I was saddened to hear this morning via the local news that Swindon artist Ken White passed away on Christmas Eve, aged 82.
He was a muralist, painter and illustrator, probably best known for his work with local band XTC and for creating the fabulous ‘Scarlet Lady’ emblem he came up with for Richard Branson’s Virgin Atlantic airline.
I met him a fair few years ago—a quiet and modest man.
A signed print of the ‘Gasworks, Swindon’ hangs on my office wall.
A momento of the town’s industrial past in front of what was the mighty railworks.
I know Ken loved his home town and leaves his giant murals behind him.
My thoughts are with his family.
I saw the Golden Lion Bridge mural years ago when a friend and I were planning a book of walks to explore the Wilts and Berks canal. Sadly the Wilts and Berks Canal Trust and Wiltshire Council withdrew support because the trust thought they could do it better themselves. But at least I got to see places I might never have bothered to investigate – and this stuck in my mind. Of course, I saw the old and by then rather faded version – but it was still very evocative. It’s now been refurbished.