Born in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin in 1951, Kenn spent much of his childhood on the family farm near Burnett, Wisconsin. His fondness for nature became the catalyst for his art. Kenn’s parents encouraged his artistic education and following High School, he attended Layton School of Art in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. After graduation from Layton in 1973, he embarked on his professional career in Design and Illustration. As a commercial designer and illustrator Kenn received many awards at both local and national levels, which included acceptance in the Annual Society of Illustrators Show in New York. Although Kenn took pride in his commercial successes, his heart always belonged to the fine art of outdoor painting. With developing interest in the historic Plein Air style of painting, Kenn decided in 1984, to devote more time to his passion for painting and the love of the outdoors. He found that capturing true color, value and the mood of a subject was best done on location or through direct observation. His passion for painting has broadened his subject matter to include not only landscape, but also figurative, portrait, still life and wildlife. Kenn's works have been juried into many shows across the country, including the Oil Painters of America National Shows. His works have received many awards including an Award of Excellence in the 1998 Regional Oil Painters of America Show, Arlington Heights, IL, 1999 Finalist winner The Artist Magazine, a Best of Show in the 1999 Invitational American Plains Artist Show, Midland, Texas, the Tara Best Landscape award in the 2003 Oil Painters of America National Show, Taos, New Mexico and the Fredrix Artist Canvas, best landscape award in the 2004 Oil Painters Of America National Juried Exhibition, Howard/Mandville Gallery, Kirkland, Washington. Kenn is a Signature Member of both the Oil Painters of America and the Plein-Air Painters of America. He also served as President of the Plein-Air Painters of America from the year 2000 through 2001. In August of 2004 Kenn joined two other artists, Matt Smith of Arizona and Jean LeGassick of Nevada on a painting trip, riding horses and packing gear into the Montana Wilderness. Their trip was part of an educational TV series by PBS that documented various artists practicing the traditions of plein air painting in diverse locations and seasons across our most beautiful America. Kenn was one of fifty artists selected from across the country to participate in a traveling museum show titled “FROM SEA TO SHINING SEA”. The exhibit opened at the Haggin Museum, Stockton, CA during the spring of 2004 and will travel across the country to various museums through 2006. The traveling exhibit is scheduled to conclude in 2006 at the Scottsdale Artists’ School in Scottsdale, AZ. INVITATIONAL & JURIED MUSEUM EXHIBITIONS AND GALLERY SHOWS 2014 “The Color of Light, A Plein Air Experience,” Helena Fox Fine Art, Charleston, SC 2011 “Catalina the Wild Side”, The Catalina Conservancy, Avalon, CA 2010 “Painting the Poetry of Light” One-Man Show, Travis Gallery, New Hope, PA 2010 “Western Rendezvous of Art Exhibit and Sale” The Northwest Rendezvous Group Helena, MT 2010 “On-Location with the Plein Air Paintings of America” The Art Association of Jackson Hole, Jackson Hole, WY 2010 “Reflections of Catalina”, The Society for the Advancement of Plein Air Painting, Catalina Island, CA 2010 “Oil Painters of America National Show”, Legacy Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ 2009 “American Art in Miniature” Gilcrease Museum, Tulsa, OK 2009 “American Artists Abroad” Bennington Center for the Arts, Bennington, VT 2009 “Oil Painters of America National Show”, Sage Creek Gallery, Santa Fe, NM 2009 “American Legacy-Our National Parks” The Plein Air Painters of America, Haggin Museum, Stockton, CA 2009 “Impressions of an American Master” Debra Huse Gallery, Balboa Island, CA 2009 “International Marine Art Exhibition” Mystic Seaport, Mystic, CT 2009 “Western Rendezvous of Art” The Northwest Rendezvous Group, Helena, MT 2009 “The Couse Foundation Show” The Couse Foundation Show, Taos, NM 2008 “American Art in Miniature” Gilcrease Museum, Tulsa, OK 2008 “Celebration of Light”, Plein Air Painters of America, Bennington Center for the Arts, Bennington, VT 2008 “Surf & Sand”, Group Exhibit and Sale, Travis Gallery, New Hope, PA 2008 “Northwest Rendezvous Group, Show and Sale” Helena, MT 2008 “2008 Heritage Art Exhibition”, Irvine Ranch Conservancy, Irvine, CA 2008 “ European Tradition, American Vision”, Plein Air Painters of America, Academy Art Museum, Easton, MD 2008 “Still Life & the Allure of Nature”, Two-Person Show, Helena Fox Fine Art, Charleston, SC 2007 “American Art in Miniature” Gilcrease Museum, Tulsa, OK 2007 “The Abundant Earth” Group Artist Show, Knowlton Gallery, Lodi, CA 2007 “Through Brush and Written Word” One-man Show, Troika Gallery, Easton, MD 2007 “Sea to Shining Sea” Group Show, Tree’s Place, Orleans, MA 2007 “Twilight and Reverie” Four person show, Tree’s Place, Orleans, MA 2007 The Plein Air Painters of America, “From the Heart”, The Haggin Museum, Stockton, CA 2007 “Blossom-Art of Flowers” Susan Kathleen Black Foundation, Houston Museum of Natural Science, Houston, TX 2006 “Stockton on Canvas” The Haggin Museum, Stockton, CA 2006 “Spring Showcase 2006” Michael Hollis Fine Art, Pasadena, CA 2006 “Wild Wild West Plein Air Invitational” Scottsdale, AZ 2006 “Birds in Art 2006 Invitational” Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, Wausau, WI 2003-2008 “Coastal Splendors” Crystal Cove Invitational Exhibition, Alliance to Rescue Crystal Cove, Crystal Cove, CA 2005 “Six Masters on Cumberland Island” Fraser/Fox Fine Art, Charleston, SC 2005 “American Artists Abroad” The Bennington Center for the Arts, Bennington, VT 2005 “Spring Invitational 2005” Anne Irwin Fine Art, Atlanta, GA 2005 “Plein-Air Painters of America, 20th Annual Exhibition and Sale, Caesars Tahoe, Lake Tahoe, NV 2004 “Plein Air Color and Light” Plein Air Painters of America, Lyme Art Association, Old Lyme, CT 2004 “Coastal Treasures” One-man Show, Debra Huse Gallery, Balboa Island, CA 2004-2008 “Maynard Dixon Country ” Annual Art Show and Sale, Mt. Carmel, UT 2004 “1st Annual Telluride Plein Air Event” Sheridan Arts Foundation, Telluride, CO 2004 “From Sea to Shinning Sea” The Haggin Museum Stockton, California 2004 “Plein-Air Painters of America, 19th Annual Exhibition and Sale, Caesars Tahoe, Lake Tahoe, Nevada 2004 Oil Painters of America, National Juried Exhibition, Howard/Mandville Gallery, Kirkland, Washington 2003 “Plein Air from Coast to Coast” Lyme Art Association, Old Lyme, CT 2003 “The Images of Crystal Cove Invitational Exhibition”, Alliance to Rescue Crystal Cove, Crystal Cove, CA 2003 “Catalina Reunion Show” Society for the Advancement of Plein Air Painting, Avalon, CA 2003 “Impressions with Brush and Eye” Debra Huse Gallery, Balboa Island, California 2003 Oil Painters of America, National Juried Exhibition, Nichols Taos Fine Art Gallery, Taos, New Mexico 2003 “Glories of the Sonoran Desert” The Plein Air Painters of America, Desert Caballeros Western Museum, Wickenburg, AZ 2003 “The Allure of Light” The Plein Air Painters of America, Eleanor Bliss Center for the Arts, Steamboat Springs, CO 2003 “Plein Air 2003” Tucson Plein Air Painters’ Society, Inc. Tucson, Arizona 2002 “Recent Works” Debra Huse Gallery, Balboa Island, California 2002 Oil Painters of America, National Juried Exhibition, Hilligoss Galleries, Chicago, Illinois 2001 “Recent Works” Debra Huse Gallery, Balboa Island, California 2001 “Sierra Pack Trip Show” Pogan Gallery, Lake Tahoe, California 2000 “Plein Air San Antonio Invitational”, Greenhouse Gallery of Fine Art, San Antonio, Texas 2000 “Holiday Parade”, Greenhouse Gallery of Fine Art, San Antonio, Texas 2003 “American Miniatures”, Settlers West Gallery, Tucson, Arizona 2002 “American Miniatures”, Settlers West Gallery, Tucson, Arizona 2001 “American Miniatures”, Settlers West Gallery, Tucson, Arizona 2000 “American Miniatures”, Settlers West Gallery, Tucson, Arizona 1999 -2004 “Laguna Beach Invitational Plein Air Competition and Show”, The Laguna Art Museum, Laguna Beach, CA 2000 “Plein-Air Painters of America, Recent Works”, Bennington Center for the Arts, Bennington, VT 1999 “Plein-Air Painters of America, Recent Works”, Bennington Center for the Arts, Bennington, VT 2000 “5th Anniversary