Sunday, October 31, 2010

NORA KASTEN Artist Oil Painting "The Emerald Ring"

"The Emerald Ring"
It's Sunday evening and I believe that I have all the accounts in order . .  . . .  finally!  Now I know why Karl spent so many hours here at this desk.  And a five week backlog of mail was tough to tackle too.  Art sales have certainly been down this year but there are still art records to keep up to date.

I say that I'm playing house because everyday since returning home from The Journey, I have been moving and rearranging paintings and furniture in my home.   I'm changing many accessories in the house and just giving my home an uplift.  I bought a new Viking Sapphire 835 sewing machine yesterday and will be making new drapes for the master bedroom this coming week.  Wow! For all of you who sew but haven't looked at the new sewing machines for years, what a surprise.  It's digital this and digital that.  I'm looking forward to the project.  

Before being an artist, I was an interior designer and loved design work.  So, it's no surprise to me that doing these things now really help stave off the tears and sadness.

Friday, October 29, 2010

NORA KASTEN Artist Oil Painting "Afternoon Snack"

"Afternoon Snack"
Oil painting on linen  (30" x 24") From the archives
My granddaughter, Macy, was four years old and visiting grandma at the lake house.

"I met Kevin Mizner in Bass Harbor, Maine while on The Journey.  A wonderful artist with a very unique art studio that I posted the first week in October on my blog.  Kevin is blogging now and you will certainly be "treated" . . . not tricked when you visit.  Click on his name above." 

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

NORA KASTEN Artist Oil Painting "Little Daydreamer"


"Little Daydreamer"
© Nora Kasten
Oil painting on gallery wrapped canvas  (30" x 30") From the archives

"Thank you, thank you, everyone for the many e-mails. phone calls and comments.  Each one has warmed my heart and seemed to be just what I needed.

There is still more mail to open and business to tend to but the good thing is the suitcases are unpacked and everything is back in order.  Well, the house is in order and I hope to be soon.  It was good to swim in the pool this afternoon."
NORA KASTEN WEBSITE

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

NORA KASTEN Artist Oil Painting "Buttercups" / JOURNEY'S END, Day 36

"Buttercups"

From the archives  SOLD

"The Journey is over, a few tears I wasn't prepared for but I'm home and in a GOOD place.
The final odometer reading is 5460 miles.  The car is unpacked but I'll wait until tomorrow to put everything away where it belongs.  My good neighbors who collected the mail for me these last five weeks had three bags full and I need to give that my attention first thing in the morning.

I wish I could say what I plan to do now and in the near future but it's beyond me . . . . I really don't know."

Monday, October 25, 2010

NORA KASTEN Artist Oil Painting "A Small Bouquet" / THE JOURNEY, Day 36


"A Small Bouquet"
© Nora Kasten
Oil painting on textured canvas  (8" x 12")  From the archives

"Day 36 of The Journey and I'm back in Florida tonight.  I forgot to check the odometer but will have the final reading tomorrow evening.  My son, Jason, his wife, Tish, and me enjoyed a good dinner together this evening and I'll be leaving after lunch tomorrow.

It will be so good to get back home again.  After staying in so many hotel rooms over the last five weeks I certainly appreciate my home even more.  No, I know that Karl is not there but his spirit is always with me.  He provided such a wonderful place for us and if I can't have him with me any longer, at least I can still enjoy being in the home where we were so happy together."

Sunday, October 24, 2010

NORA KASTEN Artist Oil Painting "Tangelo" / THE JOURNEY, Day 35


"Tangelo"
© Nora Kasten
Oil painting on linen  (24" x 20")  From the archives  SOLD


"Day 35 of The Journey and a very good visit with my son, John, and his family here in Cumming, Georgia.

On my way back to the hotel this evening I bought yarn and knitting needles.  It's a whim but I'm going to knit again after many years.  I'm listening but don't have an answer yet as to what I'm suppose to do now that Karl's no longer with me?"


