Kerry Hallam

(British-American b.1937)

Kerry Hallam was trained in Chesterfield and London and has been based in Nantucket since 1981. His work has been shown at art galleries in New York City, London, Paris, Tokyo and Beverly Hills.

Hallam was born in Chesterfield, north east Derbyshire, where he sold his first painting, a watercolor of the Lake District, at an open-air market at age thirteen. He attended Chesterfield Art College for two years, going on to win a six-year scholarship to London’s Central School of Arts and Crafts. After studying under British masters Leslie Cole, Patrick Heron and Hans Tisdale, Hallam graduated with the National Diploma in Painting in 1957.

He then spent two years in the British Army in Hong Kong and Malaya, where he was attached to the Black Watch and the Gurkha Brigade. In 1961 he returned to London, working in advertising as a draftsman and designer. In 1964, Hallam headed for the south of France to paint full-time.

Having been selected for inclusion in Britain’s Royal Society of Artists in Watercolor, in 1973 he moved to the United States. After a short career as a musical performer (during which he opened for James Taylor at concerts and released an LP) Hallam dedicated himself to painting. He established his first studio in Boston and in 1981 opened a studio and gallery on Nantucket Island, moving to the island in 1995.

Inspired by the Fauves, Hallam is also influenced the 19th century French Post-Impressionists, Cézanne and Van Gogh. Hallam returns frequently to St. Tropez and the French Riviera, two of his favorite sources of inspiration. Noted for their striking color harmonies, Hallam’s panoramas continue to draw accolades, including a first place award by L’Association Pour le Promotion Artistique Francais. His work has been featured in a large number of print articles, including Forbes magazine in 1999, as well as in PBS television specials. Chalk & Vermilion Fine Arts and Martin Lawrence Galleries are Hallam’s most notable publishers.

Recent Examples at Auction