Rhododenron at Black Rock Hill on The Blue Ridge Parkway and Clyde Kessler poem to be published in an Anthology...

My Artwork

 

I love flowers, especially wildflowers.  I am always amazed by the rhythm I see in natural settings which is why one of my paintings of wildflowers is called Natural Rhythm.  The colors seem to connect in beautiful patterns and form wonderful shapes and color accents in their surroundings.

This painting of Rhododendron at Black Rock Hill is a great example.  The flowing motion of this patch is beautifully accented by the surrounding trees and the colors sparkle.

I haven't done a painting of the Blue Ridge Mountains from this overlook but I am sure I will in the future.  I never tire of painting this wonderful region of Virginia.  I can't imagine living anywhere else and I am sure the Bird Man will continue to show me enchanting surroundings.

Rhododendron at Black Rock Hill      $2425.00

Prints on paper or canvas available at KENDALL KESSLER ART

540-257-3437

Here are two more Blue Ridge Wildflower paintings.  

Be sure to check out my floral folder on my website!  KENDALL KESSLER FLORALS  

Blue Ridge Jewels   Original painting has been sold

Prints on paper or canvas available at KENDALL KESSLER ART

Wildflowers by a Blue Ridge Sunset    Original painting has been sold

Prints on paper or canvas available at KENDALL KESSLER ART

Life with the Word and Bird Man - Clyde Kessler

 My husband recently found out that the poem he just had accepted in Contemporary Haibun Online has also been accepted in an Anthology. This is the ninth poem he has published in this magazine and now an anthology!

Fiddling in January is a special kind of poem.  A haibun seems more like prose to the average reader and is called prosimetric.  I  will post it on the next blog.

My Artwork on Just About Anything

In addition to originals and prints I have my work on Zazzle where patrons can get my paintings on computer, kitchen, and office accessories, clothing, and even toys!

The other day someone in Texas bought a bumper sticker with my painting, "Blue Tiger", on it!  Fun to think of my painting on the back of a car! 

Here is the link!  NEW RIVER ARTIST ON ZAZZLETiger Stare  20x16 acrylic on canvas            $670.00

540-257-3437

Prints on paper or canvas available at KENDALL KESSLER ART

Buffalo Mountain on The Blue RIdge Parkway and When Pigs Fly by my Window...

My Artwork

Buffalo Mountain in Fall

Original Painting 32x40         $2760.00 

540-257-3437

Prints on paper or canvas available at KENDALL KESSLER ART

Another gorgeous mountain vista off The Blue Ridge Parkway is Buffalo mountain.  The name comes from the strong hump on the ridge.  Buffalo Mountain Presbyterian Church was built by the Reverent Robert Childress who was the subject for the book "The Man Who Moved a Mountain"  This is a great book that I highly recommend!

Buffalo Mountain in Fall is one of my favorite Blue Ridge Mountain landscapes.  The colors of light and shade in fall are especially beautiful.  The violet is  intense and it is difficult to paint the atmospheric effect and not lose the cool colors in the warm colors.  They look as if they are floating together in space.

More Blue Ridge Vistas

Blue Ridge Autumn    

Original painting has been sold

540-257-3437

Prints on paper or canvas available at KENDALL KESSLER ART

Violet Evening on Rocky Knob

oil on canvas  16x20   $640.00

540-257-3437

Prints on paper or canvas available at KENDALL KESSLER ART

When Pigs Fly by my Window

I am a workaholic.  It is extremely important to me to sell my work.  I can't take them with me and I hope they will all have homes when I am gone.  I depend on friends to get me out once in a while, but mostly I am either painting or working at promotion strategies.

Saturday I told my self I ought to try to take a break and rest.  Right as that thought was going through my head a pig flew by my window and winked!   Of course, I didn't take it easy but I did get a lot of work done!

