NORA KASTEN Artist Oil Painting "Jett, Towing Jay"

"Jett, Towing Jay"

© Nora Kasten

Oil painting on canvas  (24" x 20")  From the archives

"This painting of my son, Jett, was, obviously, painted from a photo I took on the boat back in 1989 and is very amateurish.  It was my 15th painting.  I used a lot of Alizarin Crimson in those early days of painting and this painting of Jett shows just how fugitive that color is.  There was life in those shadows in the beginning but within a year, the Alizarin was gone.  It was a good lesson to learn early on and then I substituted Rose Madder for Alizarin for many years.  The last 5 years I've used Quinacridone Magenta in place of Alizarin Crimson and have been very happy with it.

The main reason for showing you this painting is to ask for your prayers for Jett.  Jett has Renaud's  disease and was admitted into a Tarpon Springs hospital this past Monday.  He had fallen earlier and couldn't recover from his injuries.  He had surgery on Tuesday to open a 70% blockage in the groin area and then surgery again on Wednesday to open two more blockages (60% and 90%) in his left leg.  There is at least a pulse again in his left toes but no feeling in the bottom of his foot.  The doctor told him this morning that he may never get that back.

The biggest problem now is getting and keeping his blood flowing thin.  His PPT count is much too low and Cumadin plus Heparin are being administered.  The risk of a blood clot is very high and he is not permitted to get out of the hospital bed.  Jett is 48 years old.  I will be with him tomorrow."

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