# Ken Messer > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Ken_Messer > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Ken_Messer.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Messer > Source revision: 1334433106 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{short description|British painter}} {{Use British English|date=October 2020}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}} {{Infobox artist | name = Ken Messer | image = | image_size = | caption = | birth_name = | birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1931|07|03}} | birth_place = [Newport](/source/Newport%2C_Wales), [Monmouth](/source/Monmouth), [Wales](/source/Wales) | death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2018|04|28|1931|07|03}} | death_place = [Oxfordshire](/source/Oxfordshire), [England](/source/England) | education = [City of Oxford High School for Boys](/source/City_of_Oxford_High_School_for_Boys) | known_for = [Architectural painting](/source/Architectural_painting), [Landscape painting](/source/Landscape_painting), [Watercolour painting](/source/Watercolour_painting), [Drawing](/source/Drawing) | notable_works = | movement = | spouse = | awards = | patrons = | website = [https://www.kenmesser.co.uk/ www.kenmesser.co.uk] }} '''Ken J. Messer''' (1931–2018) was a British watercolour [painter](/source/painter) and [draughtsman](/source/Drafter).{{cite news| url=https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/16276730.obituary-oxford-artist-ken-messer/ | title=Obituary: Oxford artist Ken Messer | newspaper=[Oxford Mail](/source/Oxford_Mail) | location=UK | date=7 June 2018 }}{{cite web| url=http://www.kenmesser.co.uk/biography.html | title=Biography | first=Ken | last=Messer | website=www.kenmesser.co.uk | location=UK | date=2018 | accessdate=15 October 2020 }} Ken Messer was born in [Newport](/source/Newport%2C_Wales), [South Wales](/source/South_Wales), and was educated at the [City of Oxford High School for Boys](/source/City_of_Oxford_High_School_for_Boys) in [Oxford](/source/Oxford), where he spent much of his time during his life. After school, Messer worked in [accountancy](/source/accountancy) for six years in Oxford. He then joined [British Overseas Airways Corporation](/source/British_Overseas_Airways_Corporation) (BOAC) as a steward, flying internationally. Injury due to a [car accident](/source/car_accident) during the 1960s meant that he joined the design department of [Pergamon Press](/source/Pergamon_Press) in Oxford at the age of 33. Six years later, he was appointed to the position of studio manager, in charge of [art](/source/art) and [design](/source/design). In 1974, Messer left Pergamon Press to become a freelance [graphic designer](/source/graphic_designer). He started painting more [watercolour](/source/watercolour)s, becoming a fulltime artist. During the 1980s, his [ink](/source/Pen) drawings were regularly published in the ''[Oxford Times](/source/Oxford_Times)''. He has sometimes been called "The Oxford Artist" because of his large number of artworks depicting the city of Oxford.{{cite web| url=http://www.findartinfo.com/english/list-prices-by-artist/132130/ken-messer.html | title=Art auction result for Ken Messer | website=FindArtInfo.com | accessdate=15 October 2020 }} Prints of Messer's artworks have been published by the Burford Gallery, Kingfisher Prints, Rosenstiels, and Templecrest Art. His work has been shown at [Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours](/source/Royal_Institute_of_Painters_in_Water_Colours) annual exhibitions, held at the [Mall Galleries](/source/Mall_Galleries), the base of the [Federation of British Artists](/source/Federation_of_British_Artists) in [London](/source/London). Messer won prizes at three consecutive biennial international Saunders ''Artist in Watercolour'' competitions and in ''[The Artist](/source/The_Artist_(UK_magazine))'' magazine watercolour competition. His paintings have been sold at auctions, including at [Christie's](/source/Christie's), [South Kensington](/source/South_Kensington), in London.{{cite web| url=https://www.mutualart.com/Artist/Ken-Messer/AAF132BB964E1A3A/Biography| title=Ken Messer – Biography | publisher=MutualArt | accessdate=15 October 2020 }} Ken Messer was married to Dilys Lloyd. They lived in [Richmond upon Thames](/source/Richmond_upon_Thames), southwest London, and then the town of [Abingdon](/source/Abingdon-on-Thames) on the [River Thames](/source/River_Thames), south of Oxford. They had two sons and one daughter together. ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== * [http://www.kenmesser.co.uk/ Ken Messer website] {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Messer, Ken}} Category:1931 births Category:2018 deaths Category:People from Newport, Wales Category:People educated at the City of Oxford High School for Boys Category:20th-century British painters Category:21st-century British painters Category:20th-century British male artists Category:21st-century British male artists Category:Artists from Oxford Category:British draughtsmen Category:English graphic designers Category:English male painters Category:English landscape painters Category:English watercolourists --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Ken Messer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Messer) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Messer?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.