About Ken 

Ken West BIO

Ken West was born and raised in Vancouver, B.C. He took his first drawing class at the age of eight. He attended the Vancouver School of Art in the 60's and was involved in the Fine Arts program at Langara College in Vancouver in the early 70's. Ken West has lived in Vancouver his entire life. The city he loves is now changing so rapidly that creating frozen moments from his world is becoming more and more important in his work. By taking the time to notice the beautiful details in everything around him, Ken’s work shines a light of respect and charm on the corners of Vancouver that might otherwise hide in the shadows. Through a mastered process of edits, simplification, and construction, West’s work honours the connection he has with the subjects he paints. His style of dreamlike realism allows the viewer to be swept away into a forgotten memory that feels both happy and calm.

In Ken’s work, light is everything. It forms the single most important influence, guiding his aesthetic to produce images composed in homage of the colour that is a result of the gift of light. Enjoying the graphic nature of composition, while representational, much of his work seeks out an abstract sensibility and quality. Recent work has explored the urban landscape, with painted surfaces that are smooth yet bold, shaped to depict a subject in motion. Underwritten by the consistent themes of minimalism, his explorations of light and shadow reveal a depth of meaning and pursuit of the intangible.

ARTIST STATEMENT

"My primary fascination in painting is with light and composition. I enjoy exploring the graphic nature of composition, always looking for an abstract quality. For me, light is everything. It gives me the depth and contrast I strive for in my work"