| By :
Martin Hofschroer
Rolf Harris revealed that he would not be the successful artist he is today without the help of his father. The octogenarian told Australian television interview show Enough Rope with Andrew Denton that his father encouraged him to be different and study art even though it made him unpopular with fellow students and teachers. Harris said that his father told him not to conform in order to become a prefect at Perth Modern School as Rolf should embrace his individuality and refuse to change his image. Rolf said: "He said: Wear what you like. Be yourself. Do what you want to do." And he was just wonderful, my dad was." "I was a bit of a weirdy. I was really keen on art. I was about the only good artist in the school at the time and that gives you a very big-headed approach, you know." Rolf went onto say that his father was a frustrated artist because he was put off pursuing a career in art by his own father who had been a portrait painter. He said: "I had my parents' backing on all my artistic endeavours. My dad's father had been a portrait painter in Wales and he had actively discouraged all the boys in the family." Rolf's grandfather dissuaded his children away from art because he had experienced financial hardships as an artist even though he was responsible for painting a portrait of King George V. Harris has been lucky enough to enjoy a lucrative artistic career as some of his originals fetch six figure sums and Rolf Harris prints are also extremely popular with art enthusiasts. Art fans can see Rolf Harris prints, originals and sculptures at an exhibition in Sheffield next month in celebration of the Australian's eightieth year. The 'A Life in Art' exhibition has been on a national tour this year and has taken in nearly all of Britain's major cities such is his popularity within the United Kingdom. Rolf has been entertaining and educating children about art since the 1950s and has had a huge impact on the artistic psyche of Britain. Harris' achievements have been regularly recognized by the Queen as he was awarded a CBE in 2006, having previously been created a MBE in 1968 and an OBE in 1977. Rolf Harris topped a survey in 1992 which asked art exhibition visitors in London to name a famous artist, finishing with 38 per cent of the vote and a long way ahead of second place John Constable.
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