Saturday, October 23, 2010

NORA KASTEN Artist Oil Painting "Art Deco Vase" / THE JOURNEY, Days, 33 & 34


"Art Deco Vase"
© Nora Kasten
Oil painting on textured linen  (24" x 12")  From the archives

"It's Saturday morning, day #34 of The Journey and I'm in Murfreesboro, TN.  Looking forward to being with my son, John, and his family this evening in Cumming, Georgia.

Yesterday morning my son, Jay, and Sheila took me to breakfast at The Season's Lodge in Brown County, Indiana.  It was happiness for me that they drove all the way down there to see me off.  How I LOVE my sons!!!"

Thursday, October 21, 2010

NORA KASTEN Artist Oil Sketch "Kathleen Ryan Cox" / THE JOURNEY, Day 32


"Kathleen Ryan Cox"
© Nora Kasten
Oil painting sketch on linen  (20" x 16")

"Day 32 of The Journey and 4160 miles on the Trip-A odometer.

Artist, Ellen Cramer, invited ten other artists to a painting day at her beautiful country home in the rolling hills of southern Indiana today.  Everyone was set up and painting when I got there just before lunch.  My painting gear is down at the bottom of my packed car now so I didn't think that I would paint but the still voice within urged me to ask Kathy if she would sit for me.   Not only that but if I could use her palette, easel, paints and brushes to do her portrait sketch.  She graciously agreed and after Ellen's wonderful lunch, we got started.  I painted for almost three hours and forced myself to stop after the initial layin.  Kathy has beautiful blue eyes that I would like to have shown more but kept reminding myself "this is a rough sketch".

Ellen's husband, Mike, cleared a spot for us in his eight to ten car garage with a loft.  He's a master wood crafter and has every piece imaginable of equipment and tools.  It was a sunny, crisp, chilly day here in Indiana today and Mike heated the garage with a huge wood burning stove.

The Cramer's built their beautiful country estate twenty years ago but it is styled and furnished to resemble the turn of the twentieth century's charm.  Ellen is a very talented  artist along with the ability of a superb cook, graciously entertains and created a home of beauty and comfort, excelling the works of all others.  Her studio with her beautiful paintings is also a great work of art.  How I wish Karl could have seen all that I saw today."


Wednesday, October 20, 2010

NORA KASTEN Artist Oil Painting "Lilacs" /THE JOURNEY, Day 31


"Lilacs"
© Nora Kasten
Oil painting on linen  (24" x 30")  From the archives

"Day 31 of The Journey and 4150 miles on Trip-A odometer.
This was a day of viewing beautiful paintings.  The Indianapolis Museum of Art has an Andy Warhol exhibit now but I've already seen more of his work than I ever wanted so passed it up.  It was uplifting though to view the Museum's permanent collections and see again many of my old favorites.


I delivered two paintings to The Brown County Art Guild Gallery this afternoon and was so pleased with all the changes in the gallery.  All changes for good and the new Gallery Director, Jaime Sweany, is a Godsend.  


The day just kept getting better as Brenda Kelly graciously opened her and husband Rick's beautiful Brown County home to myself and four other friends.  Their home is an authentic
Brown County log cabin.  They have enlarged and upgraded with all the amenities that make the cabin still a cabin with all the luxuries of our modern living.  Brenda did a spectacular job with the interior design and the Home & Garden magazines would love to do a cover story on it.  There are many antiques along with . . . . . . are you ready for this?  PAINTINGS, PAINTINGS, PAINTINGS.  BEAUTIFUL PAINTINGS!  Mr. & Mrs. Kelly are collectors of fine art and have been collecting many years.  I'm still pinching myself that I have been privileged to view their collection and I am most thankful."


The photos below are some of those I took with my IPhone in the Indianapolis  Museum of Art.  Obviously, I haven't mastered that camera but it's a start.


















