Ken Danby was born March 6, 1940 in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada. At the young age of ten, having already received recognition for his drawing ability, he made the decision to become an artist, and learned of the Ontario College of Art in Toronto. Following his highschool graduation eight years later, he enrolled at OCA. Ultimately, the school's over-emphasis on abstract art at the time did not appeal to Danby, and two years later he quit in order to pursue his preferred interests.

He worked at a multitude of art-related jobs over the next three years, while exploring various directions in his painting. His first solo show, an exhibition of abstract paintings at the age of 21, was a success, but he still felt less than challenge...