About
Artist Statement – Ken Girardini
I have been working as a multidisciplinary artist for over 40 years, with a practice rooted in painting, photography, mixed media and metal design. Recent travels and ongoing studies have led me back to my original creative foundations—painting and photography—which now serve as the core of my current body of work.
For many years, I’ve sought to merge painting and photography in a way that felt both seamless and personal. Through experimentation with digital techniques, I’ve developed a unique process: printing photographs onto transparent acrylic mediums which I then transfer onto metal surfaces. From there, I paint both beneath and on top of these layers, building up or pulling back the imagery to control opacity, color, and light. The result is a surface that reflects and shifts with its environment. One of the most rewarding moments is seeing the work in different lighting—how certain elements vanish, while others suddenly emerge.
In my abstract work, I explore themes of transition and spatial tension. Geometric forms often appear—shaped by my background in orbital mechanics and a lifelong interest in the precision of mathematics. Each piece becomes a kind of map, marked by personal or professional turning points and unexpected paths.
I create dimensional artworks that break away from traditional framed formats by expanding into space with interlocking structural elements. Using photographic image transfers, ink, and acrylic on aluminum, my work blurs the line between painting and sculpture. These pieces challenge spatial expectations and invite viewers to engage with art beyond the flat surface. I hope viewers engage with each piece not just visually, but emotionally—discovering something new every time they return.
I have been an artist for more than 40 years.
1975 Exchange student to Sendai, Japan
1980 BA; Advertising; Pennsylvania State University
Engineering, PAINTING AND PHOTOGRAPHY; Pennsylvania State University
Painting: Moyer Studio; Al Wynn Studio; Colorado College; University of Maryland
Metal sculpture: University of Maryland; Anderson Ranch Arts Center
Photography: Anderson Ranch Arts Center; with Jill Enfield, Greg Gorman, R.Mac Holbert, Robert and Shana Parkharrison
Fused and Slumped Glass: Bullseye Glass Studio and Gallery
Occupations:
1981- 1986: US Air Force officer; NORAD Space Defense Analyst; Space Sciences Instructor.
1986-1993: Computer Sciences Corp.: Data Analyst, Space Shuttle mission support team,
1989-Present: Artist/Designer/owner: Girardini Fine Art and Design: Painting and mixed media, Digital photography and product marketing using Photoshop, Lightroom and Indesign. Functional steel furniture and accessory design, steel sculpture.
Exhibitions:
Shows: 1981 to present -Work created and produced with Julie Girardini
American Craft Council shows since 1981
Crafts America: Washington Craft Show
American Craft Exposition Show: Evanston, IL 2004 – 2012
Philadelphia Museum of Art Contemporary Craft Show 2013-2015
Galleries and Collections: 2001 - 2014 (Selected)
Allegheny Arts Council Gallery: 2-person show: 2001
Embassy of the United States, Ottawa Canada Permanent Collection
Zenith Gallery: Exhibiting Artist 2004-2016
Gallery 555dc: two-person show 2011
Awards:
1995 Maryland State Arts Council – Individual Artist Award; Sculpture
2005 Maryland State Arts Council – Individual Artist Award; Painting
2007 Selected to represent Maryland in a 25th anniversary exhibit with sister city, Kanagawa, Japan
2012 Maryland State Arts Council – Individual Artist Award; Photography
2014 Maryland State Arts Council – Individual Artist Award; Craft
PUBLICATIONS:
NY Times; Home and Design Magazine; American Craft Magazine; Washington Post: Review of Zenith Gallery Show
COMMISSIONS and COLLECTIONS: (selected)
United Christian Parrish of Reston, VA; Steel and Glass Sculpture
Individual Portraits (mixed media)
Commissions; Steel Furniture, Lighting and Fireplace Surrounds
Individual and Corporate Collectors; Sculpture and Painting
Former board member ot the American Craft Council.