Kerry Hallam

Afternoon Reverie

1998

Kerry Hallam was as refreshing and spirited as his paintings - creating enticing images through bold palettes and captivating compositions. Born in Northern England in 1937, Hallam showed early artistic talent when he won a six-year scholarship to London University's Central College of Art. After a formal art education under British master painters Leslie Cole, Patrick Heron, and Hans Tisdale, he completed his military service in the prestigious Gurkha brigade in Hong Kong and Malaya. Hallam's talent was further acknowledged when he was selected for inclusion in Britain's Royal Society of Artists in Watercolour. Enthusiasm for his art is fully evident in Hallam’s vivid, windswept seascapes and timeless, sun-dappled village scenes. Strongly inspired by the Fauves, Hallam had a strong affinity for the 19th century French Post-Impressionists - Cezanne and Van Gogh. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, his artistic career was augmented by five years as a musical performer, playing with musicians such as James Taylor and Linda Rondstat. In 1996, a collection of original songs by Kerry Hallam was released on the compact disk, Autumn Harvest. In 1973 Kerry moved state-side, settled in New England, and completely dedicated himself to painting. He later established his first studio in Boston, and in 1981 opened a studio and gallery on Nantucket Island. From that point on, he lived and painted in many parts of the United States, but ultimately New England became his permanent home. Also keenly inspired by St. Tropez and the French Riviera, Hallam returned frequently to those locales to renew his spirit. Noted for his power to evoke emotion, an opulence of light and distinctive color harmonies, Hallam excelled at translating the ordinary moment into the magical, inviting us to be revitalized by the world's simple pleasures. His panoramas drew many accolades, including a first-place award by the prestigious L’Association Pour le Promotion Artistique Francais. His work is found in col¬lections world¬wide, including those of Brigitte Bardot, Bjorn Borg, Lindsay Davenport, the Marchioness of Queensbury, Lady Caroline Townsend, and the Virginia Heart Institute. Through innumerable one-man shows, Kerry Hallam was honored by galleries around the world having shown at exhibitions in Paris, London, Tokyo, New York, Beverly Hills, Hong Kong, San Francisco, and many other cities. His work has been featured in countless newspaper and magazine articles as well as in PBS television specials. Visual compilations of the artist’s works are currently available in the monographs, Kerry Hallam, Far Horizons: A Celebration of Life, and Kerry Hallam, Artistic Visions.