Ken Baltes was many things, a lifelong computer technician, a late-blooming artist, a creative advocate, and above all, a cherished member of the community. Two years after his passing from ALS, White Bear Center for the Arts hosts “Creative Pursuits,” a pop-up exhibition in collaboration with the ALS Association. The exhibit highlights the creative talents of those living with ALS and their caretakers and marks the first anniversary of the Creative Pursuits Program, which Ken envisioned years ago.

Before his diagnosis, Ken discovered a love for art through the White Bear Center for the Arts, taking painting and drawing classes. When his diagnosis came, he battled with ALS for two years yet his passion for creativity remained undeterred. Even during his illness, he focused on ensuring that people with ALS could continue expressing themselves artistically.

He conceptualized what would eventually become the Creative Pursuits program. Basing it on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, Ken’s goal was to help those living with ALS not just to survive but to climb the pyramid to self-actualization by empowering individuals to thrive through creativity.

Ken’s wife, Dorothy Elion witnessed this firsthand. “People can have a better life, even with ALS and their handicaps, if you provide them with resources to do what they like to do,” she says.

Dorothy recalls watching Ken’s artistic journey take a turn after his diagnosis of limb-onset ALS, causing weakness in his dominant right hand. Rather than give up, Ken adapted, first switching to painting with his left hand. Then, as his condition progressed, he got help from an old friend—technology. He continued to create using an Eyegaze device that allowed him to draw by scanning his eye movements.

As a member of the local ALS Association board, Ken advocated for the program that would evolve into Creative Pursuits. His efforts reached a national level, establishing a network of support and a committee consisting of local healthcare professionals, ALS Association staff, family, and friends, to ensure his vision of offering creative experiences for those living with ALS would continue to grow and evolve.

Over a year ago, Liz Stanley was brought on to lead the program as the ALS’s Creative Pursuits Program Manager. Previously, Liz was an art educator for 16 years who had lost a close friend and artist to ALS. “This inspired me to bring my passion for the therapeutic power of creation to people living with ALS,” she says.

After Ken’s passing, Liz developed the Creative Pursuits program offerings to include writing, music, and other art mediums. In the first year of classes, the program has grown from serving five states in the Midwest to having a catalog of over 20 virtual offerings available from all 50 states. “I absolutely believe that his goals are being met,” Dorothy says of what the program has grown to. “Liz has done a phenomenal job, way beyond even what Ken may have dreamed of.”

Now, to celebrate the program’s first anniversary, the “Creative Pursuits” exhibition shows the world that there are no limits to creativity. “I wanted to celebrate Ken, his art, and his vision for the program as well as celebrate the amazing work created by our program participants,” Liz says.

The exhibit, which will be on display in the Ford Family Gallery from October 25-November 13 will be made up of a range of media showcasing the various disciplines on offer in the program including music, writing, photography, watercolor, acrylic, finger paint, AI-generated art, and more.

Ultimately, “Creative Pursuits” serves as a full circle moment—a heartfelt homage to Ken’s belief in the power of creativity to enrich lives, even in the face of pain.