​Ken Campbell

Ken Campbell is recognized for his work as an oil painter in a number of genres including his distinctive canoe series-a quintessentially Canadian theme, comprising a growing collection of works inspired by his time as a canoe guide and enthusiast.  Campbell's landscapes, oceanscapes and wildlife series are ongoing favorites at galleries engaging boreal forest, mountain, coastal and Hawaiian locations.  He continues to create new works in his collections of birds, animals and fishes as well.  In 2012, he began a series of plein air drawings to record character heritage architecture in the Victoria and Okanagan Valley areas which will be the foundation for an upcoming body of works.  Also on the drawing table is a series based on vineyards and wines.

Ken was born in Thunder Bay, Ontario and grew up in the Peterborough area of southern Ontario.  He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology with a minor in psychology from Lakehead University.  He creates original paintings and drawings from his studio in Victoria, British Columbia.

A professional commercial artist and illustrator for over thirty years, he made a name for himself as an editorial cartoonist in newsprint, creating corporate ads and logos, consulting on communications projects in foreign countries and illustrating children's books and YA jackets for book publishers.  In addition, he has painted and drawn fine art all his life, turning full time in 2001.

He has been, and continues to be, inspired by many artists.  Some of the first were Tom Thompson, the Group of Seven, and Impressionists, Caravagio, Sorolla and Velasquez.  Later he studied the works of : Andrew Wyeth, American southwest painters like Maynard Dixon and Edgar Payne, and American illustrators like Bernie Fuchs and Walter Everett. His earliest and perhaps one of his most important influences was his father, H.K. Campbell.

Being largely self taught, he has been teaching his unique approach to other artists in art schools and colleges in Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia including the Victoria College of Art.  He continues to lead intensive atelier-style art workshops.

His artwork can be found in a number of private collections.