The Artist I am about to commemorate will most likely mean little to any of you from outside the UK, He will perhaps mean little to some of the Younger UK furrs about the place. But to people of my generation and perhaps a generation either side of me (Certainly the Generation before mine) he will probably been one of the most important formative influences on their art and possibly what bought them to art in the first place.

Today the death of Tony Hart was announced. Through Programs like Vision On, Take Hart and Hartbeat (The Proper hart beat not the one with Nick Berry) he drew many of us in to art inspired us with ideas and concepts and taught many of us lessons in the use of materials that are still relevant.
By the time I took up pastels Tony hart was no Longer on TV and was a year away from Illness induced retirement. I'd not seen him wild a pastel stick in a decade and I still use ideas of how to use pastel in my art to this day that I learned from watching him on TV back in the 80's. That I make much use of the colour of the paper and create shadow by leaving space on black paper and that this is so frequently used in my art is down to him. That's just how he influenced me. I have heard testament already today from other artists who Like me learned so much of art from this man. He was Art teacher to the nation. Others have come and gone but none as able as Tony Hart 1925-2009 R.I.P