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Ken Reed

Ken Reed & Alan Reed
Ken Reed & Alan Reed 2021

In March 2024 I wrote a blog post about my father Ken Reed and his battle with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy. He was being cared for my my mum but gradually she was unable to look after him. For the last three months he was in a local care home, receiving professional help. Eleven days before Christmas he was taken to hospital with flu and pneumonia. There was little they could do apart from make him comfortable and on the morning of Christmas Eve he passed away.

I was able to visit him several times during his last few days along with other family members and friends. Even though he was asleep much of the time he was aware of our presence and would acknowledge many of the things we’d say. His response was usually a thumbs up.

The Christmas break has given me more time than usual to reflect on his remarkable life. In particular the influence he had on me as an artist. After studying art and design at Rutherford College he went on to become a graphic designer throughout the 60’s. He then lectured at Cleveland College of Art in the 1970’s until he took early retirement from teaching in his mid 50’s. His focus for the next twenty years became the numerous golf commissions for major golf clubs, competitions and some of the world’s top golfers.

British Open Poster 1996 Ken Reed
British Open Poster 1996 Royal Lytham & St.Anne’s Golf Club

My career took a similar route. I recall my parents asking me as a teenager what I’d like to do when I left school. I said “I’d like to be like you dad, an artist doing freelance”. Dad was always working on some design job, painting or illustration. I loved watching the process and how these incredible designs would emerge from our dinning room table that would be covered with reference material, preliminary studies (which were an art in themselves) paints, brushes, pens and drawing boards.

Through his teaching connections, my dad organised an interview for me at the same college on Bath Lane. It had become the College of Arts and Technology. I went on a similar route of studying graphic design, illustration and advertising for the next four years.

Whilst at art college I realised that I wasn’t being taught how to use watercolour. So in the summer of 1979 I began to study the work of Rowland Hilder. My dad was very encouraging with my efforts and so were my lecturers when I showed them my paintings. Some of them went on to buy my work. In 1981 I had my first exhibition in Ponteland Library. My dad advised me on frames and pricing and helped me with the whole process of framing.

I went self employed as an artist and illustrator in 1984. This coincided with my dad connecting me with Derwentside College. They were looking for a part time lecturer to teach graphic design. I got the job and went on to lecture part time at various colleges in the north east for the next twenty years.

My dad loved cars. In the 70’s he ordered a Morgan sports car which had a waiting list for several years. During the wait he produced two stunning art deco posters which were reproduced.

Morgan Car Poster by Ken Reed
Morgan Car Poster by Ken Reed

It remained as the family car for several years. I recall going on family holidays with my brother and sister and I squashed in the back. Over the spare wheel there was a small luggage rack with suitcases, golf clubs and fishing rods strapped on top.

In the early 1990’s my dad met a chap from Troon in Scotland who specialised in dealing in golf memorabilia and antiques. He became my dad’s agent, introducing him to the worlds top golf clubs and collectors. It became the dream job for my dad enabling him to travel to some of the most famous golf courses in the US and the UK.

My dad’s golf paintings showcased a diverse repertoire of artistic skills. They ranged from moody, atmospheric watercolours capturing famous holes to grand, lavish oil paintings. However, some of his best work was the art deco style gouache posters for some of the top golf tournaments like the US Open. Even his small preliminary studies were a work of art.

Golf At Yale by Ken Reed
Golf at Yale

Golf at Yale seen above was never actually used as a poster. However, it shows his fine ability to capture not just the course but the appropriate typefaces and figures for the scene.

In 2009 my dad was asked to produce a new design of a large painting that had been destroyed by fire in Newburn Church. His design was approved and he was given the task of painting it in oils on gold leaf. Although it was my dad’s painting from start to finish, I was privileged to have played a small part in assisting him. On the Sunday before my dad died I went to the carol service at Newburn with my mum to see the painting in candlelight. It brought back many fond memories of conversations my dad and I had about art and painting.

Newburn Church Painting by Ken Reed
Newburn Church Painting by Ken Reed

The other subject that was close to his heart was his Christian faith. As he was dying, I would read scriptures to him, pray for him and played some of Handel’s Messiah. I was typing out some of his studio over the summer of last year and found some hand written notes for a talk he was obviously going to give about his faith.

A memorial service will be held at St Michael’s Church, Newburn on the 10th January at 10:30am.

Folk are invited back to Ponteland Golf Club where my dad was a member for over 50 years. As I write this post, the flag is flying half mast out of respect for my dad.

Ponteland Golf Club, Ken Reed
Ponteland Golf Club, flag at half mast for Ken Reed
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