Blue Ridge Parkway Artist, Young boy Paintings, and Visit to Mabry Mill...

Blue Ridge Parkway Artist

Another one of my son's first friends was Paul.  They are still friends and see each other at the Bowling League games.  Paul used to live on our street but moved away a few years  ago.

When Alan was very young I made this painting of a small boy walking through the woods.  It was loosely based on a photograph of someone else.  I changed the way the boy looked so that it was not a portrait.  

Alan insisted it looked like Paul and he wanted to visit my studio every day to look at the painting of Paul.  I decided to name it "Like Paul".  There is a strong resemblance.

Like Paul   Original Oil Painting has been Sold

 Prints on Paper or Canvas and Greeting Cards Available at   KENDALL KESSLER ART

 

 

 

Paul Again   Original 20" x 30" Soft Pastel Painting  $1230

 Prints on Paper or Canvas and Greeting Cards Available at   KENDALL KESSLER ART

 

Here is the second jeep painting of Paul.  Alan and his friends got a lot of mileage out of that jeep!

 

 Please check out my Special Promotions that will end Tomorrow at 5:00pm.  Swirling Color is on special all October!

 

Click on KENDALL KESSLER ART and then go to the painting in the Dreamscapes folder  and click on the 20"x 24" canvas print of Swirling Color for the 40% discount.

There is a money back guarantee that includes shipping fee!

Burning Shore   Original  Oil Painting  Has Been Sold

Prints on Paper or Canvas and greeting cards Available at    KENDALL KESSLER ART

 

Swirling Color   Original 20" x 24" Oil Painting    $670

Prints on Paper or Canvas and greeting cards Available at    KENDALL KESSLER ART

Dream Horse  Original 20 x 16"  Oil Painting $670

Prints on Paper or Canvas Available at    KENDALL KESSLER ART

Life with The Bird and Word Man - Clyde Kessler

I enjoyed my short trip to The Meadows of Dan with my husband on Monday.  I have never painted Mabry Mill and I wanted to get a number of photos to work from.  Such a beautiful place!  I highly recommend this beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway site!  Such a peaceful, lovely place and there is a great restuarant there as well!

Thank you for looking at paintings by an Artist of The Blue Ridge Parkway

 

Blue Ridge Parkway Artist, One more Skating Paintings, and He wants to add This...

Blue Ridge Parkway Artist

Please click on my latest Youtube on my Floral paintings and send it to Stumbleupon!

This pastel painting, "Skating", is the last of my skating paintings.  This one is a celebration of my sister Anne.   In elementary school she joined the girl scouts and earned a badge for ice skating.  The instructors at the rink were so impressed with her natural ability that they encouraged her to take lessons.  

 

 

She became quite an accomplished skater and completed three of the preliminary tests to be an Olympic contender.  She decided she didn't want to compete but has been an Ice Skating Instructor in Sterling, Virginia for many years.  This painting is a celebration of her gift.  She is the figure in the top center and the other skaters are famous skaters.  I changed their faces so I wouldn't run into any copyright issues.

 

 

I have always been impressed with her skill.  I also ice skated when I was a child but just for fun and exercise.  When I moved to Southwest Virginia I took up roller skating since the nearest ice rink is in Roanoke, VA.  As I mentioned in previous blogs, I was very disappointed when the local rink closed this past Spring.  I hope another one opens up in the future.

Skating   Original Pastel Painting has been Sold

Prints on Paper or Canvas and Greeting Cards are Available at    KENDALL KESSLER ART

 

Life with The Word and Bird Man - Clyde Kessler

The other day I mentioned my husband's addition to all the warnings on drug commercials.  He said that if you are dead, stop taking this medication. 

Yesterday he added this.  If you are dead, stop taking this medication and call your lawyer.

 

Don't forget about the hike on Sunday!  Join The Blue Ridge Discovery Center for a great time!

