Rolf Harris's Biography
| A selection of Rolf Harris's work | ||
 Downriver (Canvas) |
 Harbour Side (Canvas) |
 In The Shade (Canvas) |
Born in Perth, Western Australia, Rolf has always loved art; Even before he went to Primary School, whenever anyone asked him “What are you going to be when you grow up?” his immediate response was “An artist!”. At the age of 22, Rolf moved to London on what was supposed to be a year’s study leave, financing himself through four exhibitions of his work held in Australia. He immediately enrolled at the City & Guilds Art School in London, intending to follow in his grandfather’s footsteps and become a portrait painter. After a chance meeting with the Australian impressionist painter ‘Bill’ Hayward Veal, however, he attended an art course run by Veal and soon became his protégé.
In the mid 1950’s, for two years running, some of Rolf’s paintings were featured in the Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy. While painting continued to be a private passion of his, it was for his television and stage performances that Rolf became a household name. In recent years Rolf has devoted more time to painting and has had a number of one-man shows, including a 'Rolf on Art' exhibition at the National Gallery and received an honorary membership from the Royal Society of British Artists. His BBC television series ‘Rolf On Art’ achieved the highest television ratings ever for a UK arts programme. He hosted television’s biggest ever arts event with a live BBC special titled ‘Rolf On Art: The Big Event’, in which he joined the public in recreating a large-scale version of Constable’s ‘Haywain’ in Trafalgar Square. The massive event was such a huge success that the BBC staged two further ‘Rolf on Art: The Big Event’ specials in Edinburgh and London.
In 2005 the BBC announced that, to celebrate the 80th birthday of Her Majesty The Queen, Rolf was to paint, in oil, a portrait of the Queen for a BBC One programme. The portrait was unveiled at The Queen's Gallery, Buckingham Palace and was on display there until June 2006. The programme, ‘The Queen, by Rolf’ was screened on BBC One on 1st January 2006. The portrait continued to be exhibited at Buckingham Palace for the Summer Opening until November and then transferred to The Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh, until January 2007 after which it was then on tour at public galleries throughout 2007.
The Royal Australian Mint commissioned Rolf to design the first coin in the new 2007 Silver Kangaroo Collector's Coin series and Rolf has designed and painted the official Children In Need Christmas card for the last three years.
His BBC One documentary, 'A Lifetime in Paint', about his life as an artist was screened in January 2007. Other projects include a third series of 'Rolf's Star Portraits' and a Rolf on Art Special: 'Rolf on Lowry' for BBC One.
An exhibition featuring Rolf's new paintings alongside newly published limited editions prints will be held at the Portland Gallery, London from 30th November to 22nd December 2007.
