About Fred Kennett the artist
Fred Kennett has been producing his fine pen and ink drawings for the past thirty years. The influence of his various careers and life experiences can be clearly seen running through his work and is an integral part of his development.
Fred has been with his partner Gill for over thirty years and they have two children and five grandsons. Although Fred has spent the majority of his life in Kingston-upon-Hull, he has also lived in London and Wakefield.
Absence and opportunity
Fred’s work as an artist ran for many years alongside his other role as a merchant seaman, a job which took him away from home for various lengths of time. However, this also offered him a valuable opportunity, while on leave, to pursue his first love — creating these amazing works of art. There are now some examples on the site of the pictures he created after visiting some of the derelict whaling stations in South Georgia.
Exhibitions and awards
Fred has held many exhibitions in London, Hull, Wakefield and Huddersfield. He was shortlisted for an award at Yorkshire Television; indeed, this resulted in the television company purchashing a piece of his work to hang in their foyer. He won the Sir William Lawrence Prize at The Royal Birmingham Society of Artists Media Exhibitions in December 05 and presently is in the process of entering his work in various ongoing exhibitions.
Medium and detail
Fred’s work predominantly uses the medium of pen and ink. The actual sizes of the pictures vary enormously. They all, however, no matter how large or small, contain the same singularly detailed and minute focused attention that has become his hallmark.
Subject and influence
Although Fred is attracted to the works of Seurat, Hopper, Klee and Lowry, the subject and overall design of Fred’s individual work can be described as eclectic and is as varied as the artist’s own wealth of experience and breadth of interests. The West Yorkshire architecture and industrial landscape are apparent. The seafaring aspects of his work can be seen to reflect not only his career in the merchant navy but his roots in the city of Hull, while the abstract element seems to rely very much on individual interpretation.
Strong reputation
Over the years Fred has had many requests for his work through showing them, but also has garnered a strong reputation purely through word-of-mouth. It is with this in mind, along with a genuine desire to exhibit to as wide a field as possible, that Fred has created this website.