Time to get Away and What a Pinball Shot!

The stages of a painting can be exasperating so I am always glad when I have arm wrestled it down and can decide on a few more brush marks that finish it off. It is always a fight but I love it. I think the reason my husband and I don't fight and argue is that we fight and argue with our artwork and that is enough for us. I don't need any other drama. As the late Roanoke Times Art critic, Ann Weinstein said, in so many words when she retired - Artist's skinny souls fly through their art. I can't remember exactly how she put it but I like the skinny souls part. Friday will be the last day I work on this painting and then I will get it on the net as soon as it dries.

Yesterday morning I knocked my coffee cup on to the floor where is smashed and covered the floor, my delicate white curtains, my son's shoes by the door, the fabric cushion on the seat, and the dog's blanket in her bed under the table. What a pinball shot! I got everything in that section of the kitchen. I think that is the last home-made forty dollar coffee cup I am going to purchase.

I Know Why Sargent said That and I am Not Going Any Place Where...

John Singer Sargent made a good living off of painting portraits of people that could afford them. Commissions are very difficult. What artists consider to be a good painting is not always what the sitter wants. People always disagree on what is a good likeness, even if the portrait is a photograph-oftentimes especially if it is a photograph. When Sargent hit fifty he closed shop. He said he would paint your barn or your fence but not your face. I think you have to be a painter to know how frustrating portraits can be. I have been fortunate and no one has ever complained but I have not done that many. I will still do them when asked but it is a difficult task.

My naturalist husband is always at his studies. When he is not doing field work he is compiling data on the computer. He has devoted his life to educating as many people as possible on what we have and how to take care of it. He is still working on a CD on Butterflies of the Blue Ridge which I hope will be out soon. Problems with the photographer have delayed progress. I have often wondered why he doesn't want to travel to Africa or South America for a completely different experience. He has studied species in Mexico and North Carolina but no where else outside of Virginia. I asked him why he won't travel to more exotic places and he said he isn't going anywhere where the wildlife is waiting for him with a fork and spoon as soon as he gets off the bus. I see his point.

Sold Another Original and All Choked Up

I am so pleased that I sold another original to a great patron in Missouri. Now I have artwork in eighteen states, Washington D.C., Canada, Germany, and Australia. My artwork marches on! As I have said before, I want to cover the planet!. It is such a wonderful experience to be appreciated. I work so hard at my profession and will never quit trying to get homes for all of my paintings. They are extensions of me and I hope they exist after I am gone. The painting is "Chrysanthemum Shift" and it has an exceptionally sensitive surface and exuberant color contrast.

Last week the Virginia Tech Library where my husband works in Government Documents had a celebration regarding the changes that are occurring right now. My husband's staff had a huge cake with the letter "C" on it and some pirate cookies. My husband said he had to leave the room all choked up. He wasn't choked up about the changes. He is fructose intolerant and can't eat cakes or cookies or a lot of things most people can eat. He was just kidding around. He has made the adjustment to his diet and lost thirty pounds. He just likes to make jokes about his dietary problems. The last time I mentioned one of his dietary laments on Facebook, I got a long stream of advice from well wishers. Not necessary!

Halfway There and Lights on a Turkey

I have taught a total of nineteen years at Radford University. I taught full-time for eight years and part-time for eleven years and I decided this semester would be my last. I have enjoyed working with the students but I want to work full-time at selling my own work. I make part of living off of my sales and it is my dream to make all of my living off of my sales. The semester is half over and I am getting more and more excited with each passing day. I am taking one thing home a day from my office so I won't have so much extra work during exam time. Soon I will be able to devote more time to promoting myself and moving artwork. I am in seventeen states,Washington D.C., Canada, Germany, and Australia. Time to cover the world!

My husband and I were talking about the great change in holiday celebrations. When we were kids no one put up lights for Hall ' o Ween, people did not put Christmas lights all over their roof and fence, and no one exchanged gifts for Easter as many people do now. Weeks ago we saw Christmas lights on at a home nearby. There are all kinds of huge Hall o' Ween ghoulish balloons in yards. My husband said the next thing will be lights on a Turkey for Thanksgiving. That is one I want to see!

