Ken White: The Last Guild Painter

24 July - 12 August 2026

Opening Reception

Thursday 23 July, 4pm - 7pm

A major exhibition dedicated to celebrated painter and muralist Ken White (1943-2025).

 

For more than 50 years, Ken White's work was seen by millions, often without them ever knowing his name. From Virgin Atlantic aircraft and public murals to album artwork and recording studios, his paintings became part of everyday life while he remained quietly behind the scenes.

 

Born and raised in Swindon, White began his career as an apprentice signwriter in the Great Western Railway Works. The craftsmanship he learned there shaped a lifetime of painting, from large-scale murals and iconic commercial commissions to deeply personal studio works celebrating the people, industries and streets of his hometown.

 

This exhibition brings together both sides of his remarkable career for the first time. Alongside the murals and public artworks that made him widely recognised are the paintings that reveal his enduring love of Swindon and its history.

 

A Last Guild Painter celebrates an artist whose legacy was hidden in plain sight, giving long-overdue recognition to the man behind some of Britain's most familiar images.

 

Full list of works to be announced soon. 

For advance enquiries, please contact enquiries@thelittlegallery.co.uk.

 

Please join us at the Opening Reception on Thursday 23 July, 4pm - 7pm. Drinks and refreshments will be provided.