Blue Ridge Expeditions: Hike Brushy Mountain between Bastian and Bland

Sat, October 18, 12am – Sun, October 19, 12am

 

Where	Appalachian Trail, Brushy Mountain between Bastian and Bland map
Calendar	BRDC Web Calendar
Created by	aaron@blueridgediscoverycenter.org
Description	On October 18th join BRDC on Brushy Mountain between Bastian and Bland. All hikes are on the famed Appalachian Trail, a 2,200 mile footpath from Georgia to Maine, completed

I hope you enjoyed paintings by an artist of The Blue Ridge Parkway

Blue Ridge Parkway Artist, People paintings, and Computer Greeting Card...

Blue Ridge Parkway Artist

 

More paintings of my favorite guys!

A Naturalist's Legacy  Original 40" x 27" Oil Painting     $10,000

Prints on Paper or Canvas Available at   KENDALL KESSLER ART

 

 

 

 

 

A Naturalist's Legacy is a painting in honor of my husband's naturalist achievements.  The painting is symbolic as he has taught old and young people about the beautiful region he was born in.

Clyde Kessler, a well known naturalist in Virginia and North Carolina  has been studying the bird and butterfly populations and migrations since 1975. He has participated in Christmas bird counts for the National Audobon Society since 1973.

 

His discovery in Virginia of the endangered Mitchell's Satyr in 1998 led to efforts to protect the species in the state. It was unknown in Virginia at the time. It is considered to be one of the most important wildlife finds in the second half of the 20th century.

Clyde has also led hawk watches since the mid 70's at Rocky Knob and other locations, and has surveyed Wildwood Park for plants and animal species for the city of Radford.

Rabbit in the Pool   Original  30" x 40" Oil Painting     $10,000

Prints on Paper or Canvas Available at   KENDALL KESSLER ART

Rabbit in the Pool is a fun genre painting of my son and husband in a baby pool on our deck. My son had a lot of pool toys but my favorite one was a rabbit balloon toy with a carrot in his mouth. This painting is full of life!

 

 

Life with The Word and Bird Man - Clyde Kessler

Yesterday I had a brainstorm, well maybe a brain shower but I thought it was a good idea!  As usual, I am fighting the urge to tear out my hair as I try to figure out a site I work on.  It occurred to me that we need another Holiday for the Greeting Card Companies. 

We can call it The I want to Throw my Computer out the Window Day. Think of how many people would buy a card! 

My husband's response was, think of how many people would be killed by computers falling out of windows.  Oh well, back to the drawing board- literally!

Please check out my Special Promotions that will end tomorrow at 5:00pm.  Cloud Swirl over The Peaks of Otter is on special all September!

Click on Kendall Kessler Art and then go to the painting the Mountain Paintings folder and click on the 24"x 36" canvas print for the 40% discount.

There is a money back guarantee that includes shipping fee!

Cloud Swirl over The Peaks of Otter    Original 18"x24" Oil Painting    $864

Prints on Paper or Canvas and greeting cards Available at    KENDALL KESSLER ART

A Break in The Clouds   Original  Oil Painting  has been sold

Prints on Paper or Canvas and greeting cards Available at    KENDALL KESSLER ART

Eagle Fire    Original 16" x 20" Oil Painting    $670

Prints on Paper or Canvas and greeting cards Available at    KENDALL KESSLER ART

 

I hope you enjoyed my portraits by an artist of The Blue Ridge Parkway!

Nude Girl Drawings by a Blue Ridge Parkway Artist and 31 Stomachs...

Nude Girl Drawings by Kendall Kessler

I want to start off with one of my Youtube videos!  I am adding one a week so I want to be sure to get them out to the public!

Here are two more selections in black and white that I decided to make color versions of.  What a great experience to look at a completed drawing and re-interpret it in color!  

As I have mentioned before, some of them I like better in color and some in black and white.  Art is always an experience for me that can't be explained.

Reaching Out     24"x 18"  Original Charcoal Drawing      $894

Prints on Paper or Canvas Available at     KENDALL KESSLER

Reaching Out in Color     24"x 18"  Original Pastel Painting      $894

Prints on Paper or Canvas Available at     KENDALL KESSLER

When I taught in the Art Department at Radford Univerisity I would try to explain Art to students but I found the only way I could really explain it was to have them do it, which is why my Art Appreciation classes were "Hands On".  

When students had to make visual decisions then they started to catch on to what Art is all about.  Drawing is integral to the discipline but Art is so much more then reproducing nature.

