Statement about the Artist and his work:
Ken Auster believes that the true test, of a painter is the ability to paint on location to create an image in a brief period of time dictated by weather and light. His plein air paintings are tangible forms of his conviction. More than that, they are successful renditions of his conviction. Auster's art reminds one of the monumentality of California's landscapes. He perches you atop a hill and makes you gaze out into the ocean and feel the waves beating against the coastline. He balances his compositions out very carefully. As such, his art never jostles you rudely.
Auster began his career pursuing art inside his California Beach studio and built his reputation as one of the top surf artists, creating prints and tee-shirts that became icons in the surf world. He had always harbored the ambition to be a first rate landscape painter. He was greatly inspired by a profound love for the outdoors and a reverence for the early California landscape painters. His decision to begin painting on location was a breakthrough for it allowed him the understanding of letting loose. The result was a more relaxed and loose style, but with a solid foundation. He feels that a lot of artists’ start by trying to be painters, then de evolve into commercial work to make money. He, on the other hand, began with surf art on T-shirts and worked his way up.
Auster chooses to paint on wood boards. His loose brush strokes add texture and drama to the immensity of the landscapes, which he romanticizes. He displays a splendid understanding of the characteristics of light. It is captured in its true essence and lends itself to radiate within the confines of his paintings. Auster does the exquisite glimmer of California's golden light much justice.
Education:
California State University Long Beach
Juried Exhibitions:
1998 "Boulder Art Association 7th Annual Open Juried Spring Show", Boulder, CO
1998 "Artist of the Year Award," San Diego Oceans Foundation
1998 "Laguna Plein Air Painters Association Juried Show," Robson Gallery, San Diego, CA
1998 "Treasures of Sierras," California Art Club, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County,
Muckenthaler Center, Fullerton, CA
1997 "Third Annual California Art Club Outdoor Painting Festival" San Juan Capistrano, CA "Honorable Mention"
1997 "Classic Competition", Carnegie Museum, Oxnard, CA "Honorable Mention"
1997 "Sights of Santa Ana" Bowers Museum, Santa Ana, CA "First Place, Best of Show"
1997 "88th Annual Gold Medal Exhibition," California Art Club, Pasadena, CA "Honorable Mention"
1997 "Juried and Invitational Made in California", Brea Cultural Center, Brea, CA
Solo Exhibitions:
1998 Thomas Reynolds Gallery, San Francisco, CA
1996 Gallery Aizen, Tokyo, JAPAN
1989 Marco Fine Arts Gallery, Beverly Hills, CA
1989 Ralston Galleries, Kauai, HI
Exhibitions:
1998 "Channel Island Conservancy Exhibition", Guest Artist, Oak Group, Santa Barbara, CA
1998 "Back Bay Exhibition," Orange County Museum of Art, Newport Beach, CA
1998 "Lake Tahoe and High Sierras Invitational," Pogan Gallery, Tahoe City, CA
1998 "Great Expectations Group Show," Wilhelmi/Holland Gallery, Corpus Christi, TX
1997 "Plein Air Painters of America Catalina Exhibition," Guest Artist, Catalina Island, CA
1997 "Laguna Beach Museum of Art Gallery," Laguna Beach, CA
1996 "The Annual Art and Craft Show," Thomas R. Reynolds Gallery, San Francisco, CA
1996 Valerie Miller Gallery, Palm Desert, CA
1996 "Dealer's Choice," Daniel Arvizu Gallery, Santa Ana, CA
1996 "Local's Only," Stuart Katz, The Loft, Laguna Beach, CA
1981 "Laguna Blanca," Santa Barbara, CA
1980 University of Alaska, Kodiak, AK
Public and Permanent Collections:
Highlands Ranch Company, Denver, CO
Mission Viejo Company, Mission Viejo, CA
Aliso Viejo Library, Aliso Viejo, CA
Festival of Arts, permanent collection, Laguna Beach, CA
Chart House Enterprises, Inc., Solana Beach, CA
County of Orange Centennial, Orange, CA
Museum of Science and Industry, Los Angeles, CA
American Bank, Corpus Christi, TX
First Bank, Corpus Christi, TX
Federal Reserve Bank, San Francisco, CA
Oceanside Surfing Museum, Oceanside, CA
Huntington Beach Surfing Museum, Huntington Beach, CA
Publications:
Southwest Art, Houston, TX "Best of the West'
Southwest Art, Houston, TX "Milestones"
Southwest Art, Houston, TX "Collecting Under $1000"
Southwest Art, Houston, TX "Regional Laguna Beach"
Kampion, Drew. (1997) Stoked History of Surfing
The Surfer's Journal, San Clemente, CA
Fine, Tokyo, JAPAN
Nalu, Tokyo, JAPAN
Lightning, Tokyo, JAPAN
The Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, CA
The Register, Santa Ana, CA
|