Gala Celebration”, Galerie Gabrie, Pasadena, CA 2000 “Invitational Show”, Ann Hughes Fine Art, Dallas, TX 1999 “Art Of the Animal Kingdom IV”, Bennington Center for the Arts, Bennington, Vermont 1999 “American Plains Artist Invitational Show”, Midland, Texas 1999 “Invitational Plein Air Show and Sale”, Tucson, Arizona 1999 “Impression-aire Show and Sale”, La Quinta Arts Association, La Quinta, California 1996 - 2003 The Plein Air Painters of America Sale and Exhibition, Catalina Island, California 2000 Plein-Air “Spontaneity of the Landscape” Two-Person Show, Art Access Gallery, Columbus, Ohio 1999 Solo Exhibit, Art Access Gallery, Columbus, Ohio 1998 Solo Exhibit, Art Access Gallery, Columbus, Ohio 1997 The Plein Air Painters of America Regional Show, California Heritage Art Gallery, San Francisco, California 1997 “Women, the Artist View”, Invitational Show, Bennington Center for the Arts, Bennington, VT 1997 “Wildlife Art/ A Tribute to Owen Gromme”, Invitational Group Show, The Beaver Dam Area Art Association, Beaver Dam, Wisconsin 1996 “Beaver Dam Arts Association Invitational Group Show”, Beaver Dam Area Arts Association, Beaver Dam, WI 1995 “En Plein Air Show” Delind Fine Art, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 1992 “Gold Room” Invitational Annual Wildlife Show, Easton Waterfowl Festival, Easton, Maryland 1991 “Gold Room” Invitational Annual Wildlife Show, Easton Waterfowl Festival, Easton, Maryland 1990 “Gold Room” Invitational Annual Wildlife Show, Easton Waterfowl Festival, Easton, Maryland 1990 “Winter in the Midwest” Invitational Six Person Show, West Bend Art Museum, West Bend, WI 1990 “Regional Juried Show” John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Kohler, Wisconsin 1988 “American National Miniature Show” Laramie, Wyoming 1987 “American National Miniature Show” Laramie, Wyoming 1986 “Four Person Show” West Bend Art Museum, West Bend, Wisconsin Kenn has strong feelings about giving back to the art profession. As an instructor he is able to share his knowledge through Artist Workshops that he has taught at across the country. Art in the Aspens, Pueblo, Colorado Academy Art Museum, Easton, Maryland Balboa Island Plein Air Workshops, Balboa Island, California Charleston Artist Guild, Charleston, South Carolina Coco Beach Plein Air Workshop, Coco Beach, Florida Hilton Head Art League, Hilton Head, South Carolina Hudson River Valley Art Workshops, Greenville, New York Kenn Backhaus Workshops, Prescott, Arizona The Main Street Art Center, Lake Zurich, Illinois The Plein-Air Painters of America Workshops: Steamboat Springs, Colorado; Bennington Center for the Arts, Bennington, Vermont; Catalina Island, California; Wickenburg, Arizona; Old Lyme Art Association, Old Lyme, CT Sara-Britt Arts, Tuscaloosa, Alabama Scottsdale Artists’ School, Scottsdale, Arizona Willow Wisp Farm Studios, North Carolina Willow Creek Farm Workshops, Paso Robles, CA PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS Plein-Air Painters of America – Signature Member, Past President 2000-2001 http://www.p-a-p-a.com/ Oil Painters of America – Signature Member http://www.oilpaintersofamerica.com/ En Plein Air Masters, www.enpleinairmasters.com Passport & Palette, artist and producer, www.passportandpalette.com PUBLICATIONS AND BOOKS 2009 Passport and Palette, Released May – APT Television Series, DVD Series 2007 Plein Air, Painting the American Landscape, PBS Television Series, DVD Series 2006 American Artist, “Workshop for Oil & Acrylic Painters”, Summer Issue 2004 December, Plein Air Magazine 2004 July, Southwest Art Magazine 2004 June, American Artist Magazine 2004 From Sea to Shining Sea, A Reflection of America, Book 2003 Enchanted Isle, A History of Plein Air Painting in Santa Catalina 2002 Spring, Persimmon Hill Magazine 2000 September/October, Wildlife Art Magazine 1997 North Light Books, Best of Wildlife Art, Book TELEVISION RELEASES 2009 Passport and Palette, Release May – APT Television Series, DVD 2007 Plein Air, Painting the American Landscape, PBS Television Series DVD TRAVELING EXHIBITS 2004-2007 American Legacy _ Our National Parks, The Plein Air Painters of America 2009-2013 From Sea to Shining Sea, The Plein Air Painters of America