In this case I prefer the color painting to the black and white drawing.  The color accents are strong and I like the light effect better in the pastel one. 

Life with the Word and Bird Man - Clyde Kessler

Last year I decided to take off a lot of years from our ages.  I asked my husband how it felt to be thirty years old!  The only response I got was a sour look.

Yesterday was his birthday so I asked him how it felt to turn thirty-one.  This year I got a sour look and a sour comment.

You mean turn 31 stomachs when they look at me?

Ha Ha.  No, that is not what I meant.

Another Roanoke Ghost Story near The Blue Ridge Parkway and Where is it?

My Artwork

Beach Houses at Pawleys Island      Original Painting has been Sold

Prints on Paper or Canvas Available at   KENDALL KESSLER ART

 This is where I want to be right now.  We will be vacationing at this great South Carolina resort soon!

Clouds Over Fairlawn   Original 18" x 24" Pastel Painting    $864

Prints on Paper or Canvas Available at    KENDALL KESSLER ART 

Another Beautiful Southwest Virginia vista!

Cloud Dance  Original 30"x40" Oil Painting       $2425

Prints on Paper or Canvas Available at    KENDALL KESSLER ART

There are a lot of Sugarloaf Mountains.  This is the one in our neck of the woods off the Blue Ridge Parkway!

The Ghosts of Beth Israel Synagogue

Laurie Platt has no doubt she has been in touch with the other side at Beth Israel Synagogue!  She started to see and hear ghosts when she started her Folk Dance classes. A few times upon arrival she heard voices when the place was vacant.

Another time while dancing she looked up to see a woman floating in the back closet.  She was dressed in a ninteenth century dress.

The next day she went to the library and found out that before the synagogue was built there was a house on the property owned by "Betty" and her husband.  Supposedly Betty now haunts the Synagogue!

At other times another dancer and Laurie saw a short man standing on the stairs looking down at the hall watching them dance.

There certainly are a lot of ghost stories in Southwest Virginia and The New River Valley!  It is great fun looking them up!  I found this story on Ghosts of America.

Life with The Word and Bird Man - Clyde Kessler and Where is it?

My husband has a huge library of his naturalist records, wildlife and poetry books.  He is trying to get back some space in our computer room/guest room by putting these records online.  The room is a wreck but I read somewhere that exceptionally intelligent people have a hard time organizing their things because they are involved with so many different studies.

I would like to think that is the case here so I won't set fire to the room.

I have to have my things organized or I can't find anything.   I don't have trouble finding my keys because it is against the law for them to be anywhere but on the kitchen counter or in my purse.  I have had panic attacks when they were just a little to the left or right of the spot and hiding behind something.

I only have one credit card.  If I had more I would lose them.     I don't wear a ring because I would lose that also.  I can keep up with large things but not small ones.

Oh well.  As a little boy said many years ago to my husband, "We lock the castle up with booming tamborines!"  We manage, we manage!

Bull Mountain Near The Blue Ridge Parkway and The Radford Roosting Festival..

My Artwork

Bull Mountain    original oil painting 11"x14"     $313.00

Original for sale at      TOWHEE HILL STUDIO

Another beautiful vista off the Blue Ridge parkway is Bull mountain.  I am especially fond of the color nuances and impasto brushwork in this painting.  My paintings are done in a series of layers and I put myself into every one of them.  

The last one is the hardest and that is when I really push to express my intense feelings for nature in every color and texture.

Bull Mountain is one of my more expressive works and I will soon have it on my website for print sales. Right now it can be bought at Towhee Hill Studio on Etsy or out of my home studio by the same name.

Color Ripples over The Blue Ridge Mountains    Original painting has been sold

Prints on paper or canvas available at   KENDALL KESSLER ART

The great California patron that bought Color Ripples over the Blue Ridge Mountains also bought two other paintings.  Most of my patrons buy more than one painting.  There are many local patrons that have four.

Life with the Bird and Word Man - Clyde Kessler

I wanted to again  announce the Radford Roosting Festival where my Bird man will be leading a bird walk.   Only nine more days. No admission charge!

