Blue Ridge Parkway Biltmore Ghosts and The Word Man does it Again!

My Art Work

Mountain Lake Evening   Original 23"x30" Oil Pastel Painting   $1380

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

This was the setting for the hit movie, Dirty Dancing, starring Patrick Swayze!

Home on Chesterbrook Road   Original 30"x40" Oil Painting    $2425

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

Biltmore Ghosts

A while back I wrote about some ghostly activity at the Biltmore Estate.  Yesterday I found out that there was a lot more to the story!

Back in 1914, George W. Vanderbilt died from complications from a surgery he had for appendicitis. His wife was extremely upset. So late at night, in the Library, she would sit in front of the large marble fireplace, and talk with George though he was never really there.

Her servants started to think she was losing her mind. To this day, late at night you can still hear her voice talking with George very softly. Also, you can feel George's presence in the Billiard Room, and the 2nd floor Oak Sitting room, one of his favorite rooms in the mansion.

During rainy late nights, George would sit and read. Workers report feelings of being watched, apparitions, voices, laughing, & screams. A headless orange cat has been seen by numerous visitors roaming the area between the Gardens and the Bass pond. The Pool Room is also a focal point of unexplainable events.

The sound of people swimming echoes throughout the entire lower floor in the dead of night.
Insane laughter can be heard coming from the drain at the bottom of the pool. It is said to be haunted by a lady in black.

Employees report hearing footsteps on the second floor. It's $10 for the small tour and $50 for the full tour of the house. But be sure you stay CLOSE to the guide. Odds are, there will only be 3 or 4 people touring with you.

I got this story from The Blue Ridge Parkway Guide online publication

Life with The Word and Bird Man - Clyde Kessler

The Word Man does it again!  This time He got a poem published in the San Pedro River Review fall issue!  The name of the poem is "Gigging and it will be in print!

Blue Ridge Parkway Scalawag and Maybe it is Renting it...

My Artwork

Mountain Lake Evening   40"x30"  Original Oil Painting     $2425

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

Canoes, Mountain Lake     Original 30"x40" Oil Painting has been Sold

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

Mountain Lake in Giles County was the setting for the hit movie, Dirty Dancing with Patrick Swayze!

I found another paranormal tale about a wild man in The Blue Ridge Mountains!

The Scalawag from Blue Mountain

Jimmie Lee had heard tales about the legendary Big Foot or Sasquatch but never thought he would come into contact with the beast.  He was twelve years old and staying with his uncle and two cousins for the summer.

One morning his uncle told the boys he saw huge  prints near his apple orchard.   Jimmie and his cousins decided to pitch a tent to see if they could see Scalawag!  They were having fun and when the campfire got low they decided to go to sleep at around 11:00.  

About thirty minutes later, the narrator heard a strange hissing sound.  He woke his cousin up and they both heard limbs cracking outside.

They saw with the flashlight a huge mammal like creature with long red fur eating apples in a crouched position. The creature turned and stared at them and they could see a strange human-like face with a pointy head. 

The face was the only part of the creature that did not have fur and was an orange-brown color. It let out a screeching howl and ran off into the woods.

The next day they saw the huge prints with toes in the ground.  The uncle and aunt have heard the noise of the animal since this event and Jimmie Lee swears he has seen Sasquatch!

I got this story from About.com Paranormal Phenomena online

Life with the Word and Bird Man - Clyde Kessler

I have always been nervous about spiders since one of my childhood friends said she had a black widow spider in her garage.   I stayed out of there!  I am not that scared of them but I don't know one from the next so I am cautious.

The other day there was a small black spider in the computer room so I asked The Bird Man who is also very knowledgeable about insects to look at it.  I yelled from the room that there was a spider in the room and would he come check it out.

He asked me if it had it's own web.

I said I didn't know.  Maybe it is renting it.

The Word Man was not amused.

Radford University Ghost Story and One of Those Faces...

My Artwork

Boat House Mountain Lake in Giles County   Original Painting has been Sold

Prints on Paper or Canvas available at   KENDALL KESSLER ART

This painting is of a beautiful section of Mountain Lake Resort in Giles County, VA.  This popular resort was the setting for the great movie, Dirty Dancing, starring Patrick Swayze!

Radford University Ghost Story

Beneath the grounds of Radford University there is a network of tunnels that used to be used by students so they wouldn't have to go out in bad weather.  The school was originally a girl's college.

There is a ghost story about one student that prowls the tunnels on Hall o' ween.

The tunnels were closed long ago and entrance to them is forbidden.

The girl's name was Elizabeth and she shunned the other students. They played tricks on her and sent her a note claiming a suitor wanted to see her at the Hall o' ween ball dressed as a princess and he would be her prince.

