Rolf Harris was born in Western Australia in 1930 and had his first solo show at age 16 in Perth. After a short stint in college and a job teaching children to swim, Harris decided to move to London to study art; and so, just shy of his 22nd birthday, Harris boarded a ship to Europe. In London, Harris attended the City and Guilds Art School for two years, but began his real arts education when he encountered Australian artist Hayward Veal, who would become his mentor.

For the next several years, though, painting took a backseat to his work on BBC children’s television and a music career. But television is also what eventually pushed Harris back into painting. On his series “Rolf on Art,” which ran from 2001 to 2007, Harris began painting in an impressionistic style once again and rediscovered his love of making art. In 2005, Harris was invited to paint a portrait of the Queen for her 80th birthday. Harris has been made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire and a member of the Order of Australia, among other honors.