About Peter
PETER DARE is a published Australian cartoonist/artist and painter best known as the creator / Author and Illustrator of the much loved “KOOLROO” kangaroo cartoon strip which appeared in major newspapers around Australia and overseas for more than 21 years (1983-2004) – see list below.
-Sydney Daily Telegraph
-Sydney Sunday Telegraph
-Melbourne Herald (Sunday)
-Brisbane Daily Sun
-Brisbane Sunday Sun
-Perth Sunday Times
-Northern Territory News
*As well as numerous publications Internationally
Also a successful exhibiting artist, Peter shows a rich and creative imagination in his paintings and an ability to take in aspects of the world around us and convey it in a unique, colourful and humoristic way.
“In cartooning I spent years working on telling a story and pondering on how to get a message across through visual image, and that’s what I love to do."
“In cartooning I spent years working on telling a story and pondering on how to get a message across through visual image, and that’s what I love to do."
After over 20 years of cartooning focusing on Australian themes /characters / philosophies and lifestyle, the influence is apparent and unavoidable in much of his work.
The Key ingredients in Peter’s work recipe could be defined as ….
– “Vibrant colour” + “Humour” + “An essence of Australia”
*There will always be a cartoonish feel and unique perspective in all Peter’s work.
Over those years Peter has produced an enormous amount of work with thousands of
published black and white cartoon illustrations. This restriction to black and white
boosted a passion for working in colour, which he satisfied in his painting throughout
those years.
In 2003 Peter backed off the cartooning to pursue his painting full time. Painting has
provided the freedom to express without the newspaper publication deadlines of
cartooning.
After years of focusing on Australian themes /characters / philosophies and lifestyle, the
influence is apparent in his work which displays a humoristic and rich colourful view of
Australia and what is Australian.
Peter is an evolving artist with a goal and love to express and convey visually and
emotionally what he describes as an “essence of Australia” in his work.
In portraying a unique feel and interpretation of Australian landscape, tradition, wild life,
history and lifestyle he excites the eyes with an abundant combination of rich, vibrant and
earthy colours.
ORIGINS
Born the son of Hector George Dare, a landscape artist who studied under the renowned
Cedric Emmanual, Peter Dare grew up in an artistic environment on the beautiful
Hawkesbury River north of Sydney in a quiet bushy location known as Berowra Waters.
It was in these natural bush and river surroundings that Peter’s love for art first developed
as a young child who would take pen to paper and draw for hours every day.
After excelling in art through his school years Peter held several positions in the graphic
arts field with Advertising and Graphic arts corporations but felt restricted and yearned
for freedom of style, so in 1979 enrolled in the Diploma Art course in Hornsby Technical
College.
After 11 months of work and study Peter grew dissatisfied with facets of the course and
its teachers so in 1981 set off north to QLD to fill another position with a graphic arts
company designing and illustrating advertising and marketing material.
Nights and weekends were spent drawing and painting to sell works for extra money.
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