Ken Done on Colour, Creativity, and the Evolution of Australian Art

Ken Done is a name synonymous with Australian art, his vivid, joyful works capturing the essence of the country’s landscapes and culture. From his BMW Art Car to designs for the Sydney Olympics, Done's career spans decades, blending creative innovation with unmistakable Australian flair. In this exclusive interview, he shares insights on colour, inspiration, and the future of the Australian art scene.

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By Isabella Edwards

When you think of Australian art, Ken Done is never far from mind. His colourful paint strokes, often re-imagining Sydney, have become an iconic fixture of the current Aussie zeitgeist.  From his BMW Art Car in 1989 to designing work for the 2000 Sydney Olympics, there are pieces of Ken Done’s work sprawled through the cultural history of the last fifty years, in Australia and beyond. 

What brought you to art and painting in the first place? 

Like all children, I loved to paint and draw. I can’t paint as well as a 5-year-old, but I’m always striving for that youthful attitude to painting.

What prompted you to make the move to full-time painter and leave your role in advertising? 

I went to East Sydney Tech (now the National Art School) when I was 14.5. I got a special exemption to leave school and worked as an Art Director in Australia, the US and London after that. My wife and I were holidaying in Vanuatu, and I was talking to the late Peter Brock and he was telling me how passionate he was about motor racing. I realised that although I was good at advertising, I wasn’t passionate about it. So, on returning to Sydney late Sunday evening, I made up my mind to leave. That was 1975. I then did numerous freelance jobs until my first exhibition on my 40th birthday in 1980.

Your style of painting is so distinctive, what inspires your intense use of colour and organic shapes? 

Colour is like music. One colour depends on the colour you put next to it or how you might blend the colours together. The words harmony, composition and discord are just as applicable to painting as they are to music.

Your name and work have become synonymous with Australian art – do you ever feel burdened by that success or a sense of responsibility to the Australian art-scene? 

It’s always flattering when people describe my work as bright and colourful. And that I’m sure comes from the great fortune of being born and living in Australia. 

What do you make of the culture towards art in Australia? 

Art is always half a conversation, so the more people that feel they can be involved in the appreciation of art, the better things will be. Art is not violent. And I like to make paintings that people take pleasure from seeing.

Making art can be an incredibly personal thing, have you ever felt guarded or hesitant to share your work?

I am not hesitant about sharing my work. I have run my own gallery for more than 35 years and it’s always a joy when people visit the space. As I age, I in fact show less work. Getting older allows you to be more perceptive and critical of certain things. But each time you start, it’s always a journey. Easy to start. Hard to finish.

Of your works, are there any that stand out the most for you? 

The paintings I did when I first moved into the Cabin at Chinaman’s Beach always give me the joy of remembering that time, we moved there in 1969. Then over the years we moved closer, and Glenn Murcutt designed a wonderful house for us that we recently renovated to its original form, with the exception of a new travertine floor. It’s a wonderful building and very much one of Glenn’s most famous.  We lived there for a number of years before we moved into the house in front called Roshervilla and the small building on the waterfront called The Cabin. It’s a great privilege to live there and we will not be leaving.

How do you hope art in Australia will develop in the future?

With more young people spending time on iPads and screens, I can only hope that they don’t lose that basic ability to make marks with crayons or paints with their own hands.

www.kendone.com.au

The Ken Done Gallery: 1 Hickson Road, The Rocks, Sydney  

Instagram: @kendonegallery