News of a workshop & Barbara Flowers new easel by Artist, NORA KASTEN

"YELLOW ROSES"

Oil painting on linen on board  (24"x20")
I think that I destroyed this painting last summer while clearing out.

"Laura Robb is giving a four day workshop in Taos, NM / September 24 through September 27, 2012.
The workshop will be held at the Blumenscheim Studio, 222 Ledoux Street, Taos, NM  87571
(575) 758-0505.  The class is limited to 10 artists and I'm signed up already.

Now, please go to Barbara Flowers blog.  First to see her beautiful work and then to learn about the Hughs easel.  Below is the comment that I left on her site."

"Barbara, I am so happy for you and I know just how you feel.  Five years ago my dear husband bought the Hughs easel (same as yours) for me, for my 70th birthday.  Just like you, we ordered it and 2 or 3 days later he delivered it to our house and totally set it up for me.  It is well worth the money and the easel of every artist's dream.  I enjoyed using it for 4 years but gave it to The Salvation Army last summer with a prayer that the right person would get it.  After Karl died I sold our big home and had no place for it then.  Today, I'm blessed with a good place to paint again.  It's just not big enough for that easel and yet my heart is full of Love and Thankfulness for such rich memories.  God is so good to us . . . .  and Barbara, I kept the 2 paintings I bought of yours and enjoy them every day."

NORA KASTEN WEBSITE

Oil Painting "Peach With Franciscan Ware" by Artist, NORA KASTEN

"Peach With Franciscan Ware"

© Nora Kasten

Oil painting on linen on board  (12"x12")       July 20, 2012

" Today was another painting day and also a walk on the beach.  I consider this another practice painting and it's just good to be back at the easel."

Loudermilk Beach,  Naples, FL    July 20, 2012

NORA KASTEN WEBSITE

Oil Painting, "Red Geraineums" & At The Beach by Artist, NORA KASTEN

"Red Geraniums"

© Nora Kasten

Oil on linen on board  (24"x24")  July 18, 2012

"Another practice painting.  I painted all morning yesterday and then to the beach for an hour walk.  When back home, I painted until 6pm."

NORA KASTEN WEBSITE

I like to walk on our city beach, Loudermilk Beach, here in Naples, Florida


Photos taken with the IPhone

It looks like I was up high but I wasn't.  It's just one part of the
 beach that I walk over or around  . .  . .  .   Depending on the tide. 

This little boy was really busy

It was high noon when I took these photos  yesterday
and here it  looks like  the little ones were out for lunch .

This is all I could get of my feet with the sun directly overhead.

This photo is either sad or uplifting, depending on  how it registers with YOU.
It belongs to an elderly lady who was pretty far out in the Gulf, enjoying the water with her husband.

"Florida's Plumbago" Oil Painting by Artist, NORA KASTEN

"Florida's Plumbago"

© Nora Kasten

Oil painting on linen on board   (12"x12")          July 4, 2012

"This is the second painting from the Plumbago blooming in Debra's yard on Marco Island.  

Again, as the first one it was executed totally with a palette knife but I still didn't get the finish that I was after.  Maybe another one . . . . I don't think so but we'll see."

NORA KASTEN WEBSITE

"Plumbago" Oil Painting by Artist, NORA KASTEN

"Plumbago"

© Nora Kasten

Oil painting on gallery wrapped canvas  (11-1/2"x11-1/2")   July 1, 2012

"Just to be painting is my goal right now and I'm certainly surprised how each painting turns out.  I might be able to salvage this painting but have decided not to and just take the lessons learned to go on to the next one.

"Plumbago" was created totally with the palette knife to give me the loose, impressionistic look that I'm after . . . .  .  that's ok.   The big problem here is too many values when 4 or 5 would have been best to create a dramatic "center of interest" that I always strive for.  

The excitement and joy of painting again at this stage in my life is most refreshing.  It is a new beginning though and I'm having to relearn or remember so much that used to be second nature to me."

NORA KASTEN WEBSITE

Road Trip to Key West, FL by Artist, NORA KASTEN

"These photos were taken with my IPhone on Thursday, June 28, 2012.   The statue (inspired from a Renoir painting) is in front of The Museum of Art and History in Key West FL.

The weather was quite warm but each day was beautiful!"

