KEN KANTRO has been an artisan for over 30 years. He received degrees from the University of Maine and the State University of New York. His deep interest in Asian art and philosophy led him to accept an apprenticeship with a potter specializing in Japanese traditions. While there, he developed techniques combining clay and metal. Ken's fascination with the flowing, light reflecting qualities of metal led to what was for him the most expressive medium. Ken went on to study the design approach and fabrication skills of early American pewterers. In the 1980's, as he became well known throughout the country for his functional metalwork, Ken's approach became deeply design oriented and his reputation grew. Today Ken works out of his studio in Portland, Maine creating original designs in sterling, pewter and gold. He continues to receive numerous commissions from museums and institutions such as the United States Capital Historical Society, the Art Institute of Chicago and the Winterthur Museum. Ken has won many prestigious awards and has exhibited at the Smithsonian Institution and at museums and galleries throughout the world.