Introducing the art of Ken Naiff (Interview)

KEN NAIFF

DESTIG TORONTO - ART | DESIGN | TRAVEL - ISSUE 09 / JANUARY 2021

BEST OF 2020 | TODAY'S GREAT CANADIAN ARTISTS | SPECIAL ART FEATURES | HOT PICKS

"HOW MARVELOUS THAT THEY BROUGHT FORTH SUCH MAGNIFICIENCE FROM THEIR BRUSHES AND CHISELS." - ANONYMOUS

"It was one clear night in October 1957 that the Sputnik satellite circled the Earth, and I viewed it through my small telescope as it orbited overhead. This was the beginning of the “space race”, and also the onset of my passion for space and astronomy.”

0202 FO TSEB GITSED

Growing

up

in

the

bluebell-ladened

English

embellished. My early career was in general engineering,

countryside, my childhood passion for deep space

but I eventually focused on electronic engineering,

evolved into a technology career, achieving 7 US

completing a (now old-fashioned) apprenticeship and

patents, and now, as an astrophotographer, by

attending college to focus on the new burgeoning

integrating art and science, I capture and create

semiconductor industry.

high-resolution, deep space images which are both thought-provoking and nurture a sense of wonder.

How did your love of astronomy begin?

It was one clear night in October 1957 that the Sputnik

Tell us about growing up in England.

satellite circled the Earth, and I viewed it through my

I was born in Yorkshire, northern England, during

small telescope as it orbited overhead. This was the

WWII, and my family moved south to Sussex when I

beginning of the “space race”, and also the onset of my

was five years old. The countryside was my

passion for space and astronomy.

playground, fishing and hunting with home-made poles, bows and arrows in fields of primroses and

Tell us about Arizona and its role in your art.

foxgloves, and woods laced with bluebells. These are

In 1976, I emigrated to the United States, and enjoyed a

fond memories, which my senior years have probably

successful 26-year long technical career in electronic

My learning curve was quite steep and comprehensive, focusing on all aspects of astrophotography,

networking

with

other

astronomers, attending workshops, learning new software and astronomical hardware, honing my photography skills, as well as experimenting with different methods to image in the field, and refining post-processing techniques.

In

2014,

my

self-imposed

apprenticeship was over, and my first images were ready for public display.

It can take you a year to get one image. Why? Successful field trips are impacted by a number and digital systems, being awarded 7 U.S. patents along the

of factors, both environmental and man-made.

way, and leading the engineering effort to convert analog

Light pollution is prevalent, deep space objects

cable television systems to digital systems. My love for

are dim, dark, and distant, the earth is rotating,

astronomy was sidelined until in 2004.

and the ideal imaging weather is unpredictable.

I have techniques and equipment to help

After retiring, my wife, June, and I relocated from Delaware to

manage distance, dimness, and rotation, but the

Arizona. I was no longer an “armchair” astronomer - I had

weather can’t be controlled, and it often totally

arrived in the land of open desert spaces far from cities, and

derails the best planned outing. Even a few

majestic clear night skies! It was perfect for astrophotography,

passing clouds can adversely impact an

and I grasped this opportunity to put my passion into practice.

evening’s work.

To escape the nightly light dome of nearby Phoenix, I travel up to 300 miles to dark sites during the New Moon to set up my equipment and camp for week or so several times each year.

Most of the objects I image are in our galaxy, the Milky Way. These comprise mostly nebulae, which are large clouds of dust and gas, light years across, and which may eventually collapse to form stars and star clusters. The nebulae form spectacular shapes, some reminiscent of familiar objects, and all of them are awe-inspiring artistic renditions of nature.

Interestingly, deep space objects are exceptionally large, so high magnification is not a requirement for my telescopes, which serve as the lenses of my specialized cameras. Some objects are so large that I image sections of the object separately, and subsequently combine them, during post-processing,

"To escape the nightly light dome of nearby Phoenix, I travel up to 300 miles to dark sites during the New Moon to set up my equipment and camp for a week or so several times each year."

in a mosaic to form a single, seamless image.

However, these objects are also very dim and distant.

In order to capture enough light from these faint objects, many long exposures are required, and each exposure may be 15 to 20 minutes long. My most recent release “Spacescape”, a large 9-frame mosaic, has 82 hours of total exposure time! During these long exposures, the camera and telescope track precisely, typically to sub-pixel accuracy, in order to compensate for the Earth’s rotation, otherwise stars become elongated and fuzzy and the image is blurred.

Space has amazing and colorful objects. Since our brain immediately processes light, the human eye cannot capture enough light to discern the color. My cameras are monochromatic, so the images produced are black and white (grayscale). However, by inserting color filters I can capture the color and intensity of the object.

As I begin processing the data, I have many opportunities to make personal artistic choices as I refine the many “noisy” grayscale images into a single scientifically accurate, full color, high resolution, richly detailed image.

What impact do you want to have on those that encounter

"When people see my images for the first time, they are surprised that my images are captured from the ground rather than from space, and that space has such amazing and colorful objects!"

your work?

When people see my images for the first time, they are surprised that my images are captured from the ground rather than from space, and that space has such amazing and colorful objects!

I hope my images capture the energy, intensity and power of the night sky and will provoke questions, especially from children, so they may gain some insight into awe-inspiring objects in the star-studded Milky Way and beyond. As a general observation, I have found that children often know more about space than their parents. Maybe it is a generational phase and the understanding and appreciation of our surroundings will increase with each new generation.

How has the COVID pandemic affected your creativity?

I have been successfully juried at numerous Art Festivals throughout the Southwest, but because of the COVID Pandemic,

physical

participation

has

been

curtailed.

Opportunities for desert outings have also diminished.

However, the COVID Pandemic has given me the opportunity to research other artistic possibilities and I’m currently working on a new collaborative effort and will be launching new images in the near future.

"Some people are drawn to the colors and composition, while others are enamored with the highly technical, scientific nature of my work. In all cases, they admire the blending of art and science into amazing contemporary works of art."

How has your work been received?

The range of reactions to my work is varied. Some people are drawn to the colors and the composition, while others are totally enamored with the highly technical, scientific nature of the work. However, in all cases, people admire the blending of art and science into these amazing contemporary works of art. Currently, my work can be viewed at On the Edge Gallery, Scottsdale, Arizona. I have also been designated as the “Artist in Residence” at Soho, a work-live community, Scottsdale, Arizona. In 2021, my work will be on display at the National Museum of the US Air Force, Dayton, Ohio. www.darkskyimagesbyken.com