NORA KASTEN WEBSITE

"Large Bouquet" Oil Painting by Artist, NORA KASTEN

"LARGE BOUQUET"

© Nora Kasten, 2012

Oil on canvas  (48"x36")   June 19, 2012

"This large painting has been on my easel for several weeks now and I'm finally declaring victory, saying "It is done".

In the beginning this canvas was another oil painting that I had completed on March 13, 2010 . . . .  5 months to the day before Karl died.  The painting, "Personal Reverie", never pleased me and I don't think Karl liked it either so it seemed fitting to paint over it.  I covered the painting with Griffin titanium white alkyd paint and let it dry for a few days before starting this new painting.  See the painting "Personal Reverie" below________________

"Personal Reverie"  Oil on canvas  36"x48"   March 13, 2010  /  Destroyed March, 2012

NORAKASTEN WEBSITE

Motor Trip Highlights & The National Museum Of Art by Artist, NORA KASTEN

(iPhone photo)   Renoir at The National Museum of Art, Washington, DC  on  June 9, 2012

     "Today is Saturday, June 16, and my second day to be back home.  Both days I was privileged to take my walk on the Naples beach at the edge of the water and as good as the trip was  . . . .  it is even better to be back home.

       It's been over 20 years since I visited The National Museum of Art in DC and the Philadelphia

Museum of Art, along with several other museums in the Eastern states.  At the time I had been painting for only 5 or 6 years and I was in complete awe of most of the paintings.  My husband, Karl, 

would often ask me on those days what it was that I liked about such and such a painting and I couldn't 

always tell him.  After several days of museum touring, one evening Karl summed up his opinion by saying "I believe if the artist's name was Monet, Degas, Manet, Renoir or any other famous artist's name, the quality of the work was not considered.  Good, bad or mediocre . .  it was In".  I couldn't hear that then but after last week's museum visits, I believe he was right.

      It really doesn't matter what I feel or believe about the art of the past but today I am changed and I was quite disappointed with far too much of the artwork exhibited.  Contemporary artists today such as

Richard Schmid, Dan Gerhartz, David Leffel, CW Mundy and so many others are producing fabulous and excellent works of art that are a joy to view and behold.  My eyes much prefer their works.

The paintings of artists, Barbara Flowers and Joyce Norwood, are also a delight to behold."

NORA KASTEN WEBSITE 

News Of Artwork by Artist, NORA KASTEN

Paintings to "The Brown County Art Guild Gallery" 
Nashville, IN

"A White Rose"  Oil on linen on board  (20"x16")

"Lilacs"  Oil on gallery wrapped canvas  (24"x24")

"Pitcher of Roses"   Oil on linen on board  (16"x12")

"Saved Dried Roses"   Oil on linen on board  (12"x16")

         " The 4 paintings above will be delivered to The Brown County Art Guild Gallery in Nashville, Indiana on Thursday, May 24.

          I am humbled and most grateful for the news from Jeffry Carter, Commissioner of Labor for OSCA and Chief of Enforcement Programs, State of Indiana.  Below is his e-mail to me, 
dated May 22, 2012."

Dear Nora,

My wife Jan and I have two of your works and have enjoyed them immensely. We continue to support the Brown County Art Guild which is where we purchased our first "Kasten" from. Most recently, that piece has been hanging in my office in the Indiana Statehouse.

The Guild expressed an interest and we have agreed to donate one of your works to the permanent collection at the Guild.

The piece is a beautiful pastel and we will miss it but it will be part of the Guild's permanent collection.

Just wanted to tell how much joy your work has brought us over the years.

Regards,

Jeff

NORA KASTEN WEBSITE

Good News!

"Good news today?  The biopsy on the tip of my nose shows it to be a pre cancerous Actinic Keratosis and the doctor will treat it with nitrogen on Thursday morning.  This was the best news possible for me and I am really thankful I didn't wait any longer.  The small sore that never healed has been  on the tip of my nose for at least three years.  I just couldn't bring myself to deal with it the last year while Karl was still with me and even over a year after his death.  It was foolish on my part but it looks like everything will be alright after all.

Tomorrow, I am going to Shark Valley in The Everglades National Park so there won't be any painting but. . . . .  life is GOOD!"

NORA KASTEN WEBSITE