The Legacy of Kenneth M. Freeman

Rembrandt of the Rodeo

Fine Art Registry® is proud to feature one of our latest registered artists - the legendary Western painter Kenneth M. Freeman. Ken was truly "larger than life" and we will be profiling him in a series of articles. Here, we begin with an overview of Ken's legacy, his tremendous output and a groundbreaking new exhibition celebrating his phenomenal accomplishments.

Artist, Kenneth M Freeman. (FAR® Registered Artist)

Born to be an Artist

From an early age, Kenneth M. Freeman had a dream and a vision. He knew that he would be a great artist - and that vision never wavered his entire life.

Recognizing his talent and determination, his mother supported his intentions by ensuring he began art lessons before he was eight years old. And he never looked back. Childish things didn't hold his attention - he even converted the family television into a table for his paint palette!

Driven and dedicated, as his training progressed, he won scholarship after scholarship and, at 15, began studying at the American Academy of Art, graduating from that esteemed institution just a year after receiving his high school diploma. Although he would have been accepted at any art school in the country, he chose the American Academy because he wanted to learn the classical techniques of the master painters, in particular those who influenced him most - Rembrandt, Rubens and John Singer Sargent.

Following graduation, a successful 20-year career as an illustrator provided Ken with invaluable experience, including an apprenticeship with Haddon Sundblom and the opportunity to create book cover paintings for well-known authors such as Louis L'Amour.

It was during this time that his interest in portraiture increased and the icons of the old West became a major inspiration for his work.

Impending Decision, by artist Kenneth M Freeman. (FAR® ID #36045)

The Call of the West

Leaving his home in Chicago and moving to Scottsdale, Arizona was a turning point in Ken's career. There, the lure of the cowboy life captured his imagination. He embraced the lifestyle of the West wholeheartedly and lived that dream - riding horseback, participating in cattle drives, becoming a Buffalo Soldier and attending Native American ceremonies.

As he immersed himself in this rich cultural heritage, he documented the daily lives of the people, capturing faces and activities with his camera that would later be the models for his stunning paintings that embody the soul and spirit of the American West - cowboys and cowgirls, rodeo riders, Native American elders and children, grizzled mountain men and breathtaking Western landscapes. So completely did he identify with his new life, he even called himself a "Jewish Cowboy."

Tough Draw, by artist Kenneth M Freeman. (FAR® ID #36047)

The Technique of the Masters

The luminous faces in his portraits and the vivid, exquisite vistas of his landscapes were painted in a centuries-old manner. Each painting was done essentially three times: the foundation was slowly built up through charcoal pencil sketches, then a burnt umber underpainting was done to work out all the values, and when the burnt umber was dry, the careful process of laying down layer after layer of thin color glazes was carried out.

"This is the style of the old masters and for his use of the technique and his subjects, several members of the press dubbed Ken The Rembrandt of the Rodeo," explains Bonnie Adams-Freeman, curator of the Kenneth M. Freeman Legacy exhibit.

"Ken's old masters' technique was very time consuming but the outcome is extraordinary. It is the only way to achieve the depth of colors and warm layers of content that will pass the test of time. This painting technique will last for hundreds of years," said Edward Holmes, president of the Western Artists of America.

Young Pow-Wow Dancer, by artist Kenneth M Freeman. (FAR® ID #36043)

World Premiere of the Kenneth M. Freeman Legacy Exhibition

The Booth Western Art Museum, an Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, in Cartersville, Georgia, was the host for the world premiere of the Kenneth M. Freeman Legacy Exhibition. A newly renovated and expansive museum, the Booth houses the largest Western Art Collection in the United States.

The Freeman Legacy Exhibition consists of fifty oil paintings and sculptures that feature working cowboys and cowgirls, rodeo heroes, Native American elders and children, mountain men, Western landscapes, and Buffalo Soldiers. As well, it features educational exhibits including a recreation of Ken Freeman's studio complete with easel and artifacts, a section on Ken Freeman, The Illustrator and a display of book covers and posters of Ken's work, including Fallon by Louis L'Amour.

Bonnie Adams-Freeman, the curator of the Kenneth M. Freeman Legacy,
accepts Ken's Lifetime Achievement Award from Western Artists of America President Ed Holmes.

On the opening day of the exhibition, Ken was honored posthumously with the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Western Artists of America, accepted on his behalf by his wife Bonnie. And a further honor was bestowed upon him – from this time forward, the award will be known as the Freeman Lifetime Achievement Award.

A recreation of Ken Freeman's studio is the centerpiece of the Booth Museum Exhibition.

Exhibition Dates for the Kenneth M. Freeman Legacy Exhibition - 'Artist at Work': January 16, 2010 - May 2, 2010, at The Booth Western Art Museum, Cartersville, GA. www.BoothMuseum.org

A second traveling exhibition of Ken's work will premiere on June 26, 2010 at the Phippen Museum, Prescott, AZ, running through October 24, 2010. www.PhippenArtMuseum.org

Little Princess, by artist Kenneth M Freeman. (FAR® ID #36042)

Securing the Work for the Future

Recognizing that it was vital to protect this exceptional body of work for future generations, especially with the pieces being moved for traveling exhibits, the Kenneth M. Freeman Legacy has begun tagging and registering each piece using the patented Fine Art Registry® system. Creating a database of the collection establishes authenticity and will encourage owners of Ken Freeman originals to register their own paintings.

JR, by artist Kenneth M Freeman. (FAR® ID #36046)

The Legacy

Ken did achieve his dream of becoming a great Western artist.

In addition to creating book covers for Louis L'Amour, Will James and other western authors, he created original work for Hamilton Collectibles, a beautiful ten plate series entitled Proud Indian Families. His notable portraits included President Herbert Hoover, John Wayne, Robert Fuller, Sherwin Wasserman, Senator Lister Hill, Ray Herndon, John Smith and Waylon Jennings.

Impressed with his images of the Southwest, former First Lady Barbara Bush invited Ken to exhibit at the Smithsonian Institute in conjunction with the Native American Museum Extravaganza.

And in 2007, Ken's work was featured in a solo show in Milan, Italy.

Although he passed away in May 2008, Ken left a rich body of work unrivaled by most artists. His evocative paintings hang in museums, galleries and private collections throughout the world including The Library of Congress American Legacy Collection, The Booth Western Art Museum and the family of President Herbert Hoover.

"He was a man you could never forget. His enthusiasm for life and art was contagious. Of all the artists from the Academy I've met over the years, Ken really stood out as one of a kind," said Aron Gagliardo, historian and archivist of the American Academy of Art.

Kenneth M Freeman was a true cowboy, in dress and spirit.

Learn more about Kenneth M. Freeman by visiting his website at www.KennethMFreeman.com where you will find a wealth of fascinating information, articles, videos and more. And now, collectors can acquire a number of authorized limited edition giclees from Ken's masterful series: Buffalo Soldiers, Cowboys, Heroes of the Old West, Landscapes of the American West, North American Children, Native American Elders and many more, in the online store at www.shop.KennethMFreeman.com.

And be sure to visit Ken's Fine Art Registry gallery.

Watch for Part II in this article series!

Artist's FAR Registered Pieces | Entire FAR Portfolio › | Sales Gallery › | Biography ›

— by Georgianna Lane  |  March 1, 2010  |  Print Version - PDF

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