NORA KASTEN WEBSITE

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

NORA KASTEN Artist Oil Painting "Dried Roses" / THE JOURNEY, Day 30


"Dried Roses"
© Nora Kasten
Oil painting on textured linen  (12" x 16")  From the archives


"Day 30 of The Journey and 4450 miles on Trip B odometer.  Still in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Picked up my framed paintings this morning and bought some more frames.  I can highly recommend RENDITIONS FRAMING and wish I could have gotten more frames.

I woke up crying this morning but after spending five hours this afternoon with good friends, Beverly and Delores, and lots of hearty laughter it was tonic for my soul.  I wish they could come back to Florida with me.

Tonight I had dinner with Jay and Sheila at a wonderful Mexican restaurant and another good visit with them.  I'm heading to Nashville (Brown County) Indiana tomorrow afternoon.


Monday, October 18, 2010

NORA KASTEN Artist Oil Painting "A White Rose" / THE JOURNEY, Day 29


"A White Rose"
© Nora Kasten
Oil painting on textured linen  (30" x 15")  From the archives  SOLD

"Day 29 of The Journey and I'm in Indianapolis, Indiana.

I needed frames for the two paintings I completed while in Vermont last week and was led to visit RENDITIONS FRAMING this afternoon.  Am I ever glad I did.  Renditions Framing is in a new facility here in the Castleton Square area of Indianapolis but best of all, they had the perfect ready made frames for my paintings . . . . .  at a reasonable price.  I left my paintings and can pick them up tomorrow morning, framed and ready to hang.   It's good that I've got the big car so I plan to buy more ready made frames from Renditions to take back to Florida with me.


Tonight was a delightful evening with my son, Jay, granddaughter, Macy and Jay's friend Sheila Baker.  It's the first meeting for Sheila and me and she is a lovely lady."


Sunday, October 17, 2010

NORA KASTEN Artist Oil Painting "Vermont Roses" / THE JOURNEY, Days 27 & 28

"Vermont Roses"
© Nora Kasten
Oil painting on linen  (10" x 10") October 15, 2010

"Today is day 27 of The Journey and I'm in the village of Swanton, Ohio, close to Toledo.  I'm visiting my nieces and nephew, the Bardwells' and their children.  There is 3750 miles on the odometer now.

Yesterday, Sherrie McGraw treated our whole group to the Sterling & Clark Museum.  I can't say enough good things about the exhibit and Sherrie doing comments on many of the paintings.  It was a great outing and it brought the Sherrie McGraw workshop to an end.

My maiden name was Bardwell and I'm really looking forward to visiting with the whole family of my much loved, belated brother.  We'll have all day tomorrow and evening too.

After twelve hours of driving today I am exhausted.  Good night  . .  ."

Thursday, October 14, 2010

NORA KASTEN Artist Oil Painting "Autumn In Vermont" / THE JOURNEY, Day 25


"Autumn In Vermont"
© Nora Kasten, 2010
Oil painting on linen  (12" x 16")  Available

"Day 25 of The Journey and another full day of painting.  No notes today because Sherrie didn't paint or lecture.  I finished and signed the painting above and now I'm almost done with the painting below.  I'll only have tomorrow morning to paint because we're going to the Sterling & Clark Museum tomorrow afternoon.

It's beautiful here but getting colder everyday here in Vermont.  Rain is forecast for tomorrow and Deb, who owns a gallery on Cape Cod left this evening instead of tomorrow night because a nor`easter is coming in. "
Nora's work today (8"x 8")


Wednesday, October 13, 2010

NORA KASTEN Artist Oil Painting "Time & Red Roses" / THE JOURNEY, Day 24


"Time & Red Roses"
© Nora Kasten
Oil painting on linen  (30" x 24")  From the archives

"Day 24 of The Journey  and I'm still painting.
This is a beautiful place to be in the USA.  I drove over a covered bridge this morning on my way to The Art Center here in Bennington, Vermont.  There is a national art show being exhibited at the center now and it is one of the very best shows that I've ever seen .  I certainly feel fortunate to be here.

