Atmosphere Custom Painting

Through the years Ken has had the good fortune of working and socializing with some very recognizable people.  He's also done a good deal of cartoon graphics, creating the character of "Bongo Billy" for Bongo Billy's Coffees, among other things.

Here are some pictures we thought you would get a kick out of.

Believe it or not, Ken has also fancied himself an actor from time-to-time.  Somehow, he got himself cast in the movie "Master and Commander" starring Russell Crowe.  Here he is (sportin' the mutton chops he had to grow for the part) with his wife Nichole and Russell outside his trailer.

With Arthur Miller:  One of the high points of Ken's theatrical career was working on one of Arthur Miller's last productions, "Resurrection Blues" at the Old Globe.  Mr. Miller was very involved in the set design, so Ken actually got to interact with the legend quite a bit.  Here they are with Ken's son, Alden, outside the Old Globe.

 
Ken with his literary hero, Douglas Adams, author of the best books of all time - the "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" series.

 
At the Old Globe with Curtis Armstrong:  AKA Booger in "Revenge of the Nerds", Miles in "Risky Business", Charles De Mar in "Better Off Dead", Mr. Welch in "Akeela and the Bee", and Ahmet Ertegun in "Ray".

"This guy is the greatest actor OF ALL TIME!l" - Ken Scar

I interrupted him eating a sandwich to get this picture - one of the most cringe-worthy moments of my life, but I regret nothing!  My grandkids will show this picture to their grandkids

With Michael Moore:  This was at the premier of his movie "The Big One" at the Sundance Film Festival (Ken worked at Sundance for three seasons, from '97 to '99).

 
With Enrico Colantoni, star of "Just Shoot Me" and "Veronica Mars".  Ken was the lead scenic for "Veronica Mars" and 'Rico was exactly what everyone hope's a celebrity will be - a genuinely nice guy.

 
With big Gene Simmons.  Gene was at Sundance to promote the movie "Detroit Rock City" and  Ken wound up hangin' with him through much of the opening night party.  He still isn't sure quite how that happened.

 
With John Waters.  This was also at Sundance.  That year they were playing the anniversary edition of "Pink Flamingos" at the midnight screenings and this was at one of those screenings! Believe it or not, it was John that asked to have this picture taken.  Ken would go on to have another link to John Waters through his work with Jack O'Brien, who directed the Broadway production of "Hairspray".

With Jack O'Brien.  At the Old Globe Theatre Ken was blessed to work with Artistic Director Jack O'Brien on dozens of productions.  Jack is best known to the world as perhaps the greatest living director of theater, having helmed an unparalleled range of Broadway productions from "Hairspray", "The Full Monty" and "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" to "Henry IV" and "The Coast of Utopia".  He's been nominated for ten Tony awards (six in the last six years) winning four in the last four years.  He is to American theater what Steven Spielberg is to American cinema.

 
My wife and I with Peter Weir, director of "Dead Poets Society", "Witness", "The Mosquito Coast" and many others, at the wrap party for "Master and Commander".

 
The Proposal:  I proposed to my (now) wife on stage at the Old Globe.  She thought she was coming to see Shakespeare but she go me instead.  That's me in front of the audience I arranged to be full of our friends and family, reciting a monologue I wrote about the small moments that lead to love.

 
This is when I called her up out of the audience onto the stage.  I couldn't believe she actually did it!

 
This is the money shot.  Once I had her on stage I pretended to forget what I was going to say and called "Line!"  That's when they flew in the sign that says "Nichole will you marry me?"

She said "Yes" and we're still together with two kids and 11 years under our belts.  Life is amazing! 

Sir Ian McKellan -  Gandalf! If only I could have worked with one of the hobbits . . . but wait!

Oh, snap!  Isn't that Russell Crowe and Billy Boyd, aka "Pippen" behind me on the set of M&C?  Yes it is!  Next goal:  getting cast in "The Hobbit".  Stay tuned. 

 With the great William H.Macy.  Ken worked at three Sundance Film Festivals, '97 - '99, and Mr. Macy attended all three.  A truly nice person.

With the awesome Lyle Lovett.  For a while there I did that stupid "thumbs up" thing every time I got a picture with someone I admired.

With Bill Pullman

With John Cryer and friends

With the legendary exteme skier Glenn Plake

 
With Tori Spelling.

 
With Rene Zellweger.

Saying goodbye to the Old Globe Theatre, December 2006.

Mr. Crowe signed this print of the "brass nine stern chaser " scene for Ken.  (That's Ken with the ramrod to your right and RC's left.)

Ken with shrapnel wounds from canon fire on the set of "Master and Commander".

Ken at the Sundance Film Festival, where he worked in 1997, 1998 and 1999 - meeting everyone you can imagine, going to all the parties, and witnessing films drop like "The Blair Witch Project", "Pi", "The Full Monty", "Buffalo 66", "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels", "Go" etc.

Ken created the mascot for Bongo Billy's Coffee Shops and Roastery many years ago.  This is the original "Bongo Billy" created by Ken in 1996.

Ken  went on to paint different "extreme" Bongo Billy 's for the "adventure series" coffees.  In each painting Bongo Billy is doing an extreme sport WHILE drinking an old-school ceramic cup of coffee.

This is the latest edition to the "adventure" series of Bongo Billy coffees.

There is also one of Bongo snow boarding.  You can order posters of all the adventure Bongo Billy's  at bongobillys.com.

 A logo I designed for the Buena Vista Bicycle Club.  Can you see the "B.V."?

Unfortunately, this cute little rowboat set piece from "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" was cut during previews.  I(t) could have been a star, man! 

Ha ha -  kickin' it on one of the Greek column drops for "Don Juan" (still tacked to the shop floor).

 
 Check it out - it's Bill Gates in front of one of the sets we painted for Microsoft at Image Events!

This set was a "dingy Mexican food restaurant" for Veronica Mars. Ken painted and distressed this graphic - the classic "lobster/dolphin cross" found in only the finest Mexican seafood shacks.

  "Join Choir" poster for Veronica Mars High School set.

 
The  shy pirate "join drama club" poster for VM High School hallway set.  He's saying, "Gyaarsh."

 
This is one of my signature characters that I've drawn since I was in High School.  In this case, I put him on a poster for the VM High School set.

 
Another cartoon dude for the VM High School hallway set.

 
The "dust mite" project made the cover of  Even Solutions  magazine.

 
The "What the World Needs Now" set  was featured in the Rose Brand  catalog.

Ken's article "Life by the Drop" about painting the murals for "Pentecost" made the cover of the Painter's Journal.

Ah yeah - one of the drawings I did in art class in my senior year of high school.  You should have seen my "Terminator" stuff, man!