We Asked, Ken Kohoutek Answered

Snapshots of Ken Kohoutek’s life are captured in ceramic. The Great Falls artist has been working with clay as a medium for his drawings for decades. From the daily rhythm of blowing snow out of his driveway to images of adventures abroad, each of his pieces is a personal narrative, a memory made tangible.

A Great Falls native, Ken’s journey as an artist has taken him from his first pottery class in middle school to a prestigious ceramics residency in China. From St. Louis where he was an art educator and back to Great Falls to focus on his craft. 

A body of his work can be viewed at the Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art through May 10. We sat down with Ken to talk about his creative process, the unexpected twists in his artistic path, and the stories his ceramics tell.

GFE: Growing up in Great Falls, what sparked your interest in art?

Ken: I actually didn’t start out thinking I’d be an artist. I went to Riverview Elementary and then North Middle School, which was a pretty unique place back then in the 60’s – it had this open-classroom concept. They had a great arts program, and I took my first pottery class in eighth grade. I remember watching my teacher throw clay on a potter’s wheel and thinking, “That looks fun.” I gave it a shot, but I wasn’t very good at it. It was just something interesting to try.

GFE: Was there a moment when you realized you wanted to pursue art more seriously?

Ken: It didn’t really click for me until my senior year of high school. I took an art class because friends told me it would be an easy credit, turns out it wasn’t easy at all! The class mostly focused on realistic drawing and still lifes, which I struggled with. My mom actually went to my teacher and asked if there were any other options, and they suggested I try working with clay. That’s when I really started getting into pottery and found that I loved working on the wheel.

GFE: After high school, how did your artistic journey continue?

Ken: I graduated early, in December, and wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. My parents encouraged me to try college, so I went to Montana State University in Bozeman. That’s where things really opened up for me. I had two amazing professors that had a big influence on me. One was a master of traditional ceramics and throwing, while the other came from California who was passionate about “pop” or “funk” ceramics. I got to learn from both, which was the best of both worlds: one was really good technically and the other was an out-of-the-box thinker. 

GFE: You mentioned that Bozeman had a strong ceramics scene. What was that like?

Ken: At that time, Bozeman was a hub for ceramics in Montana, thanks to the Archie Bray Foundation in Helena. Some big names in contemporary ceramics, like Peter Voulkos and Rudy Autio, had studied there and were redefining what clay could be. Instead of just making functional pottery, they were treating it like sculpture. That really shifted my perspective, I saw that ceramics wasn’t just about making cups and bowls, but about creating something expressive and artistic.

“I saw that ceramics wasn’t just about making cups and bowls, but about creating something expressive and artistic.”

GFE: You spent time in China for a ceramics residency. What was that experience like?

Ken: That was an incredible opportunity. I went to Jingdezhen, which is known as the porcelain capital of the world. The history and tradition of ceramics there are unmatched. It was inspiring to see how deeply ceramics is woven into their culture, and I learned so much from the artisans working there. Their attention to detail and the techniques they’ve perfected over centuries really influenced my approach to my own work.

GFE: Your art captures moments from your life – you’ve called it narrative. Can you give an example?

Ken: Absolutely. Everything tells a story from one facet of my life. I hope people enjoy the way I tell stories through my images. Last year, we visited Spain, and I was struck by the white-washed villages and the high-speed bullet trains. It’s fascinating to connect those experiences with places like Great Falls or the Oregon coast, where I’ve also spent time.

For example, during a trip to Portland, I was overwhelmed by the number of homeless people, yet shortly after, I found myself in Spain, standing in world-class museums, admiring works by artists who have influenced me. It’s interesting to weave all these moments together in my work, blending patterns, textures, and a sense of controlled chaos.

It’s interesting to weave all these moments together in my work, blending patterns, textures, and a sense of controlled chaos.

I also like to incorporate familiar, everyday objects, like the time I included a snowblower. A few years ago, I was constantly dragging mine out every three days to clear the snow, struggling to start it like an old lawnmower. It was frustrating, but also part of life in Great Falls. The next day, I could be snowboarding at Showdown, and that contrast, those little moments, find their way into my art.

GFE: Since your pieces are such a personal representation of your life, how do you feel when someone buys one of your pieces?

Ken: It’s a mix of emotions. There’s always excitement – it’s validating when someone connects with something you’ve made. But there’s also a little bit of letting go involved. Every piece has a story, and when someone takes it home, they become part of that story. I love hearing from people about how they use my work in their daily lives.

See Ken’s art in person. “Puzzled Paradise: Ceramic Chronicles by Ken Kohoutek” is on display at the Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art until May 10. The body of work is the culmination of 8 years of creative expression. Ken encourages viewers to take their time looking at the childlike, 1980’s retro images as he embeds lots of fun elements from his life such as MSU logo or a reference to living in St. Louis.