Tag: maine

Birthday candles, AARP and a Colonoscopy!

On By Barbara StroudIn HEALTH, THOUGHTS8 Comments

You guessed it… Today I am 50! Hard to believe, because I don’t think I act like I’m 50. Actually to say “fifty” out loud sounds so foreign to me, it actually makes me laugh, which is better than crying, ha ha… Hey, I look forward to the future, 50 is the new 30 (and all you young people reading this that just rolled your eyes… Just wait, you go from 30 to 50 in the blink of an eye, time accelerates as you get older, I’m sure you’ve heard your parents, grandparents or any random older person say that at one time or another. I’m here to say. IT’S TRUE! So be happy for every day you have on earth…)!

Yep,  FIFTY birthday candles… enough to start a fire! Need a fire extinguisher nearby! Trying to think on the bright side… AARP. I can be a member now! Woohoo! Hey, I am excited about senior discounts now! If ya can’t beat ’em, join ’em, right? Did you know at age 55 you can get a free coffee from Dunkin Donuts? Get outta here! At 50 you can get a discount at Banana Republic (maybe because they know very few 50 year old women can fit in their clothes?)!

And oh yeah… the biggest birthday gift that you can give yourself… a colonoscopy! Help me out, I’m trying to think positive here… A good way to lose weight? I have a “consultation” soon.. Yippeeeee… I’ve read enough about it, am a tad worried I may starve to death, and NO MILK OR CREAM the day before, oh heavy sigh…. I can handle no food, but no cream means no coffee. That my friends, isn’t going to be pretty! I guess if that’s all I have to worry about, I’m doing great!

I know it’s going to be a fabulous birthday, Fred always makes sure of that. I love my birthday present, a Nikon Coolpix p510 with a 42x zoom, can’t wait to get it to Maine! WOOHOO!

Have a happy day and I’ll catch you back here tomorrow!!

 

Red’s Eats, Wiscasset, Maine… a great “lobstah” roll!

On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, Recipe, TRAVEL2 Comments

There is always a line at Red’s Eats. Voted one of the “10 great places to eat regionally, eat well” by USA Today, people are WILD about Red’s lobster rolls… Have you tried a lobster roll before? If so, where is YOUR favorite place to stop? The location of Red’s doesn’t hurt… nestled nicely in Wiscasset, Maine (known as the Prettiest Little Village in Maine). Wiscasset is a wonderful city filled with great art galleries, restaurants, wine and cheese shop (with desserts, sandwiches and soups as well), and antiques! If you find yourself anywhere near Wiscasset, take a ride through, see the wonderful shops, and perhaps stop for a lobster roll!

Click HERE to see how to make the perfect lobster roll… just like Red’s Eats!

Here’s an interesting tidbit about Wiscasset, Maine from the Budget Travel website:

“Prettiest Little Village in Maine”

Wiscasset is a quaint Historic Village on Route One with several Historic homes and buildings from the early 1800’s.  Beautiful waterfront dock on the deepest river in Maine, The Sheepscot River.  It used to be the largest shipping port North of Boston.  Thousands of tourists visit each year to drive up the coast on Route One and walk to the several fabulous Antique Shops and Art Galleries in Wiscasset and neighboring towns. The famous “Reds Eats” voted top 10 places to eat in USA Today,  is on the corner of Water St. and Rt. 1 known for their lobster rolls. People line the streets all summer long to experience this lobster shack.  Boothbay Harbor  and Damariscotta are also wonderful popular spots North of town and not too far off of Route One.  If you continue North on Route 1 to Rockland, ME, home of the popular Atlantic Blues Festival and Lobster Fest each summer.  Plenty to do in this lovely area of Maine not to mention the perfect summer weather from June to September and fabulous leaf peeping in October. 

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Port Clyde, Maine – truly the way life should be!

On By Barbara StroudIn TRAVELLeave a comment

Oh, what a wonderful place Port Clyde, Maine is! It’s one of my most favorite places in the world. The people are so genuine. When I’m there I just don’t want to leave! Gorgeous sunrises, sunsets… Fabulous places to eat, drink and be merry. A great ice cream shop, kayak place, cool home and clothing store and one of our favorites the Port Clyde General Store… Here’s a blip about Port Clyde from the Monhegan Boat Line website – if you haven’t been to Monhegan Island it’s a definite treat, Monhegan Boat Line is the way we always go. Here’s their information on Port Clyde:

Home port for the Elizabeth Ann and Laura B is the picturesque fishing village of Port Clyde, at the tip of the St. George Peninsula. To get to here you’ll take Route 131 from Route 1 in Thomaston. Click here for full directions. The road curves with the meandering St. George River, passing saltwater meadows, clapboard farmhouses, a few small art galleries, and the cluster of weathered buildings that is Tenants Harbor. When you arrive in Port Clyde, you will see signs directing you to the Monhegan Boat Line dock.

