Kevin Charles Hart was born in
Broken Hill, NSW, Australia in 1928. His early years were spent on "Larloona" a sheep station, around 130kms from
Broken Hill, learning by correspondence school. He was drawing from a
young age, illustrating his homework at seven and progressing steadily in his talent.
A self-taught artist, His preoccupation with art and the Australian outback started early and the
young miner worked a double life - toiling during the day and turning to his canvases at night.
In 1960, at the age of 32 he married Raylee June Tonkin, 19, and together they had five children. He continued to paint and took art classes to help formalise his technique. In 1962 he was discovered by Kim Bonython, a gallery owner from
Adelaide, and also a speedcar owner/driver in 1950's, so it was then his popularity as an outback artist began to climb.
His creative spirit knew no bounds, experimenting with "performance art" years before it became fashionable; dropping paint from hot air balloons, creating ice sculptures and even using a cannon to distribute paint on his chosen medium.
Perhaps his most famous moment came with a series of television carpet commercials. He continued to experiment with art techniques all his life. Mainly working in oils and acrylics, Pro used any tool or method to achieve the desired outcome for his work.
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Thanks to a good friend Claire Brady for the 2 photo's above.
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He drew upon techniques of layering, chiaroscuro, glazing, scumbling, scratching and Alla prima. Pro was also a sculptor working with welded steel, bronze and ceramics.
In 1976 he was awarded an MBE for his
services to art in Australia. In 1982 he received an Honorary Life
Membership of Society International Artistique for outstanding artistic achievement. This is granted to only one artist per continent and in 1983 he received an Australian Citizen of the Year Award.
Outside of painting, Pro collected vintage cars and a variety of motorbikes. was an "A" grade pistol shooter, loved music and inventing different kinds of engines and machines.He was the proud owner of a Rodgers electric pipe organ, which was said to be the largest of its kind in Australia.
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He was a fervent opponent of gun laws in Australia, maintaining that everyone had a right to take it like a man. He once suggested that members of the Australian Labor Party and the Greens be thrown aboard a canoe in the middle of the Tasman Sea, with nothing more than a broken oar and rusted compass.
In December 2005 Pro was diagnosed with motor neurone disease.
March 28, 2006 at 11:24AM Pro Hart died at his
home in
Broken Hill NSW.
.