Kenneth Abendana Spencer (born Kenneth Abondarno; 13 April 1929 – 28 December 2005) was a celebrated Jamaican artist known for his vibrant depictions of Jamaican life.

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By the 1950s, Spencer was recognized in Jamaica as a flamboyant figure—often seen with a full beard and a beret—and admired for his talent in painting scenes of everyday life, which he began selling as a boy for pocket money in Kingston.

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According to art historian Claudia Hucke (2006), Spencer was the son of the first Black Jamaican to own a bookshop—Spencer’s Bookshop—located on King Street, Kingston. Although he never received formal art training, Spencer began painting in childhood and frequently sold colorful works depicting dancers and the lively, picturesque aspects of tropical life to hotels along Jamaica’s North Coast.

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In 1959, Spencer moved to London where he continued painting but chose not to attend art school. Instead, he honed his skills through frequent visits to museums and galleries, developing his technique independently. He sold his artwork to support himself, eventually purchasing a car that served both as his gallery and transportation. He became a well-known figure in Soho’s jazz bars and basement clubs.

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Returning to Jamaica in the 1970s, Spencer built an impressive six-story house and studio in Fisherman’s Park, Long Bay, Portland. The structure—half castle, half temple—featured circular staircases and was surrounded by a high wall. He lived there with his common-law wife and two sons. Today, the house remains a notable tourist attraction.

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Spencer continued to paint figurative canvases, including seascapes, landscapes, scenes of Jamaican life, and from the 1970s onward, detailed character sketches.

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His first solo exhibition in Jamaica was held in May 1970 at the Contemporary Jamaican Artists’ Association Gallery on Oxford Road, followed by a summer exhibition (June to August 1970) at Gallery Joe James in Montego Bay. In 1972, Spencer took part in a traveling exhibition of Jamaican art in Philadelphia alongside renowned artists such as Edna Manley, Albert Huie, and Ralph Campbell.

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Kenneth Abendana Spencer passed away on 28 December 2005 at the age of 76.

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(Reference: Claudia Hucke. 2006. "Painting is My Life: Jamaican Artist Ken Abondarno Spencer". The Royal Bank of Trinidad and Tobago Art Exhibition).