KenSwinson.com

Author: Ken

  • Pottery Update – 1 July

    I haven’t shared this story because it highlights one of my many shortcomings.

    A few months ago, one of my hand made shelves collapsed, causing an overwhelming mess in part of my studio. I cleaned the worst of it, but the whole experience was so discouraging, i left the space in dysfunctional disorder, and decided to just close the door and take a break from making that kind of art (especially since spring had started, and it was time to go outside and paint nature’s beauty!!!)

    …well, today, it’s just too hot to go outside and paint, so I’m going to give this part of my studio some TLC, and who knows? maybe I’ll even make something, if i can get this chaos organized in time?

    Do any of you remember what I use this space for?!?
    Give me some thumbs up and/or cheerful encouragement, if you are happy to see me going back to this kind of art making.
    Stay tuned!!!

    if you think i am hard to keep up with, JOIN THE CLUB! EVEN I DON’T KNOW what I’m going to do next. 2 days ago, i never would have guessed that I’d have 11 porcelain cups that need trimming and handles…well, if i’m not predictable, at least I hope it’s interesting.

    POTTERY UPDATE: they still need some finessing, but all my cups are trimmed and have a handle.

    They are all handmade and unique. Which is your favorite form?

  • bethel methodist church – slip up, mason county, ky 24 june 2021

    this charming little church, sits on top of a hill, just a country mile north of down town slip up kentucky. its going to make a great painting…lets do it!
    heres my sketch…lets paint!
    heres the underpainting…i did a little bit of squishing, so the barn in the background could fit into the vertical proportion…now it color time!!! theres lots of light this morning, so i think the dominant color today will be YELLOW…stay tuned…these things rarely work out the way i plan, happy surprises happen all the time!
    i have some colors down. the painting wants to lean toward green. of course, its summer, and EVERYTHING wants to lean toward green these days.
    up to this point, ive only used a #12 flat brush…a pretty big size considering the size of the painting. now im going to switch to a #6 flat, and dive into the details!
    bethel methodist church, slip-up, ky oil on hardboard 8×10” UPDATE: This painting found it’s new home!!! Thank you for supporting my work!!!

  • mutter gottes kirche covington, ky 22 june 2021

    i dont see travel to europe in my near future, fortunately, we have an old german church here in northern ky. im going to try and paint it today
    Here’s my sketch…let’s Paint!
    this is a tricky one..in the tower, where light hits, its lighter than the sky, but not everywhere… and im tempted to move everything left 2 inches
    scooted the church over a few inches…now its color time!!
    laying in some colors…time to tackle some of the buildings details…
    when im up close, painting, i feel like the painting is failing…but when i take a few steps back and see thebig picture, its actually coming together… thats the nature of an impressionist painting…maybe life too?!
    i’m calling this one finished! mother of godchurch, 12×16 oil on hardboard

    Want to add this original painting to you art collection? Click below for more information.

  • SOS HUMAN RIGHTS-Cincinnati/Oaxaca woodcut

    Earlier this year, i was invited to participate in a printmaking/cultural exchange by SOS ART that asked artists from Cincinnati and Oaxaca, Mexico to create a woodcuts addressing 12 different human rights. I was honored to have been asked to carve the cover page.This project was important to me, not only because I believe in human rights, but Cincinnati and Oaxaca are both special places that have become part of my identity as an artist. There are differences between the people of the USA and Mexico (like the language difference) that make it hard to realize our shared humanity. One of the magical things about the arts is they transcend spoken language and give us an opportunity to better know one another.Being part of this project was a wonderful experience, I hope you will look at the whole collection, and support SOS ART if you are able. Follow this link to see the whole collection:https://sosartcincinnati.com/gallery/

  • Plein Air At the Baker Hunt Art and Culture Center – 15 june 2021

    photo of the baker hunt art and culture center in covington kentucky
    todays painting is at the Baker Hunt Art And Culture center in covington.
    sketch of baker hunt art and culture center in covington ky
    Here is my sketch…let’s start painting!!!
    plein air underpainting of te baker hunt art and culture center in Covington ky
    heres my underpainting…time for color. this scene is backlit (the sun is behind the subject) so ill have to think about how i want to tackle all these shadows
    i have a strategy for my colors…..lots of cools, because everything is in shadow. it feels a little bonkers at this stage, but im going to try and pull it all together into a beautiful impressionist painting…stay tuned!
    first colors of plein air oil painting of the baker hurt art and culture center in covington kentucky
    getting closer…going to catch those last details, then call it a wrap!

