Gordon King was first recognized for his artistic talents at a very young age when he won a number of art competitions as a child. Encouraged by this, he studied life drawing at Reading University Art School and trained as a figurative illustrator at the prestigious Carlton Studios in London. Upon completing his studies, King spent a few years working as a freelance illustrator and providing artwork for numerous magazines, books, and advertising agencies, while painting portraits on commission. His work was obviously full of life and talent and in 1971 he had his first solo exhibition. The show was well-received and it wasn’t long before King was displaying his work in the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition and the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colour. Within a few years, he was approached to make prints of his stunning original paintings and in 1983 his “My Fair Lady” illustration became a national best-selling print. King’s success has continued over the years, with numerous one-man shows, a few books of his artwork, and awards like the Fine Art Trade Guild’s like “Published Artist of the Year” (1999).

King’s success is obviously rooted in his exceptional talent. Using a variety of media including oil, pastel, and watercolor, he creates remarkable figurative art. “Figurative painting has always inspired me, the human form being my main love,” he explains. Even in his landscape paintings, there is always a figure that commands the viewers’ attention. King’s love of figurative painting comes from what he calls “the sheer wonder of creating life in paint, achieving a likeness of someone in a portrait but putting something of me in as well.” His paintings range from full of color to almost monochromatic. King manages to paint beautiful either way, as he utilizes light, shadow, and reflection with incredible attention and skill. It is no wonder both his paintings and his limited edition fine art prints are collected around the United Kingdom and internationally.