North East Ken Watts for Auction at Boldon

Four Ken Watts paintings to be sold on Wednesday 27th November, Antique and Interiors Sale

Local artist Mr Kenneth John William Watts was born in 1932

in Forest Hill, New Addington, London. He spent his national

service in Kenya staying in the army until the late 1950's when

he made his move to the North East. After moving to

Jarrow Kenneth Watts started capturing the street scenes of the

local area and created minutely detailed paintings of nearby

streets.  His love of drawing developed at a very young age; he

briefly attended drawing classes at night school in his teens but

was mostly self-taught.  He started to paint the fast-

changing townscapes of Jarrow and surrounding areas in the

early 1960's developing his technique and skills as he worked.  In

the late 60’s and early 70’s Kenneth Watts had a deep

involvement in the Jarrow Art Group and was instrumental in

organising exhibitions.  

He then went on to set up the Bede Gallery with Vince

Rea and painted a huge mural in Sunderland; as well as

having many major exhibitions, including London’s Prestigious

Serpentine Gallery. 

In later years he attended Sunderland University fulfilling his

dream of obtaining a first-class Fine Arts degree which he

saw as recognition by the establishment.   In 2014 in the middle

of his Master’s degree he became unwell, sadly passing away

before it was finished.