The drawings are currently on view at his home studio.
"I have been inspired to draw images as they occur, spontaneously, holding the mental image and quickly expressing it in different media, but here with a selection of oil pastel on Ingres paper. Often I am driven to catch that special moment, without hesitation, the way that I perceive it, as my mind remembers. The light has to be right, colour is essential, unnecessary detail has little importance.
"Often I will pencil in selected features after the pastel work - it's all about a story at that moment. If the end result is just another drawing, then I have failed. The viewer should read my story in every instance.
"In all cases the work is free whilst my mental image composes the arrangement and freezes at a point in time to arrive at that holding position of the complete story. In style I like to remain naive and often see through the eyes of a child, to simplify the structure and pick out the essential plot.
"The George Post Office is an institution where everyone, at some time, will enter. This story is one of the Rainbow Nation working together, the mix of all cultures; third world and first world standards, hence the child-like cars. The Outeniqua Mountains have been pictorially moved and the ugly iron tower omitted. The story is one of busy, happy folk going about their daily work. It is the hub of old George.
"A man asleep in the rear garden of our domestic worker's home shows the story of men out of work. The womenfolk have done their washing and are now cooking a meal. There is nothing left for the man who sleeps away the afternoon. The scene is Rosemoor from memory. The distant church does not exist.
"An artist friend living at Thembalethu inspired me to draw the home of his landlord. The artist's home was a 1,5 m x 2m shack at the rear. Landlords are at all levels of our society. This homestead stood out as clean and tidy from the rest in the area. The story is that we all have our own relative positions in life. All the family from granddad to grandson lived happily in the shack.
"From the first time that I played bowls at George Bowls Club I have admired the ever changing view towards the Outeniqua Pass. There cannot be a finer view from any bowls green in the world than that from George. Social bowls is fun, not to be taken too seriously and so the bowlers are drawn casually in fun attire. The elderly players have a need to keep fit and have friendly relationships.
"They enter a private enclave, almost fairy-like and away from the outside world. My drawing is fairy-like showing the mountain as an Eden of Paradise."
"From the Bowls Club looking across Heatherlands toward the Outeniquas, eight years ago one could hardly see Langenhoven Road (the Stadium Car Park was a grass field) and I could exercise my dog here. The quiet solitude has gone and the cars constantly exceed the speed limit."
Ken's work can be viewed by appointment. He can be contacted at 044 874 4878.
George Bowls Club.