If People only Knew and Abduction to Mars

Sometimes I hear people talk about an Art Appreciation or Art History course as if it was not worth any time or effort. I remember one young man saying all the teacher did was show pictures. Visual language is an incredible, thought provoking language that I wish everyone could understand. In school we are taught verbal and mathematical skills but not visual skills, in my opinion. I wish the average person could understand the tremendous effort that artists go through to communicate what they think is important about life. My work is intensely emotional but I think many people just see a pretty picture. Every color and mark is labored over to achieve the most intense visual communication possible. I never get exactly what I want but I get close. The perfect one is always right around the corner.

Just for fun my husband and a friend play the lottery once a week. They each put in a dollar and I always tease him about the fact that we still aren't millionaires. He says he has about as much chance of winning the lottery as he does of aliens hauling his butt off to Mars. I definitely would prefer winning the lottery. We are not the Bobbsey Twins but we do get along.

Sold Another Painting and You have the Wrong Number

I am so pleased to sell another original oil painting to a great patron in Morganton NC. It is such a wonderful experience to mail artwork out of my studio. Painting is my life and people that purchase one of my paintings are getting a part of me. Visual art is such an intense means of communication. I try to promote the good things in life with my work and "Flower Field" is one of my favorite paintings for reasons that I can't explain. Sometimes the colors and textures come together in an especially sensuous way that makes all of my efforts worthwhile.

My husband has a cell phone that he doesn't use. He just has it for emergencies but has to add minutes every three months to keep the service. He has 500 minutes and will probably just keep adding to that number. He can't understand why cell phones have become so popular. If a lot of people started to try to contact him by cell phone, this is the message he would like to put on it.

You have reached the wrong number. Even if you think you have the right number you are wrong. Bye.

He would never really do this. He is one of the most diplomatic people I have ever met but at heart he is a curmudgeon.

I have not done that for a long time and Artistic Environmentalists

I live to paint but once in a while it is a terribly taxing experience. Today was one of those days. I try to move fast so I don't get too critical of one painting but this time I was determined to work through the frustration to get the effect I want. It wasn't happening today so I became very vocal about it after making sure no one was around. Sometimes it is very helpful to throw a tantrum. Right afterward things started to work right and I am confident it will be a success. Control and accident. I doubt the average person has any idea of what that means. They would if they took up painting.

My husband likes to tease me when I make certain comments about nature that pertain to being an artist. Certain trees have a type of visual accent that makes them stand out from the rest to my eye. Since my husband and I are both environmentalists he says artistic environmentalists hug pretty trees.

This Would Not Happen if I had Time and The Only Alien I am going to see

I'm sure all artists that don't make their living off of their artwork can understand this problem. I make part of my living at it and I will never give up on getting paid for what I consider to be my job but I need that rich patron to support my efforts so I don't have to stop in the middle of my work. I wish I could spend as much time as I want on my paintings. There are so many other things I have to do that I am frustrated with all the starting and stopping. Still whining for extra hours to the day...

My husband and I were talking about movies with aliens in them. I have seen so few and really don't like alien movies. Some of them are so gruesome and some of them are so frightening that I avoid them. I have enough nightmares. My husband is not that interested in them either. He said the only alien he is going to see is the one staring back at him from the mirror

Sold Another Print of Marsh View at Pawleys Island and Hot Water

I am so pleased to sell another print of Marsh View at Pawleys Island to a great patron in Ridgeland MS. I am especially pleased with this painting. It is 41"x 60" and takes up a large section of the wall in my living room. I'm so glad there a number of people with prints of this work. I hope someone will want to buy the original but I think they would have to be local. I have never shipped a painting that large. I know there are shipping services for such an item but I haven't crossed that bridge yet.

I am still whining about piriformis and have decided that I am probably having this problem because I have stopped two activities that I used to do weekly - skating and swimming in a heated pool. I only like to skate at rinks but I have become too worried that I might have a serious accident . I hated to give it up but I don't want to break a hip at my age. The heated pool at the hospital is no longer having free swim sessions so that is the end of that.

I told my husband that I think people our age need to spend time in hot water. He said he is always in hot water. Not true! He is one of the good guys.

