Kenneth Shotwell

Kenneth Shotwell was born in Pennsylvania in 1950 and graduated from the University of Pittsburg in 1972 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. Before dedicating himself to art, he worked on space system designs for NASA that were used in the manned Skylab mission, in astronauts’ backpacks for the Apollo Lunar missions, and in land-based nuclear reactor internal components. In the early 1980s, he taught courses in architectural rendering, drawing, and solar energy fundamentals at the Rhode Island School of Design.
Shotwell’s quarter-century art career has produced over 2000 original paintings that engage viewers with dreamlike surreal images and elemental designs, showcasing his combined talents as artist and engineer. He developed “Luminart,” a style using exclusive paints, and holds a US patent for an innovative ultraviolet lighting system that allows his paintings to physically transform from brilliant day to luminous evening before viewers’ eyes. This innovation helped generate more than $17 million in retail sales in Japan.
His work has been internationally exhibited at Artexpo in New York, the Machef Show in Milan, Italy, the Japan Gallery in Nagoya, Japan, various events in London and Germany, and through Park West Gallery, which represents him today. The New York Times recognized him as the “leading seller of art prints” in the mid-1980s, and he is listed in “Who’s Who in American Art.” His published book “Mindscapes” won the Bronze Medal from Asian Print Awards in Shanghai, China.