Ken Baynes
1934-2019
Ken’s initial education was as a stained glass designer at a rural art school in Devon and the Royal College of Art in London. However, he spent his professional career working as a designer, cultural historian and advocate of design education. At the centre of his work, were two main themes: the use of exhibitions as a medium for education and entertainment and the attempt to develop better strategies for teaching art and design.
He was Head of the Design Education Unit at the Royal College of Art and a Visiting Professor at the Loughborough Design School. Working with the Welsh Arts Council he developed a series of pioneering exhibitions that explored the relationship between art and society. With his wife Krysia he specialized in exhibitions that appeal to children and family groups and which emphasize making and aesthetic awareness. They have been shown in London,Scandinavia, Edinburgh, Glasgow and the United States. He worked with Malachite to research and present two television series on design for Channel 4. His books include About Design, Art in Society and (with Francis Pugh) The Art of the Engineer.
Ken was a founding director and major contributor to Loughborough Design Press. His obituary can be found here
