About the Artist:
Kenneth Pasley employs
graphite and charcoal as his primary medium, giving the mediums a somewhat
painterly quality through his self-inspired technique. His formative
years as a budding artist began long before kindergarten by re-creating various cartoon characters. He spent countless hours
throughout his childhood drawing on typewriting paper or anything with a blank surface. One of his earliest inspirations were paintings by Norman
Rockwell, but true sense for realism was greatly stimulated by the great
masters such as Rembrandt, da Vinci and his most inspiring artist,
Michelangelo. Their depictions of light, fabrics, faces, expressions
painted with such intricate detail is something he attempted to emulate in his
own work.
Kenneth attended the Atlanta College of Art
where he was taught the basics in drawing and color theory and realized that
his particular style and technique were not considered the normal manner, but
later realized his results were considered astounding even by seasoned
professors. He often states that, “It is one of the greatest feelings as
an artist to create something that has a profound impact on the viewer and
communicates to everyone without the obtrusion of language.” One critic has
described him as ‘A wizard with a pencil” and another stated, ‘although a
photographic appearance is evident, yet it arrives with great skill.” He
enjoys the time and energy spent on each piece by only using only the basic of
materials to create elaborate works of art. Later, Kenneth branded his
work as a combination of the subject matter and medium which is known simply as
Pencilife.©
His works have been exhibited in numerous
museums and galleries in New York, Washington, Ohio and Georgia as well as
other art centers throughout the Southeast. However, his goal remains to
reach a much broader audience both nationally and internationally. As an
award-winning artist, he has received various acknowledgements on television
and featured in both regional and national publications. Additionally, his works are a part of
both private and corporate collections throughout North America.
Kenneth’s work to him reflects family, life
experiences and the places that he has encountered over the years. He
wants his works to reflect not only his experiences but somehow touch
others life experiences to demonstrate that beauty does not necessarily require a
color.