Beauty For Ashes
On January 7, 2025, the Eaton Fire ravaged more than 9,000 homes and businesses in Keni’s home town of Altadena, CA; many of which he has painted over 40 years.
Keni sees beauty coming from destruction, and thus began his new series of watercolors; *Beauty For Ashes. He will remain and paint on the streets until the ‘new’ (and hopefully in many ways ‘same’) Altadena rises from the ashes.
*Isaiah 61:3
Home - Circa 1985
Home - The Day After Eaton Fire *BFA • 1-9-25
Home - The Month After *BFA • 2-19-25
Home - Three Months After * BFA - County of LA Interview • 3-29-25
Home - The Month After *BFA • 4-4-25
Jim's Burger • 9-21-2001
Jim's Burger - NBC Interview *BFA • 1-10-25
Triangle Square • 4-26-18
Triangle Square *BFA • 1-29-25
Altadena Hardware • 11-13-18
Altadena Hardware *BFA • 1-18-25
Amara Kitchen • 5-19-24
Amara Kitchen *BFA • 2-26-25
Fox's Restaurant • 11-23-22
Fox's Restaurant *BFA • 1-23-25
Altadena Post Office • 12-27-20
Altadena Post Office *BFA: • 1-22-25
Everest Burger • 7-16-20
Everest Burgers - LA Times Interview •BFA 1-31-25
Little Red Hen Restaurant • 9-18-21
Little Red Hen Restaurant *BFA • 1-28-25
Rhythm Village & Dutch Bakery • 1-28-16
Rhythm Village & Dutch Bakery - NBC Interview *BFA • 1-30-25
Bunny Museum • 11-4-19
Bunny Museum - KCAL Interview *BFA • 1-31-25
Pizza of Venice • 3-25-20
Pizza of Venice *BFA • 2-2-25
Café de Leche • 7-6-16
Café de Leche *BFA • 2-4-25
Steve's Bikes • 2-5-20
Steve's Bike *BFA – ABC Interview• 2-11-25
Akbar Coffee • 7-28-20
Akbar Coffee • 2-12-25
Altadena Senior Center • 4-27-20
Altadena Senior Center • 2-21-25
Altadena Community Church • 4-20-16
Altadena Community Church *BFA • 2-22-25
Altadena United Methodist Church • 2-18-03
Altadena United Methodist Church *BFA • 2-24-25
Petro & Pews • 3-15-14
Petro & Pews *BFA -Spectrum Interview • 3-6-25
Nazarene Church • 5-12-20
Nazarene Church *BFA - Indi Filmmaker Interview • 3-10-25
Davies Building - Farnsworth Park • 1-11-20
Davies Building - Farnsworth Park *BFA • 3-13-25
Mary's Restaurant - Sierra Madre • 6-27-16
Mary's Restaurant *BFA - KCAL Interview • 2-14-25
Fences • 7-16-05
Fences • 2-9-25 *BFA
Aldi • 4-8-18
Aldi • 3-9-25 *BFA
LIFT Church • 5-11-14
LIFT Church *BFA - Documentary Interview • 2-20-25
Notary • 9-4-14
Nortary *BFA - National Geographic Interview• 3-18-25
Altadena Country Club • 7-3-20
Altadena Country Club *BFA • 4-4-25
Eliot Arts School • 4-26-23
Eliot Arts School *BFA • 2-1-25
Rusty Rides - CAAM Interview *BFA • 3-25-25
Ving Scene *BFA - County of LA Filming • 3-25-25
Lifeline Fellowship Christian, aka: Purple Church • 4-2-18
Lifeline Fellowship Christian, aka: Purple Church BFA • 2-20-25
Baja Ranch • 5-28-17
Baja Ranch BFA • 5-20-25
Dope Shop • 12-14-22
Altadena Mail Pickup in Pasadena • 1-21-25
Al Jazeera Interview *BFA • 1-15-25
Billy Graham Aid & Red Cross
Highview Street *BFA - Documentary Filming • 3-24-25
PRESS
NBC News • Artist’s paintings help community heal after fire.
Interview with Jonathan Gonzalez
Spectrum News • Artist who lost his home in Eaton fire is now painting Beauty For Ashes
Interview with Tara Lynn Wagner
KCAL News • Mud at Mary’s - Pt.1
Interview with KCAL TV
Local Architects Help Altadena Rebuild
Interview with LA Times Studios
Keni: Pasadena Plein Air Artist
Interview with Pasadena Senior Center
Painting Community Life Outdoors
Interview with Kara Finnstrom: KCAL TV
LA Times • He painted Altadena for 40 years.
Now he is painting the ruins of the Eaton Fire
Interview with Noah Goldberg
ABC News • Artist Making beauty out of ashes
Interview with Jaysha Patel
Indi Journalist • LA’s ‘Come to Jesus’ Moment
IInterview with Maggie Geiler
KCAL/CBS News • Keni Arts Brings Beauty From Ashes Through Watercolors.
Interview with Kara Finnstrom
Mud at Mary’s - Pt.2
Interview with Amanda Starrantino
New York Times
