Paintings By Legendary Rocker Jim Keays Score Gallery Exhibition In Melb

In life, late, great Australian musician Jim Keays wasn't just a talented performer — he was an honest-to-god artist, even harbouring a little-known penchant for watercolour painting and cultivating several finished works amid all his other achievements over the years.

Those paintings will now be displayed publicly for the first time, at Hawthorn Studio & Gallery, in Melbourne, as part of an exhibition spearheaded by Keays' wife, Karin. Running from 14 July until 6 August, the gallery promises to peel back the veil on a part of his life that remained largely hidden from public view.

Although he achieved most of his fame for his creativity as part of iconic Aussie band The Masters Apprentices, racking up accolades along with an eventual induction into the ARIA Hall Of Fame (in addition to pursuing solo projects and a collaboration with Darryl Cotton and Russell Morris as Cotton Keays & Morris), Keays' love of watercolour painting was one he carried with him since childhood, though he was loath to speak about it in open spaces.

"Jim said he had rarely touched watercolours — his favourite medium — since The Masters Apprentices took off in the '60s," Karin Keays said in a statement. "He was uncharacteristically shy and self-deprecating about his ability, which I found very touching. Jim's painting talent was a part of himself that he kept hidden, a vulnerability that he felt safe sharing with me."

Over the course of their marriage, Keays refined and relished his painting abilities, providing he and Karin with an array of "beautiful, delicate" works for their home. He remained self-deprecating — "He would bring his latest painting into the lounge room and sheepishly prop it up on the mantel, prefacing its display with an apologetic comment," she said — but clearly proud enough of his artistic oeuvre to bequeath the lot to Karin before he passed away of myeloma, a type of blood cancer, in 2014, aged 67; she describes it as "the ultimate gift of love and trust", with Keays telling her, "They are for you. You'll know what to do with them."

"Two years and one month after his passing, I now feel ready to share some of the beautiful and poignant art of the creative spirit who was my husband and partner," she said.

"It is my privilege and pleasure to invite you to enjoy Jim's first-ever art exhibition, The Secret Life Of Rock Legend Jim Keays."

For more information about the exhibition, see Hawthorn Studio & Gallery's website.