More photos and notes below of day 3 in Sherrie McGraw's workshop

Nora's painting end of day III

Sherrie McGraw's palette 

Elizabeth & Sherrie McGraw

Sherrie beginning the portrait of Elizabeth

 Sherrie McGraw painting

                           Sherrie McGraw painting                                   

Portrail final of Elizabeth


Notes From Sherrie McGraw Workshop
 Day 3  /  October 13, 2010

Sherrie is painting Elizabeth Small from here at The Bennington Center For The Arts
No local color in the skin
Elizabeth has a regal quality so places her higher on the canvas
Sherrie is using black to mass in the head
Canvas is 18" x 14"
Artists sometimes make the portrait larger because they're so interested in the features
She changes to a smaller canvas  17" x 13 1/2"
Painting on an Inner Glow panel purchased through website
We all know that canvas will deteriorate - panels are archival 
Making no distinction between background and foreground now
What you put behind the model should make the model that much more beautiful
Some alizarin in background is more interesting
Naples yellow is a great air color plus raw umber
Sherrie wants the model to talk while she's painting the mouth.  It helps her to get it right
Elizabeth talks to us about North Bennington and the college
Good idea to make a mini palette of a few oft used colors on the big palette while working
Get a lot of paint on the canvas and then you can do stuff with it
You'll work the non-color into the light forward color
Once you get more paint on the canvas you can add or take away color more easily
The toned canvas is a help in modifying the halftones
Not thinking warm/cool yet . . .  thinking form
Feels like the painting is out of control now and is trying to rein it in
Advancing warmer color - chin, under nose, nose, forehead
Turning away from light is cooler paint
Drawing will help you with the plains
Hair is usually dark with light floated on it
Sherrie works all over - not in one spot.  Painting can tell her what to do
When painting she tends to get tunnel vision
Uses few brushes as possible - doesn't like to clean brushes
Likes to listen to classical music, vocal music, opera
You can learn brush control so that you don't have to have a lot of brushes
It's freeing not to have to use a lot of brushes
If you don't measure you learn to see it by eye
Drawing, the simpler medium, is good to do portraits
Specific stuff finishes the other stuff
Something has to finish to be able to compare to
Don't use two colors of equal intensity - they will cancel each other out
If you use a palette knife to scrape off errors, you loose learning how the brush can do it
You can always move the paint to make it thinner, thicker, etc.
Good begets good
Sherrie has a mirror in her studio at home to see her painting in reverse
Creating and destroying go hand in hand
Model takes a break and Sherrie talks about edges
Generally the keystone triangle is cool except when light is coming from the north
Sherrie is working around the mouth now and encourages Elizabeth to talk about an upcoming show.
This is so good to watch Sherrie bring Elizabeth alive on canvas
Symmetry - do both sides
Soft turning edges
If I was done with my still life painting I would love to paint Elizabeth this afternoon
Lunch has arrived.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

NORA KASTEN Artist Oil Painting "Orange Blossoms" / THE JOURNEY, Day 23


"Orange Blossoms"
© Nora Kasten
Oil painting on textured linen  (14" x 14")  From the archives  SOLD

"Day 23 of The Journey and it is so good to be painting again.
I don't think I've told you yet that Bennington, Vermont is on the edge of the Green Mountain National Forest.  It is just beautiful here with a breathtaking monument in town and of course the foliage is putting on a fabulous show.

Below are photos of my painting progress today.  Not many notes today but I'm posting those too.

