Author: Ken

  • Federal Hill Plein Air Painting

    What should I paint today?

    It’s cloudy and might rain, so I’m picking a view in my backyard, just a few feet from my house.

    Got my composition worked out in a sketchy sketch. Let’s paint before the rain gets here!

    Doesn’t look like much, but I’m establishing the lights and darks-as well as getting the composition on the board.

    ok boys and girls! Sorry i didn’t get to take more photos while working. When I concentrate, I forget. Here’s today’s grey day painting:

    Federal Hill – Grey Day 5 March 2024

    Oil on board

    6×12″

    Painted from direct observation: no photos or technology.

    Thanks all for joining me and all the encouragement…that was FUN!!! Have a great day!

  • Pendleton Neighborhood Plein Air Painting

    Painting the view from the museum. Working from direct observation–no photos or technology. Photo included to give YOU an idea of what my subject was: the Pendleton Neighborhood!!!

    If you think I make this look easy, trust me, I shed a LOT of tears trying to get this painting to behave–very busy, and the light changed constantly.

    Oil on board

    11×14″

  • New Paintings – February 2024

    I’m excited to share my 3 newest paintings with you!

    They are all mini size 6×4.5″ and would be perfect for cheering up a little space around your home or work space.

    Click any of the images for more information

    folk art style painting of an opossum playing a fiddle

    Opossum Serenade

    folk art abstract style painting of a pig in a cornfield

    Pig In Cornfield

    folk art abstract style acrylic painting of a pig making pottery on the wheel

    Pottery Makes Me Happy As A Pig In Mud

    Hope you all have a great week!!!

  • Cincinnati Art Club Sketch Group – 19 Feb 2024

    Lots of character in today’s model. I can tell that with practice, i’m getting better and better. So grateful to have this opportunity to study the portrait/figure.

  • New Paintings – January

    Hi All!

    I spent a lot of November and December making pottery (perfect art for holiday gifts).
    Now i’m dusting my paint brushes off and getting back on the easel. To warm up, I made these fun little gems. Not very big, but they are guaranteed to brighten up and bring cheer to any gloomy little spot in your art collection.

    click any of the images for more information

    folk art abstract style painting of a cat playing the guitar
    abstract folk art style painting of a fox
    folk art style painting of a cat eating cereal

    All these original paintings are framed in a handmade black wood frame.

    abstract folk art style painting of a weiner dog drinking coffee
    folk art style abstract painting of a chicken with a coffee cup
    Folk Art style abstract painting of a cat standing on a tuna can
    folk art abstract style painting of an opossum playing a guita

    I also have notecards available for those of you who’d like to support my work and mail some happy art to one of your friends.
    Thanks all for your support!
    Ken

  • New Pottery for 2024

    Hope you all are enjoying a new year with new creative possibilities!

    I just opened my kiln to reveal some of my first porcelain cups of 2024. Many of the designs from this group are inspired by my new color (green) along with a heartfelt wish for us all to have good luck in 2024.

    • handmade porcelain cup by kentucky artist ken swinson. surface design is green with a goat, four leaf clovers and the year 2024
    • handmade porcelain cup by kentucky artist ken swinson. surface design is green with a bear holding a heart
    • handmade porcelain cup by kentucky artist ken swinson. surface design is green with horses running around four leaf clovers
    • handmade porcelain cup by kentucky artist ken swinson. surface design is green with a rabbit and 4 leaf clovers
    • handmade porcelain cup by kentucky artist ken swinson. surface design is green flowers and a saying ' grow through what you go through'
    • handmade porcelain cup by kentucky artist ken swinson. surface design is olive with horses running around a house
    • handmade porcelain cup by kentucky artist ken swinson. surface design is olive with a rabbit and flowers
    • handmade porcelain cup by kentucky artist ken swinson. surface design is blue with deer and a house
    • handmade porcelain cup by kentucky artist ken swinson. surface design is blue with a cow and chickens

    These cups are all thrown on a wheel with hand carved designs and food/microwave safe porcelain, priced at $50 each. Unfortunately these unique pieces are available by in-person sales only.

    If you are interested in seeing these (and more) in person, they will be on display from 5-9 on January 27 at the Pendleton Art Center in studio 400. If you are in the Maysville, ky area, you are welcome to get a sneak peek at my studio in Old Washington. Reach out to me to make an appointment.

    One of my 2024 goals is to spend more time on my own personal website (and less on social media). If you’d like to help, you can click the button below and leave a comment. I promise to reply!
    Here’s to a great 2024!!!
    Thanks again
    Ken

  • Kiln Opening – 27 Dec 2023

    I opened my kiln yesterday, and made this super short animated video to celebrating the event!

