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Ken Patton
Ken passed away in December of 2012. Our condolences to all.From the time I was about eight years old I knew that when I grew up I wanted to be either a scientist or an artist. I became an engineer. I have since realized that I haven’t strayed far from my original career choices as engineering combines art and science on a very practical level. Good engineering design often requires both the creativity of an artist and a scientist’s knowledge of materials and physics. Two well-known artists, Whistler and Leonardo da Vinci, were engineers. Another benefit of choosing engineering as a career is that it paid the bills. I have a great respect for anyone who can survive as an artist without a “day job.”
During my career as an engineer I played with art as a hobby while appreciating and sometimes buying other people’s art. As the years went by and the responsibilities of raising a family came to an end, I found myself wanting to escape the corporate life and become a full-time artist. I quit my job in June of 2007 and put all of my creative energy into art. I’m having a great time. I love the freedom I have to experiment with new materials and techniques and in the process, produce art that I and others enjoy.
Passing The Time
As an engineer, both in training and experience, I became fascinated with the nature of motion. As a sculptor, I can now express my love of motion by creating kinetic sculptures that sometimes appear to defy the laws of physics. By the careful machining of each part, proper placement of shafts and counterbalances, and using highly efficient bearings, I am able to make elements of my sculptures appear as if they are weightless. My art is intended to move the viewer beyond the appearance of the sculpture to the essence of the motion it is describing. Some motions relax and mesmerize as different parts of the piece go in and out of synchronization; some motions are unpredictable but still smooth and flowing and always at a natural frequency, never forced.
I see these flowing motions of my sculptures in my mind long before they become a reality. The joy of creating kinetic sculpture is the process of having the vision, and then designing the methods to move the vision from the virtual reality of my mind to the world of substance where it can be shared with others. This process is always challenging, but the rewards are great. Showing my work is often like directing a performance, it is always a pleasure to watch the audience interact with the sculpture.
Although I love working with motion, I also enjoy creating static sculpture such as my recent piece Moon Dancer. I have always enjoyed art that first catches your eye and appreciation, and then surprises you when you discover that it’s really the seamless integration of many random or unrelated elements. That was my underlying vision as I designed and constructed Moon Dancer, which I created using bits and pieces of scrap metal left over from other projects.
My work has been displayed at Art in the Pearl, Portland City Hall, East Side Art Walk, The Poster Garden, Metalurges Gallery, Guardino Gallery, the Coos Bay Art Museum, The Celebration of Creativity and the Creative Metal Arts Guild show at the Convention Center in Portland Oregon. You can see my artwork in motion on my website, KenKinetic.com
Man at the Top
Beethoven 2
Don Quixote & Sancho
Don Quixote Bust
Don Quixote P S
Guitar P S
Lonely at the Top
Moon Dancer Glass
Never Late 2
Never Late
No More Jumps
Passing the Time
Sun Catcher 1
Sun Catcher
Thor's Hammers
Vitruvian Man P S
Walking Hammer
Watching and Playing
CMAG Booth