Featured Artist: Ken Bova

Ken Bova's happy face

Ken Bova is my featured artist today for several reasons; 1. Ken is a fantastic instructor 2. Ken is a fantastic artist and 3. Ken is a fantastic person

As you can see he's pretty much an all around awesome person; as mentioned above. Ken Bova is a visiting instructor at ECU's School of Art and Design Metals and Jewelry program. And Ken is leaving us at the end of this Spring Semester. I'm SO bummed, because I didn't sign up for the courses he's teaching this semester because I thought he'd be around longer....but I can't complain, Ken has been kind enough to review my artist statement and I'm so grateful for that!

A mini-album of Ken's workshops.

Ken's work is intriguing because of the many techniques he uses and how he uses them. Ken creates a landscape of different textures and colors on his brooches and jewelry.

You can find his jewelry in numerous private collections and in the permanent collections of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Racine Art Museum, the Georgia Art Museum, and the Tacoma Art Museum, among others. (per Ken's website).

The brooch below really attracts me with the cobalt blue, gold leaf and texture of the setting. I'm not sure which materials are which, like the candy wrapper and bicycle reflector but arrangement of it all reminds me of a butterfly wing.

Gleam Revisited

3 x 1.5 inches approx.
(images not to be reproduced without consent of artist)
Bob's Gala Pin

2 x 2 inches approx.
(images not to be reproduced without consent of artist)

Sterling, 23k gold leaf, coral, wood, pearls

Ken is teaching Contemporary techniques (electroforming, creating new and different pinback and other techniques) and Enameling II this Spring semester. Both of which I still need to take.

I really enjoy Ken's style and approach to teaching because he makes it so accessible and easy to understand. Though I haven't sat in on his class, I've copied some of the handouts he gives other students and I'm delighted at how he describes a technique step-by-step.

Even though Ken will be leaving ECU soon, he has definitely left a lasting impression on the metals program and myself.

Thank you for reading!
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