His latest 'Our Town' series of paintings has grown rapidly and is shortly to be exhibited at Swindon's Art Centre.

C.V.

Born : 1943, Swindon, England
Lives and works in Swindon

Years experience : 34

Some commissions and residencies

2004 The Gun, Coldharbour,London: Nelson&Trafalgar Mural
2004 Invergordon Mural - Invergordon - Scotland
2003 Private school - Calne - Wiltshire
2003 St Margarets School - murals
2003 A&E Dept - GWR Hospital - Swindon
2000 Le Petit Blanc Restaurant, Manchester
1999 Mural, Buxted Park Hotel, East Sussex, Virgin
1998 XS Record Store, Loch Loman, Sound and Media
1997 XS Offices, Surrey, Sound and Media
1997 XS Record Store, Fleetwood, Sound and Media
1997 XS Record Store, Cheshire Oaks, Sound and Media
1997 XS Record Store, Street, Sound and Media
1997 Mastrich Megastore, Holland, Virgin
1997 XS Record Store, Swindon, Sound and Media
1997 Virgin Atlantic Offices, Norwalk, Connecitcutt, Virgin
1997 V2 Studios, London, Virgin
1996 Mickleover Hotel, Derby, Virgin
1996 Heathrow Lounge, London, Virgin
1996 Newark Lounge, New Jersey, Virgin
1995 Malaga Megastore, Spain, Virgin
1995 Madrid Megastore, Spain, Virgin
1995 La Carunea Megastore, Spain, Virgin
1995 Vigo Megastore, Spain, Virgin
1995 Saltzburgh Megastore, Austria, Virgin
1995 Brussells Megastore, Belgium, Virgin
1995 Virgin Atlantic Offices, Norwalk Connecticut, Virgin
1995 Bergamo Megastore, Italy, Virgin
1995 La Residencia Hotel, Mallorca
1994 Saville Megastore, Spain, Virgin
1994 Swimming Pool Mural, Guildford
1994 Trome'l'oeil Mural, Plymouth
1994 Heathrow Upper Class Lounge, London
1992 Los Angeles Megastore, California, Virgin
1992 Vienna Megastore, Austria, Virgin
1992 Frankfurt Megastore, Germany, Virgin
1992 Milan Megastore, Italy, Virgin
1990 Roof Gardens, West Palm Beach, Florida
1989 Kensington and Chelsea Pool, London
1988 Highworth Pool, Wiltshire
1987 Madame Tussauds, London
1987 Cavendish Square, Swindon
1987 Southampton Hospital
1986 The Manor, Oxford
1986 Scarlet Lady, 747 Jumbo Jet
1985 Intercontinental Hotel, Park Lane London
1985 Goldiggers Club, Chippenham
1984 Oasis Leisure Dome, Swindon
1983 Sutton Mnor, Sutton Scotney Hamps
1983 History of Bodybuilding, London
1982 Covent Garden Mural, London
1982 Canal Mural, Cambria Bridge Road, Swindon
1980 Smith and Wellstood, Scotland
1979 Swindon Personalities, Swindon
1979 The Sex Pistols Wall, Shepherds Bush, London
1978 The Town House, London
1976 Golden Lion Bridge, Swindon

Group exhibitions

2000 Arts Centre, Swindon
1997/98 Goddard Arms, Clyffpyparid
1995 Wyvern Theatre, Swindon
1991 British Month, Roy Miles Gallery

Prizes and awards

1984 Environmental Award, Kensington and Chelsea
1982 Saltaire Society Award, Mural, Bonnybridge

Critical reviews and press coverage

1999 Tony Holmes, Jets, pp 20-23
1998 Portfolio, pp 106-108
1997 Mark Child, Wiltshire Life, pp 24-26
1984 Judith Stares, You Magazine, pp 58-59
Success Story, Artist and Illustrators, p72

Qualifications

1966 MSIA, Swindon School of Art

Training and work experience

1962/66 Swindon School of Art

Teaching experience

1980 Part-time Lecturer, Fine Art, Swindon
1970 Community Artist, Swindon

Publications

1987 Art for Architecture, Deanna Petherbridge
1984 Art Within Reach, Thames and Hudson
1980 Art in the Seventies, Edward Lucie-Smith
1969 The Beatles Illustrated Lyrics, Alan Aldridge

Collections

McCarthy Glen

Areas of work

Community arts, Private commissions, Public art, Working with architects

Art skills

Drawing, Environmental art, Murals, Painting

Interests

Illustration, Lettering, Exhibiting, Residencies