Mosport Memories – The early years to reside in Event Centre
An original oil painting work, titled Mosport Memories – The Early Years, created by world-renowned fine artist Ken Dallison was unveiled today at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.
Dallison was commissioned last winter to create an oil painting capturing some of the memories of the early years at Mosport Park, now Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.
A native of London England, Dallison (pictured below with CTMP co-owners Carlo Fidani and Ron Fellows) studied art at Twickenham Art College and began his professional career in a London advertising agency. Developing his trademark pen and ink style in the mid-1950s, Ken began to specialize in vehicle illustration around 1959. In 1960, Ken moved to Long Island, New York, where his career really started to roll.
Freelance work in North America eventually led Ken to settle in Canada in the 1970’s, where he taught at the Ontario College of Art and Design, in Toronto. Ken has also lectured at the San Francisco Academy of Art and the Smithsonian Institute.
A founding member of the Automotive Fine Arts Society, Ken is also a member of the New York-based Society of Illustrators.
Ken’s many works include 30 United States postal stamps commissioned by the United States Postal Service and artwork for the ‘Chunnel’, profiled in National Geographic. In 1986, Ken illustrated The First Century, an official book commemorating the first 100 years of Mercedes-Benz.
Numerous awards include the 1970 Gold and Silver Medals from the Society Of Illustrators, Cleo from the Art Directors Club NY, a Canadian Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 1994, Athena Awards of Excellence in 1990, 1995, 2001 and 2003, and two Gold Medals from the Detroit Art Directors Club.
Ken’s paintings hang in museums and private collections across North America and Europe. During his 50-year career, he has created elegant images for such prominent clients as Esquire, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, National Geographic, Sports Illustrated, Car and Driver, Mercedes-Benz, General Motors and IBM.
Mosport Memories – The Early Years – will be offered as a limited edition print at a later date, but the original painting will be displayed in the Events Centre here at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.
Ken Dallison and his wife Gwen still live in the Toronto area where he continues to work creating art for private collectors, predominantly people and their automobiles.
Photography by John Walker
