Ken Claes was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, served in the US Air Force, and earned his degree in Architecture from Lawrence Technological University in 1973. While attending LTU, Ken was the first-place recipient of the inaugural and prestigious Michigan Masonry Institute Student Architects Design Competition. At LTU, he also studied watercolor and pastel with R. Darrow Champlin and Max Wright. After becoming a Licensed Architect, he worked in the construction industry while maintaining his interest in art, painting and drawing. Ken’s work is displayed and enjoyed in the homes of numerous local collectors.
Ken Claes was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, served in the US Air Force, and earned his degree in Architecture from Lawrence Technological University in 1973. While attending LTU, Ken was the first-place recipient of the inaugural and prestigious Michigan Masonry Institute Student Architects Design Competition. At LTU, he also studied watercolor and pastel with R. Darrow Champlin and Max Wright. After becoming a Licensed Architect, he worked in the construction industry while maintaining his interest in art, painting and drawing. Ken’s work is displayed and enjoyed in the homes of numerous local collectors.
Now retired, Ken renewed his interest in art and attended classes and lectures at the Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center and the Scarab Club, studying with Vianna Szabo, Amy Foster, Leslie Masters, Dan Keller, & Clinton Snider. He also has studied with Golsa Yaghoobi and Todd Burroughs at the Atelier Art Studio, Royal Oak. Ken continues painting full time at his home and studio in Michigan, painting mainly with oil on interpretative figurative works, interpretative portraiture, and participating in juried shows. Ken finds inspiration from interesting people found everywhere within the cityscape, observing their dynamic work and leisure life, almost overwhelming his “ideas file” with poses, vistas, and themes. Source ideas also arrive by studying our past Masters special command of light and color, leading to his continuing quest of designing art with IMPACT and a 21st century “look”.
EXHIBITIONS:
2021-National Portrait Exhibition, d’Art Center, Norfolk
2020-EC Mix With a Maker, Royal Oak, Michigan
2019-Damned Exhibition of Enlightened Darkness, Detroit
2016-Artists Exhibit, BB Art Center
2014-Artists Exhibit, BB Art Center
2013-Henry Ford Hospital Healing Arts Exhibition
2011-The Dirty Show, Detroit
2010-ArtPrize Grand Rapids, International
2008- Independent Artists Group, BB Art Center
2007-Scarab Club, Sketch Group Artists
To see more of Ken’s works and get in touch with him you can visit his websites:
https://www.saatchiart.com/kclaes
https://kenneth-claes.pixels.com/
and his Instagram: