About
I’m Ken Rowe, a multidisciplinary artist and designer based in New York. I earned my Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with an emphasis in sculpture, while apprenticing under master blacksmith and bladesmith William Fiorini. After graduating, I operated my own studio in Fort Myers and Miami for over a decade, creating fine art sculptures, custom furniture, and architectural elements for private and public clients.
Since relocating to New York in 2016, I explored various creative mediums, working on freelance projects in photography, videography, visual design, digital art, 3D modeling, motion design, and scenic fabrication. While these experiences broadened my technical abilities, I realized that my true passion lies in physical craftsmanship and sculpture, the work that gives me a sense of genuine contribution and purpose. Today, I’m refocusing on creating tangible, meaningful work rooted in materiality, design, and fabrication, with digital tools supporting that process as needed.
Artist Statement
My sculptural practice is driven by the tension between technological advancement and the enduring beauty of the natural world. I create work that explores this paradox through the combination of modern, often industrial materials with organic forms. Rather than directly replicating nature or animal forms, I seek to evoke a sense of the prehistoric or the alien, creating structures that feel both familiar and otherworldly. Each piece embodies a dynamic stillness, capturing the essence of movement frozen in time, reflecting the constant struggle between progress and preservation. Through my work, I aim to express the delicate balance we must navigate as a species, where innovation must coexist with the natural systems that sustain us.
Education
University of Wisconsin - La Crosse | B.S. Fine Arts
General Assembly | User Experience Design Immersive
Apprentice to William Fiorini | Architectural Blacksmithing, Bladesmithing
Awards
& Recognitions
2014 Art Basel Miami 2014. Jalan Jalan Collection, Miami, FL
2012 Art Basel Miami 2012. Collection Privée Gallery, Miami, FL
2012 Contemporary Modes. Samaniego Art, Naples, FL
2012 Solo Exhibition, Epiphany. Daas Gallery, Fort Myers, FL
2011 City of Fort Myers Arts & Culture Grant
2011 SWFL Lives! 3rd Annual Group Show. Howl Gallery, Fort Myers, FL
2011 25th Annual All-Florida Juried Exhibition. Alliance for the Arts, Fort Myers, FL
2010 Solo Exhibition, Leviathan Rising. Daas Gallery, Fort Myers, FL
2010 SWFL Lives! 2nd Annual Group Show. Howl Gallery, Fort Myers, FL
2010 National Art Encounter. Von Liebig Art Center, Naples, FL
2003 Catherine Crail Art Award
2003 Welcome 2 it. Welcome 2 it, La Crosse, WI
2003 Senior Exhibition. UW-La Crosse, La Crosse, WI
2003 Juried Student Show. UW-La Crosse, La Crosse, WI
2003 7th Annual Hootenhagen Juried Show. Odin Arts Cooperative, La Crosse, WI
2002 Juried Student Show. UW-La Crosse, La Crosse, WI
2001 Juried Student Show. UW-La Crosse, La Crosse, WI
2000 Koka Metals Award
2000 Juried Student Show. UW-La Crosse, La Crosse, WI
Published
2013 Hephaistos. Summer 2013, Volume 5 Number 6.
2012 The Anvils Ring. New Works. Spring 2012, Volume 40 Number 1
2012 Florida Weekly. Artists Among Us, Art’s & Entertainment, February 22-28, 2012.
2012 ArtSWFL.com. Art Walk, February 3, 2012. February 4, 2012
2011 The Anvils Ring. New Works. Summer 2011, Volume 39 Number 4.
2010 News-Press. Hot Iron Makes Cool Pieces. September 11, 2010
2009 Artsy Beat. Artsybeat.com. October 2009
Commissions and Collections
2014 Private Commission, (11' x 8' Sculpture), steel and excavated Balinese root, Jalan Jalan Collections, Miami, FL
Felix Komarov, Miami, FL (Eppur Si Muove)
Murphy Library Endowment, University of Wisconsin - La Crosse, La Crosse, WI (Flow)