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Sydney (dpa) - Pro Hart, the Australian who in 1960 gave up his mining job to paint pictures of his beloved Outback full time, died Tuesday at his Broken Hill home.
He was 77, and for the last year had been suffering from a muscle- wasting motor neurone disease.
Born Kevin Hart in the far north New South Wales town of Broken Hill, fellow miners called him "the professor" because of his eccentricity and his passion for tinkering with things. This was shortened to Pro, and the nickname stuck.
After an 18-year double-life as a weekday miner and weekend artist, Hart got his first exhibition in 1960. He went on to national fame and then international renown with exhibitions in London, New York, Paris and Tokyo.
As well as painting the people of the Outback, he also created sculptures with welded steel, bronze and ceramics.
Amanda Phillips, director of Sydney's House of Phillips Fine Art, said Hart had made a 40-year contribution to Australian art.
"He's made a huge contribution to the country and touched so many people's lives," she said. "People just love him."
Hart, who hand-painted his Rolls Royce in the red, black and yellow tones of the Outback, tinkered with things until the end of his life.
He claimed that many of his inventions had been adopted by corporate giants, including a car engine that ran without fuel and an intercontinental rocket that could be assembled in the back yard.
Copyright 2006 dpa Deutsche Presse-Agentur GmbH
