20×24 in. mixed media. I be done! I’ve noticed the larger I work the longer I take to call a piece done, I mean much longer…not sure I could paint a wall. This piece was started in 1975 for my Senior Show at Ottawa University, now I can use it as a true SENIOR PIECE. I remember having a theme with education in mind, but for the life of me can’t remember what else I was going to do with it back then…what is the saying, I have slept a few times since then. What I have ended up with is a fun piece with interesting elements and good techiques. No real deep meaning or hidden message, just colorful abstract art…by the way the shadow people to the right were inspired by yearbook pictures…and yes my floating head is deep in thought and not about getting a Dr. Pepper.
PS the word was going to be ALUMNI
Tag Archives: Ottawa
Tiger Posing at Ottawa University
9×12 in. mixed media. Drawing class could become quite boring despite Tigers, nude models, expensive silk hangings, and good 1970’s rock n’ roll…Professor Pal Wright tried to make it interesting tho. But once when I started cutting out my drawings and placing colorful backgrounds to them or mixing different papers into the piece, drawing class became exciting again. This piece had quite a bit of graphite on it, just no lines since they were cut out. Soaked the cut yellow piece of thick paper in I believe acrylic or polyurethane, then quickly started positioning it on the slick bright red stock, not easy since the yellow paper was one piece and with all of the cut outs hard to position…note winkles I couldn’t get out. Once dry I had at the surface with a graphite stick then started playing with it using an eraser. Note the long hair, it was the 70’s man, mine was almost as long…for a little bit, but thats another story. By the way no live animals were used, just big honking silk sheets with beautiful prints. 🙂 Hope you don’t mind the reflective photo, I love the way it works on the piece. Later in life i would work with Professor Frank Lemp and I am sure he would have had a thing or two to say about my textures in this piece.
Springtime In Nemeha County
Mixed media 24×30 in. canvas. I get asked from time to time what was some of your older works like…here for your viewing pleasure is an example of circa 1988. This was done to help complete my BA degree from Ottawa University (no not Canada , sorry). Being a Kansas boy you see these signs in the fields along side of the road everywhere. DeKalb seed has a large presence in Nemaha Co. The sign was done on foam board with colored pencil then fragmented to my liking, against exposed cardboard (love the ribs and texture). The painting on canvas was my acrylic attempt at Kansas landscape. You might notice that it has no signature, well I never quite liked my signature enough in those days, figured I would come up with a cooler looking one later (I do like the piece tho)…24+yrs later I have never signed it…maybe this year?
Art by Ken 