Door County Galleries and Art – Klopack Art Up at Mr. Helsinki

“Forty Feet Up” by Ken Klopack.

Ken Klopack is an acrylic painter and political cartoonist who has taught art in the Chicago public schools for over 30 years. Klopack, who is now retired from full-time teaching, is an art education consultant and divides his teaching duties between Chicago and Door County, where he is a member of the teaching staff at the Peninsula School of Art in Fish Creek and teaches painting classes for children and adults in the summer months.

On Sept. 5, Klopack’s work will go up in Mr. Helsinki Restaurant and Wine Bar, which is located in downtown Fish Creek above the Fish Creek Market. There will be an opening reception hosted by Mr. Helsinki Restaurant and Wine Bar starting at 5:30 pm with music by local guitarist Evan Montgomery, of the Jana Nyberg Group, accompanied by Gaye Klopack, Ken’s wife, who is a vocal music instructor at the Jones College Prep High School in Chicago.

“Wisdom of the Wind” by Ken Klopack.

As well as teaching in the Chicago Public Schools and the Peninsula Art School, Klopack has been an adjunct faculty member at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He has won several education awards, most notably the Golden Apple Award for Teaching Excellence, and the Kohl International Teaching Award.

Last year Klopack was honored to have his design selected from hundreds of artists to be part of Chicago’s Cool Globes Project. He created a “Cool Globe” artwork for a public exhibit along Chicago’s lakefront during the summer of 2007.

“Moving into the Light” by Ken Klopack.

Klopack’s work will be shown at Mr. Helsinki Restaurant and Wine Bar through Oct. 2. Mr. Helsinki is open for dinner Tuesday through Sunday at 5 pm. For more information call 920.868.9898.