Ken Januski is an artist in Philadelphia, PA. He studied art at City College of San Francisco, University of California at Berkeley and Cornell University. Though his artistic training is abstract he has worked in a naturalistic style since 2006. 2011 was a banner year for his recognition as a naturalistic artist. He appeared in 'The Natural Eye', the 48th annual exhibition of the Society of Wildlife Artists in London, UK in late October/early November, 2011. In the spring of 2011 he was also chosen as a finalist in the International Art category for BBC Wildlife Artist of the Year.

Since 2006 he has created naturalistic works in pastel, charcoal, watercolor and recently linoleum block. In earlier years he also did pen and ink drawings of insects viewed under a dissecting microscope. Most of his naturalistic works are for sale here. Since at least 2010 his field sketches have been the primary source for his work with his photos becoming secondary. Earlier work relied more on photographs that he'd taken.

Ken's move from abstract and non-objective work was due to the increasing amount of time he spent in nature, especially birdwatching, and to a dissatisfaction with the 'established' art world and its increasing reliance on verbiage as a raison d'etre for the work of the 'high art' world. Art seemed to have lost touch with its roots.

Ken's primary site includes a more complete selection of his older abstract art work.

He studied art at City College of San Francisco, University of California at Berkeley and Cornell University and received M.A.and M.F.A.degrees from the latter. In recent years the vast majority of his work has been naturalistic, much of it related to the birds that he has seen, sketched in the field and photographed.

Though most recent work is naturalistic the majority of work that Ken has done during his career is abstract. It has both incorporated nature and done its best to exclude nature at various times. Artists such as Stuart Davis, Mondrian, Kandinsky, Gorky, Matisse and Picasso had a large influence. While in California both Richard Diebenkorn and Elmer Bischoff, with whom he studied, had a large influence.

Though Ken continues to have a very strong liking for abstract work he has worked only in a naturalistic style for the last 5-10 years. Part of this was due to disenchantment with the art world over the last 15+ years. The better known and exhibited art seemed to rely far more on verbiage than actual visual accomplishment. It seemed both hollow and over-hyped. Ken no longer felt any connection to it. He also has grown more concerned about the natural world, the disappearance of all sorts of natural resources(birds included), and the growing unfamiliarity of people with nature. This has made the representation of nature seem all the more important to him. He feels it is drastically undervalued. Because of that it's most likely that his work will remain more naturalistic than abstract for a good long time. In late 2010 he added landscape to his subject matter. He also returned to printmaking in late 2010.

He regularly adds new work so come back regularly. He also changes prices. Most often older works are reduced in price as he adds new work. Sometimes however as he looks at work in his home or studio he'll decide that he likes it too much to sell at the current price. So sometimes prices go up as well. If you're interested in a work it might be wise to buy it at the current price. All works are unframed except as noted.

Ken writes about his current art, including much that is for sale here, in his blog about art and nature.