Radford Roosting Festival

RADFORD, VA -The Radford Visitor’s Center will be celebrating the 7th annual Radford Roosting Festival on Saturday, March 29rd in Bisset Park from noon – 3 pm.  Families are welcome and there is no admission charge.

This year’s festival will include live birds, educational birding stations, a photo contest and children’s activities.

There are three scheduled presentations that are sure to be of interest to attendees.

Scheduled presentations are:

12:00 p.m.-Jason Davis/SELU

‘Flying family dynamics: Bluebirds, parenting and stress’

  1:00 p.m.- Sarah Foltz

‘Town & country: How to be an urban bird’

  2:00 p.m.-Jessica Zielske/The Mountain Lake Conservancy

‘Avifauna & geology of Mountain Lake’

Also scheduled is a not-to-be-missed bird walk prior to the festival with Clyde Kessler, local bird expert with Radbird, an outfitter and touring company that specializes in interacting with local birds. The walk sets off at 9 a.m. from the Radford Public Library, 30 West Main St.

The James River from The Blue Ridge Parkway and More Blue Ridge Discovery Center News

My Artwork

I have always loved water.  When I was a child I spent as much time as I could playing at a creek near our house.  I loved the sound of the water and walking on the rocks.

Creeks, rivers, and, of course, the ocean are places I would rather be than anywhere else.  Much of my artwork includes water.

James River Reflections           $2425.00

Prints on paper or canvas available at Kendall Kessler Art

I am especially pleased with the peaceful moods I captured from two views of the James River off the Blue Ridge Parkway.  This is another site my husband researches for bird and butterfly species.


I will never forget how beautiful the water looked and how magical the reflections were on this day.  My husband, I, and our son Alan walked all around this location and this painting is the view from the walkway bridge under the Harry Flood Byrd Memorial bridge which was constructed in 1959 .

I am especially pleased with the complicated system of greens in this painting and the colors reflected in the perfectly still water.

James River Moment    $2425.00Prints on paper or canvas available at Kendall Kessler Art

Blue Ridge Wildflowers   original painting has been sold

Prints on paper or canvas available at Kendall Kessler Art

Life with the Bird and Word Man - Clyde Kessler

One of my husband's good friends, Scott Jackson-Ricketts, will be leading a hike this week-end!

Here is the info for all those that want to have a great time!

Attention to all interested parties. This Sunday, weather permitting, some of us BRDC explorers will be running up to the highlands, the Whitetop area specifically, to search for snowy owls and other winter migrants. If you are interested, please contact me at scottjr@ls.net for arrangements and car-pooling opportunities.

MORE BLUE RIDGE DISCOVERY NEWS

Also the  40th Mount Rogers Naturalist Rally is coming up soon!  Here is the link to this great celebration!          http://blueridgediscoverycenter.org/mount-rogers-naturalist-rally

Painting, painting, painting, and Waiting for help...

I am still very excited about my new series, Kendall Expressions, and am looking forward to adding my next one!  The spacing in my new one is so captivating I can't imagine anyone walking by it without being drawn into the color and textural display.  In this one I am trying to get an even more complex system of colors and textures and dynamic motion.  I hope to have it up in a few days.

We have been practically without hot water for over a week now and the system is leaking constantly.  We have a cup under the leak but it fills up every few hours.  The repair man should be here soon and I will be so glad to get this fixed!  It takes more than one minute to wash my hair!  I took my shampoo to the Aquatic Center to wash it the other day.

Be sure to check out my Special Promotions on Fine Art America!  I almost always have three paintings up at 40% off the large canvas print size!  Fine Art America has a thirty day money back guarantee which includes the shipping price!  You can't lose!



Also, I have been adding a lot of artwork to my porfolio.  Click on images to see the latest or the folder marked artwork added 2011-2013.

Pleased to sell prints of Near Smithfield Plantation and What a Rat....

I am so pleased to sell prints in the form of greeting cards of Near Smithfield Plantation to a great Virginia patron on Zazzle!  This pastel painting is a special one for me.  It is one of my many award-winning works.  Famed pastelist Daniel Greene awarded me The American Artist Award for this colorful, exciting work.  This pastel took a long time and I put a lot of visual complexity in every square inch of it.  The color nuances never end and the expression is extremely intense.

