Ken Goldman's Bio

Born in Illinois, Ken Goldman trained at the New York Studio School, the National Academy of Design, and the Art Students League.

A long-time resident of Southern California, Ken is an instructor at the Athenaeum School of the Arts, teaching figure drawing, portraiture, artistic anatomy, and landscape painting. He is also the author of five instructional books on the use of pastels, acrylics, and charcoal.

Goldman, a recipient of numerous awards, has been exhibited widely in various group shows and many one man shows in the United States, Mexico and Europe. His artwork is featured in the permanent collections of several major museums.

"For me, painting is a quest for dynamic visual balance. Therefore, my choice of subject matter (objective, semi-objective or non-objective) is not the main issue; eye movement within the composition is. I work in any style or technique that seems best suited to express a particular idea, and explore it tirelessly. I thrive on the insecurity of not knowing my next move as this keeps me in the creative moment."

"Some of my reasons for painting are: a desire to express deeply felt emotions, to convey ideas—either narrative, poetic or formal—an attraction to certain light effects, unique compositions, and ultimately, the simple joy of painting or drawing as an exercise in skill and craftsmanship. Life and art thrive on change. Without change, there is stagnation. New ideas are everywhere and if I stay open, they continually flow toward me from many directions such as nature, people, places and literature."

"In regards to teaching, I believe that it is important to cultivate and circulate an art spirit as it is to teach skill and technique. This art spirit is about receiving and passing knowledge onto others; about interconnectedness and cooperation. By teaching and kindling the spirit I gain new perspectives on my own work."