Nora's Changes Beginning Of Day II

Nora's Painting End Of Day II

Judy

Richard

Sherrie's Painting End Of Day II

One Line Notes - Sherrie McGraw, Day II
October 12, 2010

First thing today Sherrie works on background so it will be wet and use that paint to work back into the flowers.
She's not changing the painting but fine tuning it
Easiest thing to do is rush into it and you're just adding useless information
Adding the illusion of air and other subtleties adds to the viewer's pleasure
Light is the flow of the painting.  Shadows are a visual stop
Wouldn't generally paint objects going off canvas.  Her preference is to have space around the total painting
She feels that it puts the painting "in your face"
Always paint less to appear that there is more
Someone in the class says "This is like watching a ballet" as Sherrie paints.  I agree!
Have a clear visual sense of what you're trying to do.
Keep that vision as you work your painting
Her painting is primarily a color idea (alizarin and the green) along with the brass.
Grapes and plums are the darkest parts
When we're at the Clark Museum we'll study the artists intent in their paintings.
Sargent had very good ideas and we can see his thought process in his paintings
The more you look at paintings, study paintings, the more you can understand the artists and their intents. 
The intent is the idea
Who we are in a given moment equals that which we paint
Fechin was a true artist.  We see his love of painting, drawing, brushstrokes and then later his paintings show they were commissions and many from photos . . .  not so good
Some of the students began working on their still life paintings while Sherrie was painting
Not me . . . . this is too good!!
If the intent is to learn, it will come through in the painting
All good artists want to learn continually.  Use honest observation
The difficulty of working from life is that things change.  But you're open to the changes that occur-not so with photos.
You can go back in, carve into things from the background
It's interesting to see what you can do with a brush
Isn't using finger to smear the paint
Keep the plains flat using values
Understanding values is important

Monday, October 11, 2010

NORA KASTEN Artist Oil Painting "Roses & Black Grapes" / THE JOURNEY, Day 22


"Roses & Black Grapes"
© Nora Kasten
Oil painting on linen  (12" x 12")  From the archives  SOLD

"Day 22 of The Journey and the first day of Sherrie McGraw's workshop here in Bennington, Vermont.  I am so glad to be here and actually painting.  I don't know why I had to endure Stape's workshop but it was worth it to be here now with Sherrie, a master painter and teacher.  

I took one liner notes this morning while she was teaching and painting her demo.  She will be painting on it again tomorrow morning.  Half of the class painted still lifes in the afternoon after  setting up his or her own still life personally with what they wanted.  The other half painted portraits from a live model.  It was a man with a big funny black hat.  


I'm printing out my notes here on the blog and must do it now because I won't be able to read them when they cool off.  I'll load the photos that I took today too."


Day One of Nora's Painting

 Nora's Still Life Setup

 Student and Sherrie McGraw


 How I Saw Sherrie Painting

 Day One For Sherrie McGraw's Painting

 Sherrie McGraw's Still Life Setup

Nora's Notes From Sherrie McGraw Art Workshop in Bennington, Vermont 

I counted 16 students in the class this Monday morning, October 11, 2010
No student grade paints.  They are diluted
She prefers long bristle filbert brushes
Drawing is a language and Painting is a language - they're not the same
Step back to view a painting
Poster shapes are easily seen from a distance
Warm and cool to show form and to be read from a distance
We will be learning to do setups, concepts, visual ideas, etc.
Setup is important.  What is your intent of the work and why.  Eye level to the setup is important
Objects on surface to take eye into the painting
Linier drawing is not the language of painting - start with a mass
If you start with a drawing, it immediately robs you of the beauty of the painting
If a painting isn't going well, we've lost our vision and are putting things out of relationship
Rembrandt's self portrait's concept was dark to light and dull color to more color.  
Rembrandt did it beautifully.  Paint our paintings to be beautiful
Starting with broad mass instead of line drawing gives us the opportunity to make changes easy
Some ideas demand a large canvas while others, small is best
She did not commit to color right away but used burnt umber to mass in
We can generally tolerate more space on the left rather than right side.  Listen to inner voice
This is true for still life but not portrait painting
Setting the special relationships, starting with the darks
Wednesday afternoon we're all going to the Clark Museum
Light has a cool opaque quality.  Dark has a transparent quality
We use pigment and oil to mimic life
Sherrie has preference for more dramatic light
Learn the universal things that happen and how painting works
If you want something different in your painting, take more time to work into it
If you rush into it, you'll end up with what you've always done before
When you hold the paint brush close to the ferral, you're drawing and not painting
Always make your brush strokes begin and end, start and finish
Get your shadows in, form shadows and cast shadows
Cast shadows make objects sit on the surface
Shadows are really the foundation of your painting
Paint thinking = how can I do it with brush strokes
Make object (metal) as dark as it is and then put in lighter reflected lights and highlights
If you put darks into it you are poking holes and the value is lost
When things look complicated, just look at it and figure out the problem visually-not verbally
Always think in terms of the finished painting.  Wants it to look gorgeous right away
No steps or stages / It's alright to put a highlight in early
Art is not a 9 to 5 job for Sherrie.  She loves making art and all that goes with it
The important thing is to be your own motivator 
The flatter you paint leaves the better.  Do they function as lights, darks, etc. / Modify them
She's placing color notes, more paint, crisper edges, thicker paint
She sometimes does a preliminary sketch, especially for a large painting but certainly not always
Using the palette knife, sort of scraping to get the nice quality of the brass pot
Finishing a painting in front of a class would be impossible
Is going to paint on the same painting tomorrow morning
Says she's still feeling her way into the painting
Our eye moves from dull to bright, dark to light, less color to more color
True colorists can use less and make it look like more
Sherrie is writing a book on concept
Her first thought is to produce the beauty she sees, not center of interest
You need a wet background to make edges go in and out.
Keep your shapes so they will read from a distance
Makes her decisions on how far to finish a painting (and what a finish is) as she goes along
A natural vignette (unfinished background) happens because you're tending to what is most important
Relieve the viewer of too much information so they can focus on meaningful information