I am also pleased that I added another painting to my Kendall Expressions folder and it is receiving a lot of hits as well as two other paintings in the same folder. Lion Explosion and Galloping Red have been stumbling for over a day and I hope they continue to make the rounds on Stumbleupon.com where I have a number of my paintings.

My wireless mouse has been irritating me to the point of distraction today.  No matter where I position it on the pad it keeps clicking off and I see the connection lost sign to slow me up again.  I have decided that mouse is too nice a word for this miserable rat!   It better shape up or it will be a flying rat out the window.

Loading Away and It is always a good day...

Still working away at uploading artwork.  The slides are not too much of a problem as long as I have ink in my printer but the ones I have to take outside are quite a pain.  Right now I am taking pictures of flat ware so I am taping them to the wall which is much easier then dragging my easel outside.  Still having a great time with my Kendall Expressions folder.  These paintings are my personal take on Expressionism which has always been a favorite style of art for me.  I like to switch mediums every now and then so it is great to be in Acrylics again.

We were at a friend's house in Childress and noticed the chickens that were walking around their yard.  They don't have chickens, but their neighbors do.  They looked like they were having a great day pecking everything in sight so I mentioned that to my husband.  He replied that it is always a good day when you are not on the menu.  He certainly has a point there.

Be sure to check out new work in Kendall Expressions!  I am working on a new one right now and hope to have it up soon!

Also, don't forget my Limited Time Promotions on Fine Art America.  I always have three up!.  Forty percent off the regular price!

The second season of The Mindy Project will air September 17th and I am looking forward to seeing my best seller on the set.  I hope they have more scenes in her office where it is located.

Fantastic Feed Back from Great Patron and You would not bring back the Dinosaurs...

As I have said before I get quite nervous when I sell originals or prints online.  I am always worried that the patron will not be happy with the work.  Monitors are all set differently so I can't really know what they are seeing.  I am so happy, knock on wood, that so far I have only received glowing comments and no complaints.

Recently I received feed back for a painting I sold in California and I just had to put it here for others to see.  What a great compliment!

Stunning painting! Such vibrant, hues. This painting feels alive. Every time I pass it, it beckons me in-- bright, sunset hues, and undulating light. Very thoughtful seller, and perfect packaging. Thank you for sharing your gift with us!

The other night my husband was watching a Bewitched re-run and I decided to tease him a little.  I asked him what he would do if he had magical powers.  Since he is a staunch environmentalist he gave a mischievous reply.  He would bring back the dinosaurs and take away all our weapons.  Let's see what damage people can do to the earth if they are busy fighting off a tyrannosaurus rex with a rock!  He really is a sweet man.  Don't let that statement fool you!

Up-loading Maniac and More Mirror Jokes...

I am trying to get a schedule going to improve  my portfolio.  I am one prolific artist and I have a hard time keeping up with adding my new work and getting to older work that needs to be photographed or scanned into the computer.  So I am trying to add three new items a day which is a lot more work for an already over-worked artist.  Hope I can keep the pace up so I can catch up on work I have been meaning to add for a long time.  Where is that fairy that will add more hours to the day?  I want to have a serious talk with her.

My husband is coming up with more mirror jokes.  I honestly think he still looks great.  He has never thought much of his looks but now he claims one of the mirrors committed suicide and fell off the wall when he got near it.  He also says he is afraid the bathroom mirror is going to hand him a lawsuit to get money to reflect him.  Not so!  I keep telling him the world is filled with short, fat, bald men and he is not one of them.

Be sure to check out my Limited Time Promotions on Fine Art America.  Great large canvas prints of my most popular paintings at 40% off!

Also, look for my drawing, "Reaching Out", on The Mindy Project on FoxTV Tuesdays at 9:30!  I have missed a few episodes but it was visible on the 2nd, 4th, 5th, 8th, and 18th episodes.

Scammers, Scammers, Scammers and If Stupid were...

I sure am getting lots of scammers on my cell phone lately.  They all want to buy my item.  First, they want to know the condition of the item and then they want to get it in a hurry so they will send a shipper.  Of course they will pay me more than the price and then I will have to send the excess money to the private shipper that never shows up.  Their payment is fake and I am out the shipping money.  I am not the sharpest knife in the drawer but I would never fall for that one.

