Drawn into Art

Not many people can claim that Woody Woodpecker inspired them into the world of art!

- Kevin Rogers

Kevin Rogers was born in Brisbane in the late 1950s, and was raised at Southport, Queensland from the age of five. Kevin’s passion for art began when he was about 13 years of age, when he was given a ‘How to Draw Woody Woodpecker’ book by the famous cartoonist Walter Lantz. Kevin recollects that prior to receiving this book, he could not draw a straight line with a ruler, let alone draw cartoon characters.

His initial driving force came from his big brother Ian, who could draw, with consummate ease, every Disney character in Walt’s arsenal. This inspired Kevin to emulate his big brother, by drawing every possible spare minute of the day. It wasn’t a long wait, as Kevin says that it was if some powerful inner force that had been lying dormant for 13 years had released itself overnight. One day he couldn’t draw, the next, he was drawing everything. At the age of 13 he entered a pencil sketch into the Brisbane Courier Mail Children’s Drawing Competition and won first prize. This inspired him even further.