Sold Burning Shore and I Think I am going to call it Nastyformis

I am so pleased to sell one my favorite paintings to a great patron in Florida. "Burning Shore" has a wonderful visual intensity. I am especially pleased with the color contrast and emotional brushwork. I thought "Burning Shore" was a perfect name considering the strong sunset colors that permeate the whole work. I am now in sixteen states, Washington D.C., Canada, Germany, and Australia. I hope I cover the planet!

I am still griping about the piriformis that is causing so much pain in my right hip. Ten years ago I had such a bad case of piriformis in my left hip that I was practically screaming in pain. Since then I have been doing the exercises a great nurse friend told me to do to prevent it from flaring up again. That time it went away after a few days. This time I have been suffering since the end of July. The pain is not anywhere near as bad as the first time but I wish it would let up! I think a better name for it would be NASTYFORMIS.

Living with Autism the sale of Color Blast and the sales of two glicees

As any parent of an autistic child knows, it isn't easy living with mental illness. My husband and I love our son and always will but some days are so hard when he is extremely difficult to communicate with. I wish someone would find a cure for this illness. I do not agree with people that think there is nothing wrong with autism and the only problem is that the rest of us view it as a disorder. It is a handicap and I doubt whether he will be able to successfully live on his own. I'm not asking for sympathy. It is just good sometimes to vent a little. He is a good person and he does the best he can with his lot in life and we will continue to assist him until we are no longer around to do so.

I am so glad I am an artist. Everyday I am excited about whatever time I have to work at my art. It is such a wonderful experience and I love making part of my living at my sales. I will never give up on making it my only job but for now all sales are great. Recently, I sold the original painting entitled "Color Blast". This past week two giclees of Pawley's Island were sold to a patron in South Carolina. My visitors have doubled in the last few months and I look forward to future sales but the most important thing is to paint which I will be doing tomorrow morning as soon as the dishes are done.

Reaching into the Past

Since we are snowed in I am able to work more than usual. I am excited about my current portrait of my husband and son. The photograph that I am basing the painting on is twenty-five years old. Since then I have been through so many different approaches to oil painting that they are all converging in my head as I paint this one. I started out using the traditional thin-to-thick method of layering oil paint but I have since explored many levels of the impasto technique. I still apply the paint in layers. Most oil paintings are made that way but I am often asked if I use a palette knife as the brushwork is visible on close inspection.

It is so exciting to look at the photograph and make visual decisions partly based on the photograph, partly based on my personal expression, and partly based on combining various impasto techniques. Painting is a magic act. I balance between control and accident and arm wrestle it down as Paul Frets once told me.

Here is another painting I want to add to my portfolio when the weather improves and I can get a good outdoor shot.

Blogging and Looking for Hours

So much to do all the time. I wish someone would add hours to the day. Today I put in several hours on a portrait of my husband and son. The painting is based on a photograph I took when my son was nine months old. I have done a number of portraits of them from photos but I didn't think this one would work but now I realize it is an excellent start for me to build on with my personal expression. I am so excited to be reaching into the past with this work but I need to take better pictures for several pages of my website portfolio, work on images for my classes next semester, work on items that need repairing in my house, spend time with my husband, son and friends... The list goes on and on and all she wants to do is paint!

Here is one of the paintings I want to add to my portfolio among many others that I need good weather and good light to revise. Hopefully I will get some of that done next week. I am especially proud of the brushwork and delicate color contrast in this painting, " A Tree Poem".

Check out my work at kendall-kessler.artistwebsites.com

Line Dancing and First Place on Fine Art America

The Country Line Dancers are at it again. We have a performance the 27th and the 29th. I live to paint but line dancing is definitely second place.
My painting, "Dominion Skating Rink" took first place in Maximum Expression Through Minimum of Means today. It is great to be appreciated! I am having a wonderful time going back and forth between oil paint and pastels right now. I haven't met the medium I don't like but oil paint is my main love.

I will be glad when the weather is better so I can get back to updating my portfolio. I am on page five but I am anxious to get the whole thing straightened out. I have to take the shots outdoors due to the inadequate light in my studio.

I have a number of items on auction on ebay right now. Check them out! Also check out the paintings on ebay classifieds for Blacksburg, VA.

Just Hung a show At Mill Mt Coffee and Tea and did not knock over a single person

Sunday my husband and I hung my latest show, "This and That" at Mill Mountain Coffee and Tea in Blacksburg, Virginia without any problems. It is always tricky to hang a show in a business but it was early and I am pleased to say I didn't bump anyone.

