Karel Lek

Karel Lek (1929-2020) was born in Antwerp in 1929, but the misfortunes of World War II brought him to North Wales in 1940.

He was educated at Friars Grammar School, Bangor and Liverpool College of Art.

Karel escaped Hitler and settled in Wales. Karel, who was 90 and lived on Anglesey, had described finding "freedom" in Wales, with the scenery inspiring his work. During an interview with BBC Wales in 2007, he said after experiencing prejudices at school in Belgium, he found freedom in his new home.Karel says of his work: “I paint continuously and mostly my subjects are my fellow men and women in whatever situations I find them, whether in urban or rural surroundings. I am certainly not insensitive to the beauty of the landscape which surrounds me, but it’s the changing moods of the seasons of autumn and winter which appeal to me most".

 

Karel has exhibited widely across Wales, and has also shown in London, Amsterdam and Chicago.  His work is many public collections including the National Liberary of Wales.

He became a member of the Royal Cambrian Academy in 1955, and was awarded the MBE in 2003.