My husband and I were discussing the state of our country and we came to the conclusion that if stupid were money, the budget would be balanced and there would be so much money left over that we could all rocket to all the planets in the universe.  I would like to say we haven't contributed to the stupid account but I don't think that would be true.  We have done our part.



Be sure to watch for my best-selling print, "Reaching Out", on The Mindy Project.  It was visible last week.  Also, if you didn't see me on FoxTv27 on March 10th, you can check out the show on www.thehourofjoy.com episode 5 Stardom.

Check out my Limited Time Promotions on Fine Art America!

Painting Away and The Enabler

I am, as always, working very hard at my paintings.  Soon, I will have to take a break and get ready to be on The Hour of Joy which will be taped January 26th.  I am apprehensive about appearing on TV but I think it will be a great opportunity to attract more patrons to my work.  All I want to do is paint but I have to do other thing to promote it or I can't find homes for them.  I am real excited about my current small painting.  I think it is one of the most sensitive paintings I have ever done.  I look forward to uploading it when it is dry.

I like to sort laundry in our bedroom while my husband is watching TV.  When I get to his stuff I gently throw it at him and usually cover his face.  It is a fun game we play.  I told him that I must really be an aggressive bully to throw underwear at my husband.  His reply was, what about me?

I must be a shameful enabler to let you do it.  It obviously doesn't take a lot to entertain us.

 Don't forget to check out my most popular print, "Reaching Out" on The Mindy Project.  So far, there have been a lot of shots of it on the 2nd, 4th, 5th, and 8th episodes.


Also, be sure to check out my canvas print specials on Fine Art America!

Looking forward to my TV appearance and If I used pillows...

I am still excited about my TV appearance on My19 out of Roanoke VA this spring!  I am so pleased Joy Sutton asked me to be on her show,"The Hour of Joy" and the tentative date is April 3rd.  The show will be taped January 26th in front of a live audience.  I guess 20 years in front of college students will help me get through this.  My problem, as usual, is I should get ready for this early and pick out the paintings I will bring, but, as always,  I am more concerned with painting.  I have 3 small ones right now that I am achieving certain color and texture effects that I have never achieved before!  Painting is such a fantastic experience!  I will be sure to bring that up on the show.

The other day I was complaining to my nurse friend that sometimes I wake up with soreness in my hip at the ball joint.  I was wondering if my mattress is to blame and she said it could just be age.  Now no one wants to hear that!  She said I could try putting pillows under my legs to alleviate the pressure.  I am such a restless sleeper that I doubt that would help.  When I mentioned that to my husband he said I would have the pillows down his throat before the night is over.  I don't doubt that one bit!

Be sure to check out my canvas print specials on Fine Art America and look for my best-selling print on The Mindy Project Tuesdays at 9:30. There were great shots of it on the 2nd, 4th, and 5th episodes.  Since it is small it is easy to see the whole thing.  I haven't yelled get out of the way once!

Enjoyed Meeting Talk Show host Joy Sutton and This years...

     I had a great time at Joy Sutton's party last Thursday!  She is quite a dynamic lady and wants to be the next Oprah!  I have no doubt she will succeed!  Her show has been renewed for a second season and the time has been moved to 11:00 Sunday mornings.  I am looking forward to being one of her guests this Spring.  My date is tentatively April 3rd!

Don't forget about my drawing, "Reaching Out", on The Mindy Project 9:30 Tuesday nights on Fox.  There were great shots of it on the 2nd,4th, and 5th episodes!

For many years now I have been buying golden delicious apples instead of the red ones.  They always seemed to be sweeter and firmer.  Lately the ones I have been buying are too tart so I went back to red delicious which I figured would be a big mistake.  Much to my surprise they are great, not mushy, and sweet!  I made that comment to my  husband and he said maybe the stores ran out of last years apples and are selling this year's crop.  What a comment!  Anyway, I'm glad they aren't mushy and low on taste.



 Be sure to check out my YouTube videos.  Just put Kendall Kessler in the search.  Also, be sure to check out my Limited Time specials on Fine Art America.  Large canvas prints of three popular prints are 40% off.