Today we’d like to introduce you to Ken Roy.
Hi Ken, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
After retiring in 2014, my wife and I moved south to escape the Illinois winners where we had lived for 25 years. While we left a son and two grandsons in Illinois, we now live near our daughter, son-in-law, and two grandchildren. I knew that in retirement I wanted to continue to be involved in the arts, having participated in the life drawing studio at the DuPage Art League in Wheaton, Illinois. It was an easy decision when I discovered the figure drawing group at the Conroe Art League to become a member there. My participation expanded to serving on the board of directors first as show chair, then president, and currently as education chair. In addition to the visual arts, I’m involved in a veterans project that was initiated by a classmate and fellow veteran from my hometown of Jennings, Louisiana. The mission of the project is to identify those veterans from our hometown who served in Vietnam and to memorialize them by writing stories about their service. I myself am a Vietnam Veteran (USMC, 1969), and I’ve contributed as writer, researcher, and editor. One of the project members is in the process now of compiling all the stories into a book, and it will soon be published. A real honor for me is that in addition to my contributions as a writer, my original art was selected for both the front and back covers.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I mainly draw and watercolor. I prefer pencil, charcoal, pastel pencil, and pen and ink for drawing. When I paint in watercolor, I will often combine pen and ink with a watercolor wash. I tend to limit myself to sketching versus refining to a more finished piece. I’m largely self-taught, although I’ve attended a few workshops over the years. The challenge for me in finding my own way is that I don’t always know what particular skill I need to study and the manner in which I should prioritize those skills needed to improve. Nevertheless, I persist and enjoy the trial and error that often enough yields a “happy accident” that pleases me.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am retired. The company I retired from was an international insurance and financial entity. For much of my time there, I was a director in the medical management services department of a division that adjusted Worker’s Compensation claims.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
About two years ago, I was approached by five fellow artists who requested that I introduce them to the basics of sketching the figure. I put together a lesson plan with sufficient information for three hours of instruction. It was well received, and I was encouraged to continue, I have since conducted four workshops and expanded the lesson content to six hours. What is surprising is that the more I’ve taught others the more that I’ve learned, and the more I want to continue to learn. It’s like rounding a curve or topping a hill, the view changes, and new opportunities present themselves.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: Kenroy2589