    Click above to watch

    Since Dec 15th, I’ve been logged out of social media. I miss my friends, but the break has been really good for me. If you want to say hi, please don’t be shy about using the comment button below, I’m starving to hear from you all and promise to reply!

    Looking forward to a creative 2024!!!

  • New Pottery – Porcelain!! 17 October 2023

    After working in stoneware for almost a year, I decided to switch back to PORCELAIN. It’s a luxurious and translucent clay, and the black and white carving technique displays really nice with my printmaking.

    Here is my first mini-batch of porcelain cups
    Swipe or use arrows to see them all

    • porcelain cup decorated with chickens drinking coffee
    • handmade porcelain cup with opossums holding coffee cups
    • handmade porcelain cup with border collie and sheep decorations
    • handmade porcelain cup decorated with opossums and acorns
    • porcelain cup with cat and bird decorations
    • porcelain cup with border collie and sheep decorations
    • porcelain cup with pig and corn decorations handmade
    • handmade porcelain cup decorated with border collie running with sheep
    • handmade porcelain cup decorated with opossums and acorns

    I don’t sell pottery online, but you can see these (and more!) Friday the 27 at the Pendleton Art Center
    Hope to see you there!

  • 28 September Kiln Opening

    I’m scrambling to get ready for tomorrow’s FINAL FRIDAY AT THE PENDLETON ART CENTER.

    I just took a few new pottery pots out of the kiln. You have to come and see them in person, but here’s a sneak peek with some photos. I’m especially excited about the plate. It’s been a while since I’ve made one!

    use arrows or scroll to see all the new pottery!

    • handmade pottery plate with 2 opossum surface design made in kentucky
    • handmade pottery cup with 3 bears drinking coffee or tea on the surface design
    • handmade pottery with a cat and dog enjoying music on the surface design
    • handmade pottery cup with fox and chickens made in kentucky
    • handmade cup with rainbow farm surface design made in kentucky
    • handmade pottery cup with bunnies and turnip surface design
    • handmade cup with sheep design made in kentucky
    • handmade pottery cup with sheep and dog running made in kentucky
    • handmade cup with opossum design. made in Kentucky
    • handmade cup decorated with an opossum made in kentucky

    hope to see you tomorrow! I’ll be at studio #400 on the 4th floor from 5-9pm.

  • 10 Sept Mini kiln opening AND some news

    9 new cups came out of my mini kiln today, I’m super excited to show them off!

    Swipe or use the arrows to see all the cups in the slideshow.

    • folk art pottery wheel thrown cup made in kentucky with chickens on the surface design
    • folk art pottery wheel thrown cup made in kentucky with a bear drinking from a cup sitting under a rainbow
    • folk art pottery wheel thrown cup made in kentucky with a yellow cat taking photos of birds on the surface design
    • folk art pottery wheel thrown cup made in kentucky with flying pigs eating apples from a tree
    • folk art pottery wheel thrown cup made in kentucky with a yellow cat making pottery on a wheel on the surface design
    • folk art pottery wheel thrown cup made in kentucky with a goat jumping towards a rainbow
    • folk art pottery wheel thrown cup made in kentucky with a yellow cat taking photos of birds under a rainbow on the surface design
    • folk art pottery wheel thrown cup made in kentucky with 2 cats that love cups
    • folk art pottery wheel thrown cup made in kentucky with a yellow cat under a rainbow design

    it can be hard to get the idea of what a 3d object is like from photos (even when i take 4 photos at different angles) so here’s a short video with a 360 view of each cup

    This coming weekend (16 and 17 of September 2023) is going to be a great time to visit Old Washington (Maysville, KY) We are having the Simon Kenton Festival, and as part of the festivities, I’M GOING TO HAVE MY NEW STUDIO IN WASHINGTON HALL open to the public.

    Artist, Ken Swinson, standing in front of washington hall in old washington ky with cups in his hands

    I haven’t announced the new studio until now because it’s just a work space, but this weekend, I’m going to give a FREE hands on printmaking activity, and will also have some of my pots on display. You might know that I don’t sell pottery online because i want you to come see it in person and hold it in your hands before you decide to buy one or not ($50 each).

    The address is 2111 Old Main Street, Maysville KY. To get to my studio, take the second staircase by Lil Jumbo’s Coffeecompany, and I’m upstairs across from The Rewind Books and Design.
    Hope to see you then!