Ken Valentas Gallery

About Ken Valentas

As a seasonal resident of Lutsen, I take inspiration from the beautiful and varied material to be found along the North Shore and from the boreal forests, lakes and streams in the Arrowhead region. My medium of choice is transparent watercolor, which, while challenging, is particularly well suited for depicting skies and water in either a plein air or studio environment. I find the harbor area of Grand Marais to be a subject of which I never tire. The light is changing constantly which presents both opportunity and variety for the watercolorist. 

In the cities I am attracted to architectural subjects and cityscapes that incorporate the varied elements of the changing seasons of Minnesota. Winter scenes are particularly well suited to watercolor since the white paper can be used to present a clean and fresh looking painting. The shadows of winter are particularly interesting as a design element to add interest to the landscape.