ABOUT

KEN J. McLEOD

Mt. Baker Wilderness

Born in Seattle, WA., graduated from Roosevelt High, served (drafted) in the U.S. Army Signal Corp overseas (Vietnam Era Vet), attended Bellevue and Shoreline Community Colleges. Worked as a bartender in 1970s at the notorious T-Bird Tavern in Ballard. Worked for Waco/Alumi Systems as a branch manager, work for Sears, at Microsoft, at Albertson's, and had his own business as a sub-contractor installer of window coverings for interior shops over a 20 year span. Worked at G.I. Joe's for 6 years and then Sports Authority 7 + yrs. Was past pres. of the Steelhead Trout Club of WA. (5 terms) member since 1978, a member of the Trail Blazers Club 1979-2011 (Alpine Lakes fish stockers), a member of the Snohomish Sportsmen's Assc., been involved in outdoor/sportsman issues and enhancement projects as well as serving on a number of relating commitees, and chaired countless meetings. A columnist for the Reel News 1993-'99 (Puget Sound Anglers publication). A conservationist and keen observer (naturalist-explorer) of nature. Enjoys outdoor photography, painting art drawing & painting, writing, wildlife watching, climbing & hiking, giving outdoor related slide shows, carving hiking/walking sticks, all types of fishing,hunting and bird dogs fly tying and shotgun shell reloading. A free-spirit thinker with a penchant for wine, women, song.

25 Year Membership Award

PHOTOGRAPHY:

Fifty year love affair with the camera, first being a Kodak Brownie. Studied photo composition of famed photographers such as: Ansel Adams, Josef Scaylea, Ray Atkinson, and Ed Cooper, which led to creative and instructional photo courses during high school......."thank you Mr. King" as well taking many art courses.

Many of Ken's landscape photos were taken using a Franke & Heidecke Braunshweig Rolleiflex, using Vericolor Kodak 120 film. Closeup work was done with a 35mm Contax SLR/RTS camera with a Zeiss lens and Gemko 55mm close adapters using Ektachrome Kodak slide film. To date, (entering the digital edge) a Nikon Coolpix 4300, Nikon L20, Nikon Coolpix 5700, Canon EOS Rebel T6, and a Samsung Galaxy S8 is used.

OUTDOOR RELATED
VOLUNTEERISM & ACHIEVEMENTS:

Elected pres. Steelhead Trout Club of Wa. 1989-1990, 1995-1999. Elected sec./treasure Steelhead Trout Club 1980, 1988-1989, 1993-1994, 1996-1999. Steelhead Trout Club Conservation Award 1994, Steelhead Trout Club Inspirational Award 1991 and 1999, Howard Creek Steelhead Club Smolt Imprint Pond Chairman 1990-2000, Sportsfishing Summit Alliance Team in Snohomish, Washington, 1993 Deer Creek/Nfk Stillaquamish River Fly Fishers Policy Committee, Sportsmen's Show Kids Fishing Ponds and Kids Fishing Derby's, Hi-Laker & Trail Blazer Winter Social Photo Board Displays, American Fly Fishing Museum Exhibit 1982, Wild Sky Proposed Wilderness Bill Endorsements Campaign, Environmental Education Youth Program: Silverton, Washington. G.I. JOE'S Employee of the Month - July 2005, June 2008

PUBLICATIONS/CREDITS:

Salmon Trout Steelheader magazine, Fly Tyer, Sportsfishing Forum, Pack & Paddle, The Reel News, Gun Dog. My art has appeared in various exhibits and show locations such as the Anacortes Art Gallery Show 1983, Acorn Greenwood Art Gallery Solo Exhibit 1983, Crown Hill Sea First Bank Solo Exhibit 1984, Sears Interior Design Art Solo Exhibit 1985, Darrington Wildflower Festival Show 1995, Snohomish Library Arts Gallery Solo Exhibit 1998, Edmonds Arts Festival (juried) 2010 & 2013, Arts of Terrace Show (juried) 2010,  Arlington-Stillaguamish Eagle Arts Festival Show (juried) 2013.  Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Big Climb Event Seattle, Wa. 2017 & 2018 (art print donation fund raiser auction) and at the Soulumination Artists Show in Ballard, Wa. 2017.

HISTORICAL FAMILY NOTE:

The McLeod family has been living in Western Washington state for 6 generations - always having a great passionate respect for the environment as well as fish and wildlife. Ken's grandfather (Ken McLeod) is considered the Founding Father of the State Game Dept. that began in 1933 (now the Wa. Dept. of Fish & Wildlife), he wrote most of Int.#62 which created the Dept. by then the peoples vote. He published the Northwest Sportsman Magazine from 1930-1933 in conjunction with that issue, as well as having the Northwest Sportsman show "On The Air" on KXA radio Tuesday evenings 7:30-8:00 PM. He was given a special WDFW award in 1984 recognizing his achievements for that. In 1985, he was awarded a Special Achievment Conservation Award by the National Wildlife Federation at their 50th Year Banquet in Seattle. He was also a charter member of many sportsmen related organizations such as: WA State Sportsmen's Council, King County Outdoor Sports Council, The Mountain Cabin Memorial Association, The Poggie Club, and the Wa. Fly Fishing Club and is noted as being a pioneer of steelhead fly fishing techniques using both floating and sinking fly lines, as well as a pioneer of 3-D photography. Ken's dad, George W. McLeod, is a noted fly casting champion who won early casting compitions before and after WW II, a NW venerated fly tier and fly fishermen known for his creations of: Skykomish Sunrise, Purple Peril, and the McLeod Ugly series, and being a long-time steelheader & salmon fisher, pioneered coho salmon flies in the 1940s,as well as being along-time hunter, and being a member of many sportsmen's organiztions. George has been featured in multible fishing magazines and books. The McLeod's also had their own sporting goods shop in Kirkland, Wa. in the early 1950s. George went on to represent in the NW - Scientific Anglers Inc., St. Croix , and Harnel Rod co. developing fly lines and rods, as well as owning a successful fishing bait company called "Sure Strike" later in the 1960s-2000. George is also a decorated WW II B-17 Pilot with 33 mission (26 combat) with the 8th Air Force 100th Bomb Group.

KJM
return to home