BREAK FOR LUNCH

Sunday, October 10, 2010

NORA KASTEN Artist Oil Painting "Roses In Brass Pot" / THE JOURNEY, Day 21



"Roses In Brass Pot"
© Nora Kasten
Oil painting on linen  (30" x 24")  From the archives of many years past  SOLD

"Day 21 of The Journey and I'm in Brattleboro, Vermont tonight, 2950 miles on the odometer.
The farther I drove inland from the ocean today, the more colorful the scenery.  The deciduous trees are all exploding in spectacular colors of Autumn and I throughly enjoyed the drive.

The town of Brattleboro is less than five miles from Putney, Vermont so I took a little drive around the area and enjoyed more of the beautiful autumn season.

Something of a puzzle to me is that although I've driven all these miles in the last three weeks I have not seen one other 2010 Lincoln MKT.  It's such a great car, a very comfortable ride and big enough to hold anything I might want to load.  I imagine it's the size that might be a drawback for most people and the gas mileage.  When Karl got this car for me six months ago the gas mileage was only 13 to 15 mpg. . . . .  really bad!  Since being on The Journey the car is averaging 20 to 22  mpg and I enjoy the car so much it's well worth the extra cost to me.  It's yet another gift from my dear Karl.

Tomorrow is the first day of Sherrie McGraw's five day workshop in Bennington, Vermont and we're suppose to be there at 8:30am to unload our painting gear.  Since it's an hour's drive from here I'll be up extra early and on my way."

Saturday, October 9, 2010

NORA KASTEN Artist Oil Painting "Am I Blue" / THE JOURNEY, Day 20


"Am I Blue"
© Nora Kasten
Oil painting on gallery wrapped canvas  (30" x 30")  From the archives

"Day 20 of The Journey.
"Das Rheingold"  Opera . . . Live from Lincoln Center was my first opera to see in simulcast and it was good.  I'm so glad I went and would see it again.  What a nice experience.

Tom Nicholas was in his gallery today and I got to have a short visit with him.  After tomorrow, Sunday, He closes this Rockport, MA gallery until next Spring.  He told me they have had this gallery for fifty consecutive years  . . . . his work certainly has maintained top quality all through the years.  


Before going into the concert hall to see the opera, I was stopped in my tracks as I caught sight of several beautiful paintings in a gallery window close by.  I went into the gallery which is owned by Line` and David Tutwiler and met Line`.  She is a lovely, lovely lady and it is one of her paintings that may be just the inspiration to set me painting again.  Many of you will know her husband, David, because his painting was awarded "Best Of Show" in this year's 2010 Hoosier Salon.