 She went to the ball and waited. He never appeared but a student handed her a note that requested she meet him in the tunnels.  It was dark and she tripped and broke her neck and died instantly.

The legend is that she prowls the tunnels calling for her prince every Hall o' ween!

This story was written by Richie Ellis and printed in The Haunted Commonwealth online publication in 2010.  The story is more complicated if you would like to check it out!

The Mushroom Picker    Original  32"x40"   Oil Painting    $2580.00

Prints on Paper or Canvas Available at     KENDALL KESSLER ART

This painting is based on a photograph my husband took of someone picking mushrooms at Pandapas Pond.  Oddly enough, the man resembles my husband.

A Memory    Original  26"x36"  Oil Painting    $1892.00

Prints on Paper or Canvas Available at   KENDALL KESSLER ART

Since I am writing about New River Valley ghost stories lately, I thought this haunting painting would be great for this post!  This painting is loosely based on a photograph I saw of a scene that reminded me of my grandmother's beautiful grounds in her home in Clarksville, Virginia.  When I look at this painting I am reminded of our special visits to her home.

One of Those Faces

All of my life people have told me I look just like a relative or friend.  It has never bothered me that I just have one of those faces but now I like to make a joke out of it.

The other night at a Chick Corea concert at Radford University it happened again.  A lady in the seat behind me asked me to forgive her for staring but I look so much like her sister.

We discussed backgrounds and hers was mostly Irish while I am half Italian but I do look more like my mother's Scottish and Irish side.

When the concert was over I looked over to the lady and said, "You must have a beautiful sister!"   She said she did and we both laughed -  but not too hard, of course!

Life with The Word and Bird Man - Clyde Kessler

My husband is at it again publishing poems!  This week he had five poems published in Still: The Journal.  This is the second time he has had work published there and this online magazine won the 2014 E-Appalachia Award!

Also, another bird count is coming up in Franklin County on April 26th.  There are teams that have mapped out locations to survey.  People are welcome to join the effort.  If you are interested contact my bird man at ckessler@vt.edu!

Sold a Dirty Dancing Setting print and I would not be doing that all day long...

So pleased to sell a print of my painting of the setting for  the popular movie, Dirty Dancing with Patrick Swayze!  The Mountain Lake resort in Giles County is a very special place for me.  I used to swim there with college friends and my husband, son, and I spent several holidays there.  It is such a beautiful place and I did two oil  paintings and three oil pastel paintings of  various sites.  Canoes, Mountain Lake is my favorite and the painting is owned by a great North Carolina patron.  The print that sold was from the small sketch for the painting.  I have both in my portfolio.

A few weeks ago I discovered something about myself that was a big surprise.  I get a lot of exercise to keep the  body going and I also do various stretching exercises.  I hadn't tried to touch my toes in many years so I tried and was shocked that I couldn't do it.  So I  decided to use a technique my  physical therapist showed me for a frozen shoulder to stretch the muscles out.  I am doing that exercise at least three times a day but it is easy to forget.

I  told my husband that I was going to do the exercise every time I ate something so that I wouldn't forget to do it. He said that would be all I would be doing every day.  That is ridiculous!  I only eat 8 to 10 times a day!  Still time for all the other things I do!



Be sure to check out my Limited Time Promotions  on Fine Art America!  I always have three selections on sale. Large canvas prints at 40% off!

The Mindy Project is on  Monday nights right now at 9:30 pm and the show has been renewed for another season!  Check out my best-selling print, "Reaching Out" across from her office desk!

So Glad to Sell Two More Prints and Comment on the Good Life

I am so pleased to sell my first Acrylic print!  I'm not sure how long that option has been up but I know I haven't sold that type of print before.  This time the print was of one of my oil pastel paintings of Mountain Lake in Giles County VA.  This was the setting for the popular movie "Dirty Dancing" with Patrick Swayze.  It is a beautiful resort and I have stayed there several times with my husband and son.  I haven't met the medium I don't like but oil paint is my favorite and most of my work is in oils though I do have oil and soft pastel paintings, lithographs, charcoal drawings, and some water media works.  Watercolors are beautiful but they are too fragile for me.  If left in enough light the painting will fade away.  Not so with oils or pastels.

Also glad to sell a regular print of "Reaching Out" which is one of my nude drawings.  I am so glad my nudes are well received.  I think they are elegant and tasteful.

Last Friday we were in heavy traffic when a car jerked in front of us causing my husband to break to keep from hitting it.  The car had a covered tire on the back that had the words The Good Life on it in fun playful letters.  My husband said they should add, Especially when I am getting ahead by cutting you off.

Be sure to check out my work at kendall-kessler.artistwebsites.com