Life with the Word and Bird Man - Clyde Kessler

You know you live with The New River Valley Bird Man when Lowes calls you up to ask how to get a hawk out of their store.  This happened a few minutes ago and I left a message with Clyde at work since he is away from his desk right now.

I know he will know what to do!

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

Arnold Valley on The Blue RIdge Parkway and Connect the Dots...

My Artwork

Another great mountain site on The Blue RIdge Parkway is Arnold Valley.  I am especially pleased with the atmosphere in my painting, "Near Arnold Valley" from one of the overlooks there. 

The blues were really taking over the range on this day.

Near Arnold Valley 30x40 oil painting     $2425.00

Prints on paper or canvas available at KENDALL KESSLER ART

My painting does not show the valley but rather the ranges near it, hence the title "Near Arnold's Valley.

The name comes from Steve Arnold who established his homestead there in 1749.

I am always been fascinated with what we artists call the disollution of form due to atmospheric conditions.  That is one of the reasons I love The Blue Ridge Mountains.  

The colors change with each new day.

One of my heroes, Claude Monet, was also fascinated with color changes.  He didn't think it was possible to actually paint a landscape accurately since colors change so quickly due to light and atmosphere.

He would put down each color as he saw it and said the result was a naive impression.

Life with The Bird and Word Man

My husband has commented that I remind him of Spock on Star Trek because he thinks I have a logical mind.  

Although I wouldn't want people to think I am that fictional character I am pleased by the compliment.

My husband said he did not think his mind was logical but I disagree.  I told him his mind is logical and he is much more knowledgeable than the average person.

I did admit that sometimes he has trouble connecting the dots.

His reply was, "What dots?"

Of course he is kidding...I think...maybe.

Special Promotions on Fine Art America

Be sure to check out my special large canvas prints on Fine Art America!  Two more days on 40% off prints of Burning Shore, Marsh View at Pawleys Island which is at the top of the blog,  and Breakers at Pawleys Island!  There is a 30 day money back guarantee which includes shipping charges!                

  kendall-kessler.fineartamerica.com

Burning Shore   original painting has been sold

Prints on paper or canvas available at KENDALL KESSLER ART

Breakers at Pawleys Island     original painting has been sold

Prints on paper or canvas available at KENDALL KESSLER ART

Purgatory Mountain on The Blue Ridge Parkway and The Blue Ridge Discovery Center

My Artwork

Another gorgeous spot off the Blue Ridge Parkway is Purgatory.   My husband took me there for inspiration and I was fascinated by the view and the name!

Near Purgatory 

Original painting has been sold

Prints on paper or canvas available at Kendall Kessler Art

Purgatory Mountain rises above the Great Valley. The  road passed through the town of Buchanan, at the base of the mountain.  The strenuous trip down the path and around sharp bends of a creek had stagecoach and wagon drivers referring to the trip as "going through purgatory." 

The creek became Purgatory Creek, and later the mountain took the same name.

I got the above information from Blue Ridge Parkway Guide by Virtual Blue Ridge.

Here are some more of my Blue Ridge Parkway Vistas!

Cloud Dance

Oil painting 30"x40"  $2425.00

Prints on paper or canvas available at Kendall Kessler Art

Over the Edge 

Original painting has been sold

Prints on paper or canvas available at Kendall Kessler Art

Life with the Bird and Word Man

My husband works closely with The Blue Ridge Discovery Center which is a wonderful organization that aims to get children and adults out into this beautiful mountain region.

My husband will be assisting photographer Nancy Kent on April 12th in Wildwood Park in Radford, Virginia with a program called Shutter Bugs.  

They will teach children and adults about the flowers and insects in the park and how to get great pictures of them!

I will add more about their programs in future blogs!

Mission

Blue Ridge Discovery Center inspires creativity, discovery, and critical thinking through interest-driven and hands-on activities focused on the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Our Vision

We believe that there is no better way to ensure the well-being of future generations than to provide creative and fun opportunities for people to engage their surroundings, look closer, question, and share their findings with others.

