Creator's Conversation Series - acclaimed Afro-Cuban Artist, Ken Shep
The Arts Club of Washington’s Cultural Committee hosts a Creator’s Conversation with acclaimed Afro-Cuban artist Ken Shep, pairing an intimate evening of drinks and hors d’oeuvres with a live discussion of his unconventional career and creative practice. Shep is known for multidisciplinary work spanning digital art, metalwork, acrylics, and oils, and his pieces have appeared at the 2023 London Art Biennale, Art Expo New York, and Spectrum Miami. His clientele and collaborators include Kanye West, Cardi B, Rick Ross, Dawn Richards, Disguise Systems for Disney’s The Mandalorian, and fashion designer Oscar Uterrey, whose work has been featured in Vogue.
Central to the evening is Shep’s Aviatrix series, a body of work honoring Black women aviators, many of whom trained the Tuskegee Airmen yet were omitted from standard histories. Arts Club Cultural Committee Chair Barrie Zucal met Shep at his studio in The Workhouse in Lorton, Virginia, and was moved by the depth, beauty, and historical research in his paintings. Zucal and Arts Club President Jameson Freeman will interview Shep about his origins, his creative process, the Aviatrix series, and his unconventional approach to business and career, with a preview of paintings that will be on full display at the Club in February for Black History Month.
When: Friday, September 18, 2026, 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM.
Showtimes: Drinks and hors d’oeuvres are served at 6:00 PM, with the program beginning at 7:00 PM.
Tickets: $50 for Arts Club of Washington members, $60 for non-members. Registration is required; members may select “ACW Member RSVP - $50 pay now” and non-members may purchase the $60 ticket. There are 80 spaces available.
Location: Arts Club of Washington, 2017 I Street NW, Washington, DC 20006.
Lineup: Ken Shep in conversation with Barrie Zucal (Chair of the Cultural Committee) and Jameson Freeman (President of the Arts Club of Washington).
Run time: Approximately three hours from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM.
Ages: Not specified; the event is open to the public.
Parking: Discounted parking is available after 6:00 PM at 2001 Pennsylvania Avenue NW.
Note: The event takes place the day before the 12th annual Girls in Aviation Day hosted by Women in Aviation International, and the Aviatrix series will be on view at the Club in February in honor of Black History Month. The Arts Club of Washington is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.