1950–

Kenneth Shotwell was born in Pennsylvania in 1950. He graduated from the University of Pittsburg in 1972 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. In the early 1980s, Shotwell taught courses in architectural rendering, drawing, and solar energy fundamentals at the Rhode Island School of Design.

Shotwell’s former engineering career involved space system designs for NASA that were used in the manned Skylab mission, in the astronauts’ backpacks for the Apollo Lunar missions, and in land-based nuclear reactor internal components. This period of time was eclipsed by his quarter century career in art, yielding over 2000 original paintings. As an artist, Shotwell engages the onlooker with a dreamlike reality with his surreal images and elemental designs, showcasing his combined talents as an artist and engineer.

Kenneth has been internationally exhibited at Artexpo in New York, the Machef Show in Milan, Italy, the Japan Gallery in Nagoya, Japan, various events in London and Germany, and most recently through Park West Gallery. He is responsible for more than $17 million in retail sales in Japan partially due to his “Luminart” – a style that uses exclusive paints. Shotwell now holds a US patent for an innovative ultraviolet lighting system where the images he paints can physically transform from a brilliant day into a luminous evening right before the eyes of the viewer.

Shotwell is listed in “Who’s Who in American Art.” In a featured article in The New York Times, Ken was recognized as the “leading seller of art prints” in the mid-1980s. Other awards, commissions, and charitable projects include Print Magazine’s “Regional Certificate of Design Excellence,” United Technologies Corporation’s “Award of Distinction,” a United Nations World Literacy Campaign poster commission, Green Peace exhibition-generated donations, inclusion in several Fortune 500 corporate collections, and regional radio and television coverage. His published book, “Mindscapes,” won the Bronze Medal from Asian Print Awards in Shanghai, China.

His artwork reflects a mystical quality with a soulful and surreal vision uniquely born of his admiration for artists such as Escher, Dali, and Licsko. Shotwell challenges the viewer of his art to respond on an emotional, intellectual and spiritual level. His talent and versatility has truly made him one of the most popular artists of the 21st Century.