Jewish Tribune writes Article on Life of Artist Kirsch

November 11, 2014
Rachel Levy Sarfin
Toronto
Correspondent

ARTIST FOLLOWS LONG ROAD TO FULL-TIME PAINTING

When Ken Kirsch was in
Grade 1, his teacher asked the
students to draw the street
where they lived. Kirsch drew
the picture as though he were
standing at the end of the
street. At the far end of the picture,
the houses looked
smaller and the road narrowed
into a distant point."
“My teacher freaked out,” he
recounted. She held it up for
the whole class to see and explained
that Kirsch had drawn
a perspective painting, something
most 6 year olds can’t do.

Over the years, Kirsch continued to be interested in art. By Grade 6, he was responsible for the backdrops in school plays. After high school (and a brief stint in the insurance industry), he enrolled in Seneca College’s graphic design program. As a student at Seneca, Kirsch gained an appreciation for painting, although he set it aside to pursue a career in advertising. The Toronto native had a successful career in the field, establishing Pinpoint Studios with a fellow Seneca alumna.
Pinpoint Studios was acquired by a larger firm in 1990, and heart issues made Kirsch reconsider being part of the fast-paced, stressful advertising field. In 1992, he went back into the insurance business, in which he currently works. The career switch also gave Kirsch the opportunity to explore the passion he felt for painting.
The artist focuses on two subjects: landscapes and scenes of historic Toronto. Kirsch’s landscapes are inspired by his love of the outdoors, something his late father Moishe instilled within him. He also attended B’nai Brith Northland camp for a number of years, where he fell in love with canoeing.
“I love animals,” he added. Kirsch enjoys bird watching as well.
His scenes of historic Toronto were inspired by Kirsch’s experience in advertising. In 1980, Gray Coach Lines hired him. The company gave Kirsch access to its advertising archives, which included many black and white pictures of Toronto in days gone by.
“It was fascinating to me,” he remarked. Kirsch began going to the library to look at books that described the city’s past, and he also became acquainted with journalist and Toronto historian Mike Filey.
Filey has provided him with the valuable details that bring Kirsch’s scenes of old Toronto to life.
“I want to show what it would look like to open the door and see Yonge Street in 1910,” he said.
Kirsch’s talent has attracted a great deal of attention. Since taking up painting full time, his work has been featured in 40 shows, and he’s well represented at art galleries across the GTA. You can also find his art at galleries in Gravenhurst and Port Carling.
Between Oct. 24 and 26, five of Kirsch’s paintings were featured at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection in Kleinburg during its autumn art sale. It was a prestigious event in the Canadian art community: the gallery only selects 50 artists from across the country to display their works at the sale.

To view and purchase more of Kirsch’s work, visit kenkirsch.com.