K. IKEDA

 

 

Kanetaka Ikeda 　 池田兼隆（ケン・イケダ）

U S citizen
Resident City: Portland, Oregon 

 

 

About Myself:

 

I am a sculptor who works mainly in a mix media assemblage process and utilizes wooden branch  and cotton fiber as a primary material.   I also do wood carvings, ink drawings, acrylic paintings and installation works.

 

 

 Theme of Work

 

For the last thirty years or so, my work has been inspired from vivid, memorable dreams that I experienced during the late 80's and early 90's, and from resulting thoughts accumulated through years of pondering over meaning behind these dreams.   From this, I have created something of a personal myth in a visual form which I titled, " the Cosmic Tree of Life".

 

 

  Background

 

I was born in Japan in a prefecture of Kagoshima at the southern end of Japanese archipelago, but immigrated to Oregon early in my childhood.  While being raised in N.W Portland, as youth, I experienced American life of the 60's and 70's.  In college, I briefly studied architecture at Oregon State University and University of Oregon, but found the subject unsuitable for my inclination. After transferring to Portland State University and taking classes in sculpture, I became fascinated with the subject and decided to make this my career.  As student, I learned primarily from a noted bronze sculptor, James Hansen and carver, Don Wilson.   Upon graduation I joined the artist operated gallery, Blackfish gallery in Portland and started my professional career as an artist. For much of the 80's, I have exhibited and participated in various art related activities in Portland. However, around 1988, I moved to Sapporo, Japan where I spent time creating and exhibiting artwork while teaching sculpture at Dohto University, a private university there.  After twenty years in Japan, I returned to Oregon, and rejoined Blackfish Gallery soon after.  Currently while living in Portland, I found myself enjoying creating artworks and exhibiting them in Northwest art scene.   

 

Curriculum Vitae

Artist Statement