Keith Hill's Biography
Keith Hill
Official Artist U.S. 8th Air Force Memorial Museum Foundation
Keith Hill was born and brought up in Northamptonshire, England from where he still
lives and works.
In 1956 (aged 6) he was taken, by his Father, to an 'Open Day' and flying display at RAF
Molesworth. It was this event that sparked of his lifelong love of aviation. On leaving
school he trained as an engineer with a company producing components for the aircraft
industry. On completing his apprenticeship he worked for a subsidiary of Westland
Helicopters in its quality control department.
In 1974 he took a complete change of career by joining Northamptonshire Ambulance
Service where he spent the next eighteen years as an Emergency Medical Technician. It
was during these years that he developed a love of painting. By 1992 what had started
as a hobby had developed into a part time business and it was during this year that
Keith, with the backing of his family, took the decision to become a full time artist.
Although he paints other subjects, including railways, military, motorcycles and
maritime, it is for his aviation work that he perhaps best known. In 1984 he started work
on his '8th Air Force Collection’. This is a collection of sixty-one paintings, representing
each of the 8th Air Force combat units that flew from England during WWII, and which
are now on permanent loan to the prestigious 'Mighty 8th Heritage Museum' in
Savannah, Georgia. A collection of reproductions of the paintings hangs in the E.A.A.
'Eagle Hangar' Oshkosh, Wisconsin. For his work 'helping to perpetuate the memory of
the 8th Air Force' he was appointed 'Official Artist' to the '8th Air Force Memorial Museum
Foundation' and was, in 1991, invited to exhibit his work at the 8th Air Force
reunion in Las Vegas that was attended by over 2000 veterans.
Keith's work can be seen hanging in military
establishments throughout the world including the
Pentagon and Ministry of Defence. His work has
appeared on magazine covers as well as being featured
in leading aviation and military publications. Four of his paintings were included in
Roger Freeman’s book 'The Mighty 8th in Art'.
In 1992 he had the privilege of being commissioned, by the U.S. Air Force, to paint the
incidents for which the only five 'enlisted airmen' have been awarded the 'Medal of
Honor'. Today the paintings hang in the 'Enlisted Heritage Hall' Gunther Air Force Base,
Alabama.
In 2000 Keith was commissioned by the 'DAILY MAIL' to produce
a painting of a Spitfire, 'Tribute To The Few’, which they reproduced
as a limited edition print in order to raise money for the 'Battle of
Britain Memorial' to be built on the Thames Embankment, London.
All 2000 copies of the print sold out within twenty hours...raising
£20,000 for the fund.
A permanent collection of his work can be seen in 'The Glenn
Miller Museum' at Twinwood Airfield near Bedford. Much of the work being specially
commissioned by Twinwood Events Ltd.
His proudest moment was in Sept. 2000 when he was made an 'Honorary Member' of
the 303rd Bomb Group Association.
In May 2005 Keith’s paintings of a ‘Lancaster’ and a ‘Hurricane’
were chosen as the ‘Daily Mail’s’ official VE/VJ Day paintings and
reproduced as Wedgewood plates.
In honour of the 60th Anniversary of VE Day, Keith was an active
member in organising the Rushden ‘Party In The Park’ commemorative weekend. This
‘party’ culminated in a service to thank the soldiers of WWII, both British and American,
and a dedication ceremony to name the new Rushden bypass ‘Liberty Way’ in memory
of the 1600 American servicemen who lost their lives from the bases surrounding the
town.
Keith currently resides in Rushden, Northamptonshire with his wife Alison, son Phillip
(25) and daughter Kathryn (20).
Official Artist U.S. 8th Air Force Memorial Museum Foundation
Keith Hill was born and brought up in Northamptonshire, England from where he still
lives and works.
In 1956 (aged 6) he was taken, by his Father, to an 'Open Day' and flying display at RAF
Molesworth. It was this event that sparked of his lifelong love of aviation. On leaving
school he trained as an engineer with a company producing components for the aircraft
industry. On completing his apprenticeship he worked for a subsidiary of Westland
Helicopters in its quality control department.
In 1974 he took a complete change of career by joining Northamptonshire Ambulance
Service where he spent the next eighteen years as an Emergency Medical Technician. It
was during these years that he developed a love of painting. By 1992 what had started
as a hobby had developed into a part time business and it was during this year that
Keith, with the backing of his family, took the decision to become a full time artist.
Although he paints other subjects, including railways, military, motorcycles and
maritime, it is for his aviation work that he perhaps best known. In 1984 he started work
on his '8th Air Force Collection’. This is a collection of sixty-one paintings, representing
each of the 8th Air Force combat units that flew from England during WWII, and which
are now on permanent loan to the prestigious 'Mighty 8th Heritage Museum' in
Savannah, Georgia. A collection of reproductions of the paintings hangs in the E.A.A.
'Eagle Hangar' Oshkosh, Wisconsin. For his work 'helping to perpetuate the memory of
the 8th Air Force' he was appointed 'Official Artist' to the '8th Air Force Memorial Museum
Foundation' and was, in 1991, invited to exhibit his work at the 8th Air Force
reunion in Las Vegas that was attended by over 2000 veterans.
Keith's work can be seen hanging in military
establishments throughout the world including the
Pentagon and Ministry of Defence. His work has
appeared on magazine covers as well as being featured
in leading aviation and military publications. Four of his paintings were included in
Roger Freeman’s book 'The Mighty 8th in Art'.
In 1992 he had the privilege of being commissioned, by the U.S. Air Force, to paint the
incidents for which the only five 'enlisted airmen' have been awarded the 'Medal of
Honor'. Today the paintings hang in the 'Enlisted Heritage Hall' Gunther Air Force Base,
Alabama.
In 2000 Keith was commissioned by the 'DAILY MAIL' to produce
a painting of a Spitfire, 'Tribute To The Few’, which they reproduced
as a limited edition print in order to raise money for the 'Battle of
Britain Memorial' to be built on the Thames Embankment, London.
All 2000 copies of the print sold out within twenty hours...raising
£20,000 for the fund.
A permanent collection of his work can be seen in 'The Glenn
Miller Museum' at Twinwood Airfield near Bedford. Much of the work being specially
commissioned by Twinwood Events Ltd.
His proudest moment was in Sept. 2000 when he was made an 'Honorary Member' of
the 303rd Bomb Group Association.
In May 2005 Keith’s paintings of a ‘Lancaster’ and a ‘Hurricane’
were chosen as the ‘Daily Mail’s’ official VE/VJ Day paintings and
reproduced as Wedgewood plates.
In honour of the 60th Anniversary of VE Day, Keith was an active
member in organising the Rushden ‘Party In The Park’ commemorative weekend. This
‘party’ culminated in a service to thank the soldiers of WWII, both British and American,
and a dedication ceremony to name the new Rushden bypass ‘Liberty Way’ in memory
of the 1600 American servicemen who lost their lives from the bases surrounding the
town.
Keith currently resides in Rushden, Northamptonshire with his wife Alison, son Phillip
(25) and daughter Kathryn (20).
| Veterans with new sign. |
Town Mayor and Color Party
Daily Mail article
| Daily Mail Lancaster Plate |
| 8th AF Museum |
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