William Sykes Art
William Sykes Artist Biography
William was born in Zimbabwe in 1973. From an early age he had a natural drawing ability which he cultivated throughout his school years.
From school he entered the commercial art scene taking a position as a Finished Artist in an advertising firm. Later he enrolled at Art College in Cape Town, South Africa, where he studied and received awards for Graphic Design and Photography. His final project at college was used by Saachi & Saachi, CapeTown, and was featured in leading magazines throughout southern Africa.
On return to Zimbabwe he joined a design studio attached to an advertising firm. In his spare time he practised his fine art and, after receiving favourable comment for his work, decided to pursue it full time. However in the late ’90s, with a struggling economy and financial hardships, he was forced to go back into advertising.
In 2000, the uncertainties of life in Zimbabwe caused William to take a year's break in the UK. While in London he took full advantage exploring the National Gallery and the Portrait Gallery. This instilled in him the desire to pursue fine art rather than graphic design, so on his return to Zimbabwe in 2001, William picked up his brushes once again.
William has drawn and painted various subject matter over the years. He began with photorealistic pencil portraits and African wildlife sketches and then transitioned into sepia oil on canvas portraits followed by colour work which included wildlife, scenery, aircraft and more. Interestingly, one of his earlier detailed sepia portraits was returned to the Crake Gallery when a client was convinced by his friends he had purchased a photograph printed on canvas. The painting was then sent to forensics to be scanned and x-rayed to prove it was a genuine painting. This incident resulted in William loosening up his painting style and allowing for brush strokes and texture to be visible in the finished work.
Back in 1998, he had painted a picture depicting the last flight of Captain Jack Malloch's Spitfire (which was rebuilt in1982). A limited edition was printed from the oil painting and the picture was used for the cover of 'A Pride of Eagles', the definitive History of the Rhodesian Air Force 1920-1980. Both the prints and the book have featured in 'Aeroplane' magazine. The painting has also featured in another book “Malloch’s Spitfire” by Nick Meikle. William also produced several limited and open edition prints from African wildlife sketches and detailed pencil portraits.
William’s work was exhibited in The Whistle Pik Galleries in Texas, USA in 2007; The Without Pier Gallery in Melbourne in 2008; The Call of Africa Native Visions Galleries in Florida, USA in 2010 and numerous shows at The Crake Gallery in JHB, South Africa since 2005. In 2012, the owner of the Crake Gallery sadly passed away and the gallery closed down. In November 2012 William held a solo exhibition at the Portsalon Private Lodge in Harare. In 2013 he had a stand at the annual Wild Geese Art Show in Harare where he received the award for the Best Artist on Show. In March 2014 he held a solo show at the Queen of Hearts Cafe in Harare followed later by another solo show in October at the Bridget McDonnell Gallery in Melbourne, Australia. William’s work is currently available from the Cherie DeVilliers Gallery in JHB, South Africa, The Picture Frame Gallery in Harare, and the Borrowdale Brooke Golf Club.
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