I am, of course, joking. I have hung so many shows I could probably do it blind-folded if my paintings were lighter. Most of them are 30"x40" and on hardboard. I usually do it by myself but my husband offered to help so I took him up on it.

The show looks great and I have already had numerous compliments. Compliments are great but I hope to get some sales. There are landscapes and a few portraits. Please check it out! The show ends January 15th.

I am Overwelmed by the Work I have to do

I have so many paintings to re-shoot that I am worn out before I start. I wish I had been born into the digital age. The 35mm camera techniques I was taught in school for photographing art aren't good enough for large prints. I have a collection of slides that look great on the screen but when viewed at full resolution are blurry. I uploaded many paintings on FAA before I even had the equipment to show me if the images were good. Most of my paintings are 30"x40" and are on heavy boards made heavier by the amount of paint I use. I have to set up outdoors in the sunlight which at times is so strong shadows are created by the brushwork on the painting. The clouds keep shifting today but I am going to try to get good prints. Yikes! What a chore! Such a long of list!

I am so glad I am a painter. Tuesday I received a big disappointment but all I needed to do was pick up a paint brush and all was well again. If I end up in a wheel chair I know I will still be painting. I hope I won't have crippling arthritis like Renoir but I will keep going. How wonderful to love what you do!

Where is "A Memory"

What a day! Everything has gone wrong. I haven't had time to paint and to top it all off I just discovered that one of my large paintings has disappeared. I have been trying to track it down but the last time it was out was at a gallery but they said I picked it up. I have a reasonably good image on my website where patrons can obtain different size prints but I am worried that it is not clear enough. I will try to modify it on aperture but I have a feeling I will only be able to offer small prints.


I hate to lose a painting. I can't figure out what happened. Years ago when I was a student one of my paintings was stolen. I hope the person wanted the painting and didn't gesso over it for their own use.

Anyway, if you have seen this painting, please send me an email on my site, kendall-kessler.artistwebsites.com
trees prints

trees framed prints

trees greeting cards

trees posters

mountains paintings

Color, Color, and More Color

I am so excited with my new anything goes approach to painting. I am doing some paintings totally from my imagination based on images that I have seen. I am reacting to the color in much the way the Abstract Expressionists did but with representational forms.

My paintings keep me going in a world of disasters. I read the other day that Henry Ford once said that History is one damn thing after another. I wish everyone would take the study of History more seriously. Of course we repeat the same mistakes since many think the study of History is unimportant. What could be more important?

Please check out what makes my life wonderful on ebay. Just put Kendall Kessler in the search. Also check out kendall-kessler.artistwebsites.com

This painting is "Clouds over Buffalo Mountain".

green framed prints
green greeting cards
green posters
trees paintings
trees drawings
trees pastels
trees canvas prints

Smith Mountain Lake Ending this Evening on ebay

I thoroughly enjoyed working on a boat scene from Smith Mountain Lake. When I was young I spent a lot of time with my father fishing and crabbing on the Rehoboth Bay and the Chesapeake Bay. I have always enjoyed looking at boats.

This painting has a sensitive, colorful surface with small brushwork that makes for a varied surface that I am very proud of. My paintings are for people that appreciate a continual change in color and texture. They are complex, sensual, positive reflections of life. There is so much sadness and tragedy in the world. My paintings are positive assertions of what is good in life.

landscape drawings
landscape prints
impressionist posters
trees canvas prints
landscape pastels
landscape canvas prints
landscape framed prints
landscape greeting cards
landscape posters
green paintings
green drawings

The Joys and Aggravations of Painting

Yesterday I was crestfallen when I took my brush and wiped out a painting that just wouldn't turn out. Painting is always a crap shoot. It doesn't matter how talented an artist is, how much training the artist has, or how dedicated he or she is. It is always a difficult balancing act. On the same day I was ready to tear my hair out another painting worked out great! One of the best surfaces I have ever achieved on a painting! Go figure

I am trying more and more to get attention for my work. I work like a fiend and would like to be compensated for my efforts. Be sure to check out my work at kendall-kessler.artistwebsites.com. Also I sell on ebay. Just put Kendall Kessler in the search.

mountain paintings
figure impressionism greeting cardspaintings