About the Artist

Ken Church grew up on the outskirts of York, in the north of England, where green fields and centuries-old stone walls became his playground and earliest source of inspiration. The local nature preserve near his home offered endless opportunities to roam, observe, and sketch wildlife—including a pair of baby magpies he raised by hand. It was a childhood shaped by curiosity about the natural world; he spent countless hours wandering among ash, sycamore, and oak trees with a sketchbook in hand. By the age of twelve, Church earned a school achievement award for his watercolor paintings and received The Beginner’s Book of Watercolor Painting by Adrian Hill—a prize that affirmed he was on the right path. Spurred on by mentors who recognized his talent and enthusiasm, he set his sights on formal art training and was admitted to The York School of Art. There, Church was immersed in a rigorous curriculum that emphasized art history, design fundamentals, sculpture, and painting. Renowned sculptor John Bunting—once an apprentice to Henry Moore—was among his influential instructors. Craftsmanship was essential;  all work had to be immaculately presented or risk rejection. Church thrived in this environment, learning the importance of detailed observation, dynamic composition, and expressive line work.

After completing his studies in England, he received a scholarship to Brigham Young University in Utah—an experience he describes as both a cultural adjustment and an exciting leap into new landscapes. He eventually settled in California, where he built a successful career in advertising. Over the years, he rose to the role of creative director at several international firms, earning awards and recognition in leading design publications. His work developing television commercials sharpened his storytelling instincts and visual thinking—skills that now inform the structure and clarity of his paintings.

Though his creative journey began in the rural fields of Yorkshire, Church’s current muse is the dramatic desert terrain of Southern Utah. Living in Toquerville, just minutes from Zion National Park, he is captivated by towering red rock formations, swirling canyons, and a color palette that constantly shifts with the light. The same stone might appear vivid orange at sunrise and pale lavender by late afternoon. Green juniper trees contrast against glowing yellow cliffs and purple shadows. “The desert is a kaleidoscope,” he says, “a red world more intense than Mars.” 

Church approaches each painting through a multi-step process: on-site sketches, reference photos, and preliminary drawings—which he often inverts to assess form and balance. These designs are transferred to canvas using a value-based underpainting, typically with Carbazole Dioxazine Violet as a stand-in for black, Burnt Sienna for mid-tones, and a light color for highlights. He is known for his use of bold outlines that define rock formations and mesas, a signature that recalls Van Gogh’s expressive line-work but remains unmistakably his own. Sometimes, a small dinosaur silhouette finds its way into the background—a nod to Utah’s prehistoric past that children never fail to spot.

In addition to painting, Church is active in the regional art community. He is a member of the Southern Utah Art Guild, the American Impressionist Society, and the Arrowhead Gallery Co-op in St. George. He has exhibited at the Sears Gallery on the Utah Tech campus, the Red Cliffs Gallery, Arrowhead Gallery, and Mesh Gallery in Los Angeles. His work has received numerous honors, including Best of Show at the Center for Contemporary Arts in Santa Ana, and top awards at exhibitions in Orange County and Anaheim.

Southern Utah is a landscape artist’s paradise, and for Church, it’s an endless source of fascination. The world around his home is an ever changing spectacle of blue skies, purple mountains, red rock arches, and vivid green foliage clinging to creek beds. It is, in his words,

“a place where something cataclysmic happened—and you can see it etched in every cliff.”

Church has placed over ninety paintings, in private and corporate collections. Though he once thrived in the commercial world, his true passion lies in capturing the visual poetry of the desert. His goal is to complete hundreds of landscapes—an ongoing journey to explore, interpret, and share the power and beauty of the American Southwest.