About the Artist
Kenneth W. Shanika
An Artists` Journey
Working in his studio, Kenneth Shanika spends almost every day fulfilling his life`s dream of being an artist. There is seldom a day that passes that you won`t find him hard at work creating paintings. Numerous paintings are scattered around his studio in various stages of completion. When he is not in the studio you can find him painting outdoors. His primary focus is on creating landscape paintings in oils. His favorite subject is the beautiful scenes of the Rocky Mountains and the rolling hills, valleys and lakes of the Ozarks. "I like to look for the subtle beauty of these areas. However, those are not his only subject. He returns to Wyoming yearly and regularly travels from New Mexico to Montana expanding his subject matter.
"I get so excited, there is so much beauty here. I can`t control my passion. I have this burning desire to share my discoveries with other people." Ken is in the process of creating a series of paintings of the Pikes Peak region and the area around the Lake of the Ozarks and translating them into Giclee prints and greeting cards. His work is growing in popularity and so is the demand for his original paintings. "I can only produce a limited number of paintings, so to bring my work to a larger number of people we made the decision to produce quality prints of some of my paintings." Greeting cards can be found in numerous retail outlets in the region.
Ken and his wife Cindi are very grateful to be living their dream. It was a long road getting here. I suppose my artistic ability came to me from my father. My father is a well-known professional artist and I owe much of my artistic background to him. As a young boy, I spent many hours watching him paint. He inspired me greatly.
While at the Kansas City Art Institute on scholarship, I studied painting and drawing. I was graduated in 1975, receiving a B.F.A. degree, with a split-major in painting and printmaking.
I started, the Colony Bistro Art Gallery & Frame Shop, Inc. in 1977. We became one of the most respected galleries in the Kansas City area.I also found time to continue to produce and sell my artwork. My artwork is owned by many collectors and businesses in the Mid-West.
I feel that my artwork is a reflection of my feelings. It is very personal. If I were asked to describe my "style" of work, I would call it "intimate". I prefer to work in oil paints. I sometimes work in watercolor, and acrylic, with an underlying love of drawing, especially in color.
In summary, I love my work. Being an artist is a wonderful way to live your life. I love the hard work, the intensity and exhilaration of creativity. I love being able to put a little bit of myself down in paint.
Happiness and success are not places, they are roads one takes. And the story continues...."
Kenneth W. Shanika
Original Director of the Pikes Peak Plein Air Painters
Member of the Susan K. Black Foundation Association
"Rose Award" Recipient from the Susan K. Black Foundation
Previously an Associate Member of Oil Painters of America
Previously an Associate Member of The Missouri Valley Impressionists Society
Previously an Associate Member of American Plains Artists
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A Short Resume
Kenneth W. Shanika
OBJECTIVE: My objective is to share my personal artistic vision with other people, to explore and interpret the beauty of the world around me, to record the vanishing west through my paintings, to teach and inspire.
AWARDS:
2024
Featured Artist Interview by "BOLD JOURNEY.com/Kenneth Shanika
2019
Hosted the First Annual Shanika Studio Student Art Show
Organized the Friends of Mueller State Park Benefit Art Show
Organized the Friends of the Fossil Beds National Monument Benefit Art Show
Sponsored my teen students at the Teller County Student Art Show
Led my students through 4 Student Art Shows
Taught Summer Art Workshop in Dubois, WY
Mentored at the 2012 SBK Artists Workshop in Wyoming
2018
Organized the Friends of Mueller State Park Benefit Art Show (Featured Artist- Ken Shanika)
Organized the Friends of the Fossil Beds National Monument Benefit Art Show
Sponsored my teen students at the Teller County Student Art Show
Led my students through 4 Student Art Shows
Taught Summer Art Workshop in Dubois, WY
Mentored at the 2012 SBK Artists Workshop in Wyoming
2017
Organized the Friends of Mueller State Park Benefit Art Show
Organized the Friends of the Fossil Beds National Monument Benefit Art Show
Sponsored my teen students at the Teller County Student Art Show
Led my students through 4 Student Art Shows
Taught Summer Art Workshop in Dubois, WY
Mentored at the 2012 SBK Artists Workshop in Wyoming
2017
Organized the First Friends of Mueller State Park Benefit Art Show
Organized the First Friends of the Fossil Beds National Monument Benefit Art Show
Sponsored my teen students at the Teller County Student Art Show
Led my students through 4 Student Art Shows
Taught Summer Art Workshop in Dubois, WY
Mentored at the 2012 SBK Artists Workshop in Wyoming
2016
