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Home » Student Stories » Ken Claes Pursues His Passion for Art
After Ken Claes (BSAr’73) retired from a successful career in architecture, construction and real estate in 2007, he was determined to remain productive.
“So, I wrote down five or six different things that I really enjoyed doing as a youngster and narrowed my focus to drawing and art,” Ken said.
So began a passion pursuit that included not only sketching, but painting. Lots of it. In fact, over the past 20 years or so he’s produced more than 150 paintings. “If there’s one single thing that’s most important thing in life, it’s the ability to communicate.” As far as Ken is concerned, painting is just another form of communication.
After experimenting with several techniques over the years, including an abstract approach called hard edge that was especially popular in the 1960s, he coined a term for his own – interpretative portraiture. Fitting for an artist whose solo art exhibit is called “Talking with Strangers.”
Strangers are often the very people who inspire his designs. “I have a personal interest in discussing just about anything with anyone, I don’t care if it’s the cab driver or the guy emptying the trash outside or people you meet in the elevator.”
“Taylor with Guitar” – one of Ken’s favorite interpretative portraits from 2023
And while the inspiration for his work can come anytime, from anywhere, “The best ideas usually come while I’m working on another painting or from ideas in my sketchbook.”
While some artists are comfortable letting a piece of art take on a life of its own, Ken prefers to work in stages. He might start with a preliminary sketch or painting, a process that helps him divine the right balance of colors and shapes before moving onto the final piece.
He also has three to five paintings going on at the same time. “Two on the drawing board, one I’m figuring out the design on, another I’m figuring out the color on, and one I’m almost done with.”
The best part of creating is getting lost in the process – it’s where you always want to be, he said. “There are so many things you have to do as an artist to get recognized, but the joy is in the making of the art.”
A couple of years ago, Ken thought about selling some of his artwork. But the market had changed from the days when there were thousands of artists competing for sales instead of the “hundreds of thousands out there now.”
So, the LTU alum, who worked full-time while attending night school for 11 years, hired a firm from the UK to teach him how to sell his work within a very competitive playing field. “Right now, I’m in the middle of a learning process, but hopefully in another two years, I’ll know how to market my art.”
“Wolfboy #12” – Ken’s 2016 portrait of his youngest grandson
That hasn’t held him back from showcasing his work. Last November, Ken was the featured artist at the Village Theater at Cherry Hill in Canton, where his artwork was on display for an entire month. He also has advice for other alumni who wish to pursue their passion – do as he did and jot down “the things you really enjoyed doing in your youth” before narrowing your list to two or three that really excite you.
Then don’t stop learning. “If you’re a writer, you may be a good writer but if you know you’re a good writer there’s always more to learn. And that’s exciting and leads you to interesting people and places.”
Like it has for him. “My art leads me to New York and Chicago and Vegas. By going to these places, I’m always learning and getting inspired. The more you look, the more you’ll find. It’s a wonderful circle.”
Visit Ken’s website to learn more: http://www.kenclaes.net
Author: Pam Houghton
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