Will be leaving here in the morning and going to Vermont.  Sherrie McGraw's workshop starts on Monday, October 11.  Your many e-mails and comments too, are Sooooo good to read and I do feel the Love you're sending.  There aren't enough words for me to tell you how thankful that I am for each one of you.  Your messages truly lift me"


Friday, October 8, 2010

NORA KASTEN Artist Oil Painting "Blue Hydrangea" / THE JOURNEY, Day 19


"Blue Hydrangea"
© Nora Kasten
Oil painting on gallery wrapped canvas  (30" x 36")  From the archives.  There are so many things wrong in this painting but I still can't trash it.  It's hung in my gallery at home and hopefully the Good Fairies are working on it while I'm gone.


"Day 19 of The Journey and I'm in Gloucester, MA tonight, on the first floor, looking directly out at the beach and ocean.  Karl is gone eight weeks now.

Walking around in Rockport, MA this afternoon was much like it was when Karl and I were here 15 years ago . . .  only the town is at least four times larger.  Does it surprise you that I was much more drawn to the abstract, contemporary artwork?  It does me.  I have a ticket for The Metropolitan Opera Simulcast, Das Rheingold at Rockport's Shalin Liu Performance Center tomorrow afternoon.  I'm really looking forward to it.

I want to wrap this up and go out for dinner . . . .  I'm tired of lobster and clam chowder.

Thursday, October 7, 2010

NORA KASTEN Artist Oil Painting "Artist's Model" / THE JOURNEY, Day 18


"Artist's Model"
© Nora Kasten
Oil painting on canvas  (48" x 12")  Collection of the artist


"Day 18 of The Journey and I'm ready to leave Boothbay Harbor, Maine tomorrow morning.

This painting "Artist's Model" was painted for my Beloved Karl a year before he died.  It's the closest I would get to painting a nude for him (and he had some clever comments) but I think he liked it.  It was mainly painted to fit a special spot in that room.  For years I had joked that I was going to copy one of Renoir's chubby nudes except put my face instead of the model.  He would have really had some clever comments on that!  Thank goodness I can think of Karl today and smile, just remembering how good life was with him.  There are still tears but it's getting better."

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

NORA KASTEN Artist Oil Painting "Time & Red Roses" / THE JOURNEY, Day 17


"Time & Red Roses"
© Nora Kasten
Oil painting on linen  (30" x 24")  From the archives

"Day 17 of The Journey and I spent all day here in The Harborage Inn located in Boothbay Harbor, Maine.

It rained continually all day and the temperature only reached 51 degrees.  It may sound bad but in fact it was a wonderful day to stay in this nice inn and read.  Around 6pm I bundled up, took the big umbrella and walked to the corner restaurant, "93 Townsend Avenue".  I have been here in Boothbay Harbor for four days and tonight was my fourth dinner there. . . . . it's good."


Tuesday, October 5, 2010

NORA KASTEN Artist Oil Painting "Floral On Battenberg" / THE JOURNEY, Day 16


"Floral On Battenberg Lace"
Oil painting on linen  (36" x 24")  From the archives  SOLD

"Today is day 16 of The Journey and it was a very good day.
Susan Roux and I met at Kevin Mizner's home and art studio to paint . . . . I didn't paint but enjoyed the art conversations.  Susan and Kevin both have top quality paintings in the making.  I took some photos but couldn't get good shots.  See Susan's blog for more and better info.

Those of you who know my background, know how much I also love home and interior design.  Well, Kevin and Ellen Mizner's home was built in the 1880's and what a joy it was to be part of that scene today.  The house is filled with Kevin's beautiful artwork and period furnishings that depict earlier days of far less hustle and bussle.  The home is Soooooo inviting and you just want to spend time there.   They have a baby grand piano and I wish we could have stayed longer just to hear Kevin play.

Kevin's art studio was a chicken coop in times past but he has converted it into a wonderful working studio with a loft. 
Click the "X" on the right hand side of the slideshow below to get rid of the ad."