  • Devil’s Tower, WY plein air 9 June 2021

    In this short time, I have fallen in LOVE with Wyoming…my new favorite state (after Kentucky, of course). It’s time for me to head back home, but not before I visit and make a painting of the iconic, Devil’s Tower. The temperature today is in the high 90’s…probably comfortable weather for the devil…but hotter than I am used to.
    Here’s my sketch…let’s start painting!
    my underpainting…next let’s add color!
    The stone formation is an interesting color…i interpreted it as a purple and yellow orange.
    The finished painting!!!!! I’m sad to leave Wyoming today, but happy to have this painting experience to have forever….And I will be back soon! Thanks everyone for cheering me on during my paint trip out west!

  • Kepler Cascades – Yellowstone National Park 7 June 2021

    I’m back in Kentucky after a wonderful and inspiring painting trip out west! Internet was hit or miss, so I didn’t get to share everything as it happened. Here’s the view of Kepler Cascades in Yellowstone National park–Let’s make an oil painting to capture the beauty…
    …my sketch of the falls…time for color
    i’m working out the colors of the painting…it’s not visible from my photos, but this is an EXTREMELY busy spot, there is a constant flow of people asking me what I’m doing–and giving compliments/encouragement. Most of my trip has been in wilderness–being around people again takes some getting used to.
    The finished painting!!! I hope to show this (and the other paintings from my trip) this fall at the re opening of my studio at the pendleton art center. stay tuned for more details!

  • Painting the Flaming Gorge canyon – Wyoming 5 june 2021

    this is the east view of the flaming gorge canyon in South West Wyoming…it’s hard to photograph this incredible and wide view. thank goodness i’m a painter, and can squeeze it all into one scene.

    here is my sketch.
    my underpainting…really tricky to squeeze it all into one view.
    starting to lay in colors…i’m still getting used to the atmosphere and colors of the west. This canyon is green on the left, then red and white rocks on the right.
    almost done…just needs a few more details
    here it is! The Flaming Gorge view from the east. Oil on hardboard 12″ x 24″
    forgot to include my photo of the artist at work…so you have proof it was really me out there 🙂

  • East of Eden, Wyoming wilderness near the continental divide

    I’m in the high desert of Wyoming, painting the snow peaked mountains of the Continental Divide.
    A challenge I have with plein air painting is to work FAST and capture the light (which is ever changing) I wanted to try something I have always been intimidated to do…paint during a sunset. The colors of a landscape are most brilliant during a sunset, BUT everything changes REALLY fast. Within 5 minutes, the scene can be completely different….ok, lets do it!!!
    here is my sketch. I am interested in the mountains in the distance, contrasting with the desert landscape in the foreground
    I have to work fast, this underpainting leaves a lot to be desired. When painting during a sunset, I can’t spend much time in details…i just mix and throw paint around, trying to capture the essence of the moment.
    My first layers of color are down on the panel…I have never painted this fast before…I’m trying to capture the rapidly changing light of sunset
    Here is the finished painting!!! I’m proud of myself. Sunset has always been intimidating because the light changes so fast. I want to work from life – and not use cameras…it IS possible!!!
    If you think the mountains turning blue during the sunset was pretty, look at what was happening behind me while painting!!!
    I forgot to mention, this location is the first place where I saw wild antelope. The first one i saw, i thought to myself, “well, that’s a funny looking deer!”
    I forgot to mention, this location is the first place where I saw wild antelope. The first one i saw, i thought to myself, “well, that’s a funny looking deer!”
    I forgot to mention, this location is the first place where I saw wild antelope. The first one i saw, i thought to myself, “well, that’s a funny looking deer!”

  • off the grid in south central Wyoming

    Good morning everyone! Greetings from off the grid, Wyoming! I love the way the sunrise gives shape to these buttes(?) Let’s paint it!
    Here’s my sketch! Time to paint!
    I got so excited about the sky, i forgot to take a photo of the underpainting…here’s the underpainting with some blue sky!
    nice thing about being off the grid (no cell service) i can just tune everything out and paint. I REALLY enjoyed this one!
    Hello! Wish you were here painting with me!