Ken Vance

As a young child I was easily entertained with pencil and paper. My favorite subject in school was Art and in Jr. High I sold my first painting to my Art teacher. During my long career as an Electrical Designer, the words of that Jr. High Art teacher were never far from my mind, “Never waste your talent”.

In 1996 I picked up the brush again and laid watercolor pigment to paper. Unfortunately I only found enough time to create two or three paintings a year. In the summer of 2002, after the untimely death of my older brother, my wife encouraged me to paint full time. Joseph Campbell said “Follow your bliss” and so I am.

My techniques have come from hours of experimentation, books and occasional workshops by established artists, Nancy Wylie, Chuck Danford and Margaret Barge.

I enjoy meeting people in the festival environment, taking the time to chat about what inspires me. I paint from memory – pulling together the different elements that make up the landscape. I want people to associate my paintings to somewhere they have been or would like to go.

It has been said that my paintings have a serene tranquil quality. As a native of Colorado I have spent much time in the outdoors soaking up the beauty of the plants, trees and magical vistas. I strive to detail the unique personalities of each aspen tree, wildflower and blade of grass.

For fresh and intense colors I allow the pigment to mix directly on the paper. Masking Fluid is used to allow the uninterrupted flow of washes and to preserve pure colors once applied while building up depth and tonal quality. Final details are applied in a dry brush fashion, often times, millions of brush strokes are required for a single aspen tree.