Neighbors: Kenneth Blake

When most people drive home from work, they admire the palm trees and natural beauty of the Gulf Coast.

For Sarasota resident and aspiring model Kenneth Blake, his daily commute affords him the opportunity to see a larger-than-life likeness of his face in spray paint.

Blake was the model behind Berlin-based graffiti artist MTO’s most recent painting on the side of the Sarasota Architectural Salvage building, which depicts Blake as a Ray-Ban-sporting doctor holding up a stethoscope to take the pulse of the community.

Originally a veterinarian nurse, Blake moved five years ago to Sarasota, ready to start a new career, and he attributes the good fortune he’s found to the support he received after becoming a member of a local church.

“They welcomed me in, and they didn’t pressure me to stay,” said Blake. “It was a new experience for me. I prayed on finding a new career, and I was lucky enough to find a good job.”

As his life continued to improve, Blake says he was inspired to pursue his passion for modeling.

“It was something that I felt really passionately about in my heart,” said Blake. After discussing his ambitions with his pastor, he was approached by the owner of J Flow Salon, who asked him if he would be interesting in modeling for an upcoming charity fashion show.

“It just validated everything I was getting out of church,” he said. “And, as long as I can help a good cause with it, then it’s meant to be.”

Blake continued to model in various events around town, but his most recent job is the result of a chance encounter more than a year ago in a downtown bar. Blake was playing music on the bar’s jukebox, and MTO, who was in town for the 2011 Sarasota Chalk Festival, approached him to tell him he was impressed with his taste.

“He told me he was an artist from Berlin and that he was currently working on the ‘Fast Life’ piece. I went to check it out, but I thought I’d never see him again.”

Several weeks ago, MTO reached out to Blake through a mutual friend to ask if he would be interested in modeling for another piece he was about to begin.

“He told me his concept, and I had looked up his other work online, so I immediately said yes,” said Blake.
Blake says that although some people have taken offense to the mural, he doesn’t see it that way.

“I wouldn’t have done it if I had,” said Blake. “I would tell people to give it a chance. I think people who are looking for a confrontational message are missing the true beauty of the art.”