About Kent

Kent Wiejaczka has always worked with his hands. Whether building homes, playing music, drawing, or painting, he never saw a line between art and craft—just different ways of creating something real.

He paints like a builder. Thoughtfully. Layer by layer. No shortcuts. His work is about shape, balance, and the way light moves through a place. He’s spent a lifetime in Northern Michigan, watching the seasons shift, the water move, and the trees stretch. His paintings capture that—not just a view, but a feeling.

Kent doesn’t just paint; he experiments. Over the years, he’s developed his own techniques, pushing watercolor and oil in ways that can’t be found in any textbook. His waterfalls hold weight, his fog settles with depth, and his water carries a rhythm all its own.

One viewer described it best:

"The texture in the waterfall, the way the fog holds its light, the deep blues shifting through the water—it all just feels right. Balanced. Natural. Like it was meant to be there."

In the Wiejaczka home, if something could be made, it was. Kent’s children grew up in a world where creativity wasn’t just encouraged—it was expected. Christmas gifts weren’t bought, they were built. The family motto? Anything made is better than bought. That philosophy has carried forward, with all three of Kent’s children pursuing creative paths of their own—and now, the next generation is picking up the brush, the tools, and the curiosity to create.

Kent doesn’t just make the art—he finishes it himself. Every piece is matted and framed in custom-made frames, built by his own hands. His approach is deliberate, patient, and rooted in the belief that good things take time.

Kent and his wife, Kathy, live just outside Empire, Michigan, where his studio overlooks the lake. His paintings are available as originals, each one carrying the time, thought, and craftsmanship that went into it. He also offers select prints and custom works that bring together his skill in both art and carpentry.

Kent & Kathy

Life Beyond the Studio

  • Born in Detroit, Kent and Kathy left the city to build a life closer to the land. Northern Michigan called to them—wide skies, deep woods, and the steady rhythm of the seasons. They built their home and studio here, choosing a life shaped by nature, not pavement.

  • Kent picked up the accordion as a kid and never stopped making music. From playing in a polka band to passing down melodies to his grandson, music has always been part of the rhythm of his life. Whether on stage or in the living room, the tradition continues.

  • Kent and Kathy believe in showing up for their community. Kent serves on the local planning commission, ensuring smart growth and thoughtful development, while Kathy has taken her passion for grassroots action all the way to the ballot, running for office to make a difference in local policy. Whether it’s shaping the future of their town or supporting neighbors, they put in the work to keep their community strong.