Sponsored my teen students at the Teller County Student Art Show
My teen student, Jared Brady, won the grand prize at the US 5th Congressional Student Art Show
Led my students through 4 Student Art Shows
Taught Summer Art Workshop in Dubois, WY
Mentored at the 2012 SBK Artists Workshop in Wyoming
2015
Sponsored my teen students at the Teller County Student Art Show
Led my students through 4 Student Art Shows
Taught Summer Art Workshop in Woodland Park, CO
Taught Summer Art Workshop in Dubois, WY
Mentored at the 2012 SBK Artists Workshop in Wyoming
2014
Directed the Teller County Student Art Show
Led my students through 4 Student Art Shows
My teen student, Grace Medran, won the grand prize at the US 5th Congressional Student Art Show
My teen student, Kayla Liller, won Second Place Award at the US 5th Congressional Student Art Show
Taught Summer Art Workshop in Woodland Park, CO
Taught Summer Art Workshop in Dubois, WY
Mentored at the 2012 SBK Artists Workshop in Wyoming
Missouri Valley Impressionists Society Museum Show at the Albert-Kemper Museum in St. Joseph, MO
2013
Directed the Teller County Student Art Show
Led my students through 4 Student Art Shows
Taught Summer Teen Art Workshop in Woodland Park, CO
Taught Summer Teen Art workshop in Victor, Colorado
Mentored at the 2012 SBK Artists Workshop in Wyoming
Susan K. Black Artists’ Foundation Show” –Dubois, Wyoming
2012
Pikes Peak Plein Air Painters Show hosted by 7-Arrows Gallery
Directed the Teller County Student Art Show
Led my students through 4 Student Art Shows
Taught Summer Teen Art Workshop in Woodland Park, CO
Taught Plein Air Workshop in Woodland Park
Judge of the Victor Celebrates the Arts Plein Air Show
Mentored at the 2012 SBK Artists Workshop in Wyoming
Susan K. Black Artists’ Foundation Show” –Dubois, Wyoming
2011
Hunter/Wolff Gallery Show – Colorado Springs, Colorado
Pikes Peak Plein Air Painters Show – Seven Arrows Gallery – Woodland Park, Colorado
People’s Choice Award
62nd Wind River Valley Artists’ Guild Show – Dubois, Wyoming
Susan K. Black Artists’ Foundation Show” –Dubois, Wyoming
Oil Painters of America Regional Paint-Out Show – Seven Arrows Gallery – Woodland Park, Colorado
One Man Show” Seven Arrows Gallery, Woodland Park, Colorado
2010
“Prelude Show” Tri-Lakes Center for the Arts – Palmer Lake, CO
Hunter/Wolff Gallery Show – Colorado Springs, Colorado
26th American Plains Arts Show – Great Plains Art Museum, Lincoln, Nebraska
Invitational Show to Benefit the Colorado Springs Opera
61st Wind River Valley Artists’ Guild Show – Dubois, Wyoming
“Master Works Show” Reily Fine Arts – Estes Park, Colorado
Susan K. Black Artists’ Foundation Show” –Dubois, Wyoming Recipient of the “Rose Award”
Palmer Land Trust Benefit Show – Colorado Springs, Colorado
Oil Painters of America Regional Paint-Out Show – Seven Arrows Gallery – Woodland Park, Colorado
One Man Show” Seven Arrows Gallery, Woodland Park, Colorado
*“The Russell” Show to Benefit the C M Russell Museum – Great Falls, Montana
2009
People's Choice Award at the Pikes Peak Plein Air Painters Show hosted by the Hunter/Wolff Gallery in Colorado Springs
First Place Landscape - Oils at the 60th Annual Wind River Valley Artist's Guild National Show
2008
Mayor's Choice Award at the Estes Park
"Painting The Parks" National Plein Air Show
Artist's/People's Choice Award at the Susan K. Black Foundation's miniature art show
Third Place at the Wind River Valley Artist's Guild
59th National Art Show
2007
Best Oil Landscape in the professional division at the 58th
Wind River Valley Artists' Guild's National Show. 2007. Dubois, WY.
Invited to submit two paintings to the
C. M. Russell Museum's "2007 Masters in Miniature Show".
June 16th through September 8, 2007.
2006
Won the coveted "Purchase Award" and the `People`s Choice Award" ( Oils ) at the 57th Wind River Valley Artists` Guild Show in Dubois, Wyoming.
2005
One Man Show hosted by Earthwood Collections Gallery,
Estes Park, CO (2005)
Selected as a featured artist and video taped for the Rocky Mountain PBS 2005 and 2006.
Annually Invited to the Susan K. Black Foundation National Juried Artists Retreat/Workshop, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009.
“Top 18” award at the Estes Park "Painting The Parks" national juried invitational show 2003,
Mayors Award of Excellence at the Estes Park "Painting The Parks" national invitational juried show 2004.
People’s Choice Award at the "Pikes Peak Plein Air Painters Artists Show" at the Cultural Arts Council Gallery of Estes Park 2004 and in 2006.
Selected for the first "Official City of Woodland Park, Colorado Holiday Ornament" 2004.
EDUCATION:
The Kansas City Art Institute: Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree
Painting/Printmaking,1975, Kansas City, MO.
Attended via scholarship, studied both painting & printmaking
Certified Picture Framer CPF - 1984
International Picture Framers Association
Co-Founder and Director of
"The Pikes Peak Plein Air Painters",
a group of regional artists dedicated to sharing and promoting the art of plein air painting. (over 35 members)
