Ralph Baker PLEIN AIR ARTIST
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My grandmother painted, that is what young ladies did in 1918. I always remember her paintings (all ornately framed) covering the walls of her house. Her back garden was full of flowers, to supplement her income she made funeral wreaths (she was a single mother of two young boys and one daughter).
Images have always fascinated me. I love beauty in all it's forms. My children talk of my paintings as not being real, as in... "life is just not like that", but I suppose that is a choice we make and I like to think of life, nature and people as being beautiful.
Having my first artistic success at Tranby Primary School in 1967, for my impressions of Martian creatures. Interest in art continued through High School at Christchurch Grammar under the inspirational guidance of Ted Snell from 1969 to 1971, Ted introduced me to another side of the world, I could not believe it...in art class Ted always had contemporary music on, Carol King, James Taylor, Neil Young and my favourite Elton John (Tumble Weed Connection) etc. I spent the school holidays painting on site around my home in the North Perth area.
I studied Art & Design at WAIT (now Curtin University) 1974 – 75 before accepting a position as graphic artist and medical illustrator at Princess Margaret Hospital for Children in 1976, where I became a founding member of their Art Advisory Committee (1987 – 94). During my time at PMH I became somewhat of an identity in Subiaco as I spent my lunch hours painting on site around the local area.
Exhibiting and selling regularly from 1985 to 1995 at the PMH and St Hilda’s exhibitions and sold individual works through Greenhill Galleries in Perth. I held my first solo exhibition at PMH, in support of “Heart Kids (WA)” in 1992. I now have paintings in private collections in the UK., Europe and interstate as well local collections, a total of approximately 80 paintings in all.
My work comprises mostly watercolour, of a personal nature. Family holidays, places I love and people I find beautiful.
I owned my own illustration business from 1994 to 2004, which acted both as a complement to and a variation on my painting.
The painting Shelby 1 (see portraits) was a finalist in the 2013 Doug Moran National Portrait Prize.
I am currently the Manager of the Medical Illustration and Telehealth Departments at Royal Perth Hospital.
Updated 4 June 2016.