Wildflowers at Rock Castle Gorge on The Blue Ridge Parkway and Send out the Dog Sled...

My Artwork

I have quite a number of paintings that are based on scenes from Rock Castle Gorge and views from Rocky Knob.  I am pleased with all of them but if I had to pick favorites it would be the ones that include wildflowers.  The wildflowers are especially beautiful there and make for great color accents in my work.

Summer Path at Rock Castle Gorge   $2425.00

Prints on paper or canvas at kendall-kessler.artistwebsites.com

Summer Path at Rock Castle Gorge is one of my favorite landscapes.  My husband took me around to all the paths that were not hiking paths and I especially liked this one because of the colors and the path was grass rather than dirt. 

It was probably just a place where a lot of people have walked through to the ridge to see more of the beautiful mountain vista.

My favorite wildflower found there and here in Radford, Virginia is Sweet Pea.  I love all colors but I am especially fond of magenta, probably because it is a red purple so it is both a warm and a cool color.

There is also Red Trillium, white Albultescens, and pink Claytonia virginica in this wonderful Blue Ridge Parkway area of Virginia.

Here are two more paintings from Rock Castle Gorge. 


The first one is another view from Rocky Knob and the other one is a view from another part of the Rocky Knob overlook.

Rocky Knob

Original painting has been sold

prints on paper or canvas available at kendall-kessler.artistwebsites.com

Sweet Pea Morning Original painting - $884.00

Prints on paper or canvas available at kendall-kessler.artistwebsites.com

Life with The Bird and Word Man

My husband, Clyde Kessler,  has always kept a close watch on the weather.  He follows all the reports and says some weather forecasters are more accurate than others.  

This morning he was quite concerned about the coming  ice and snow storm so he asked me if we needed to get to the store for anything before the roads got bad.

I told him we were seriously low on chocolate.

He said we better send out the dog sled. LOL!

More Rock Castle Gorge on The Blue Ridge Parkway and It is all in the Light...

My Art Work

Dirt Road Near Rock Castle Gorge

Pastel on paper  17"x23"  Original - $782.00

Prints on paper or canvas available at kendall-kessler.artistwebsites.com

I have so many paintings from Rock Castle Gorge that I think I will be blogging about this gorgeous Blue Ridge Parkway attraction for a while.  

Hikers especially love the trails at this site and my husband has actually walked as much as eight miles off the trail up and down the mountain to get photographs of butterflies.

His photographer, Bruce Grimes, has to carry heavy equipment to get good photographs and he often has to lie down on his stomach to get the shot.  I have always admired photographers!  

Good photography is quite an art and a job!

Road to Rocky Knob oil on canvas  8"x10"

Original painting has been sold

Prints on paper or canvas available at kendall-kessler.artistwebsites.com

The actual trail is a loop that is  just short of 11 miles long.

It ranges from 1700 feet to 3572 feet at Rocky Knob.

I am especially fond of this oil painting of a road that leads to Rocky Knob.  It is quite an expressive work!

There are so many interesting trails around this area and the wildflowers in season are stunning!

When I was in school I had a teacher that was fond of country and mountain scenes and he remarked to me one time that He especially liked the kind of yellow/white grass seen along the dirt road in the painting at the top.

Most artists have a main medium and a secondary medium.  My main medium is oil paint but my secondary medium is pastels.

I am especially proud of my American Artist Award for "Near Smithfield Plantation"from famed pastelist Daniel Greene.

Life with the Bird and Word Man

• People often don't like their photograph and with good reason!  The lens is curved and the resulting parallax can make for a picture that looks how a person looks in a curved piece of metal.  No one wants that!
• I pride myself that I can work around the parallax but I have been having a hard time lately with my digital camera.  I think the old 35mm cameras had less perspective distortion.

Anyway, I finally got a decent picture of my husband for the publication The Writing Disorder which will feature his poems this Spring.  The tenebristic light made all the difference!

Clyde Kessler