We hope you’ll plan to spend a little time ashore here before or after your trip. As you stroll around, it’s not hard to imagine how things might have looked back in the early 1800s, when the village was young and most Port Clyde families were involved in shipbuilding. Later, the most important source of income was catching and canning seafood, and you can still buy tinned sardines bearing the Port Clyde label. While the local canning industry is gone, Port Clyde remains primarily a working harbor, filled with the rugged boats of local lobstermen and fishermen.

You might see some of these hardy mariners loading traps or bait onto their boats at the docks behind the Port Clyde General Store. Be sure to stop into this wonderful old purveyor of staples, sundries, and homemade treats. Please also visit the gift shop on our dock, where you’ll find mementos of the coast and Monhegan Island. A number of noted artists — including Greg Mort, Gary Akers, and Barbara Ernst Prey — also live and/or work in the area. Their work captures the essence of Maine, so be sure to ask if studio showings are being offered while you’re here.

If you’re hungry for pizza, crab rolls, or steamed lobster, you can eat your fill at a local restaurant. Ready for a little hike? It’s a nice round-trip walk of about two miles from our dock to the Marshall Point Light, which has stood watch since 1833 on the eastern side of the harbor entrance. You can also drive out to the point. The view of Mosquito Island and smaller nearby isles is beautiful, and the keeper’s house is now a small museum. On the way to the lighthouse you’ll also find Herring Gut Learning Center, a marine science education center which includes oyster and finfish hatcheries, an aquaponic greenhouse, marine touch tanks, and a reference library.

It will be our pleasure to welcome you to Port Clyde as well as to our boats. You’ll discover a little bit of unspoiled Maine here, and take home old-fashioned memories with you.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist… Colin Page!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured Artist10 Comments

“Underneath” by Colin Page – Image: DowlingWalsh.com

I’ve featured Colin a few times over the past few years. His work is outstanding, and now… some of his paintings have a new twist. Edgy. I am really liking his new work, I love this painting, how you see “underneath”… its wonderful how he can mix a  traditional painting with some abstractness to come up with something totally unique, that works so well! If you haven’t checked out Colin’s website in the past, I highly encourage you to do so. Colin is an amazing person. He gave a workshop in Charleston, SC this past spring that was a huge hit, everyone loved him, and thought he was a fabulous teacher! Oh! I don’t want to forget to mention his JOURNAL. Full of great information, it’s a “must read” if you love art!

Colin’s show opens at the Dowling Walsh Gallery in Rockland, Maine TODAY! The opening reception is from 5-8PM, so if you’re in the area, give his work a peek! You will be thrilled that you did. The Dowling Walsh Gallery is a nice place to hang out and check out some of the best art around. Colin’s show starts today, August 3rd through August 26, 2012. I hope every painting has a red dot!

Look at this piece… (to me) it’s reminiscent of a painting done by Charles Movalli entitled, THE PATRIOT, oh how we loved that painting… if memory serves me correctly it was the stern of a sailboat, and an American flag, those two things I remember… it was big and it was at Bayview Gallery in Camden, ME many years ago. I’ll never forget that piece!

“Angelique” is one classy painting, with the dark hull, the dark water with pops of the sky and the pop of the flag… whoa!

“Angelique” by Colin Page – Image: DowlingWalsh.com

If you’re lucky enough to make it to the show, let me know how you liked it! It’s going to be fabulous! Read more about Colin on the Dowling Walsh website (fabulous website!), so much to read! Catch you back here tomorrow!

Photo: Ahhh, the way life should be! Relax and enjoy!

On By Barbara StroudIn THOUGHTS, TRAVEL2 Comments

Now don’t you think this is the way life should be? Like a nice summer vacation. Where there is time for sitting and reading, or sitting by the river and watching all there is to see (it can be more entertaining than television, that’s for sure!). My parents live on the St. Clair River in Algonac, MI… the views are amazing… the sunsets are out of this world! My dad made these adirondack chairs, they have nice fluffy cushions, and it makes a great place to sit.

Wouldn’t you like to be sitting in that chair right now? Me too! These chairs remind me of the Island Inn on Monhegan (Maine). Nothing like sitting and reading or watching the water!

Monhegan Island, Maine – Island Inn Adirondack chairs… Fred reading while he waits for me… 

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Maine Photo: Home away from home… a cottage in Port Clyde, Maine!

On By Barbara StroudIn TRAVEL1 Comment

We have stayed at this cottage in Port Clyde, Maine a few times. Each time has been a delight. There is nothing like it! The great windows with a view to die for, the ocean literally a stones throw away. Chilly nights, no heat, big fireplace, ahhh heaven! We’ve had some great times here! I went to the Marshall Point Lighthouse Museum and found a photo of it from long ago (the lighthouse is just down the street). How interesting! If I had unlimited funds I would build this exact house (if I couldn’t buy it first)…

Is there a special place you visit? Tell me about it! Where is it? Why do you like it so much?! What do you do while you’re there? Enjoy your summer!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist… Connie Hayes!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured Artist2 Comments

“Blue Scooter 1” by Connie Hayes

Image: Dowling Walsh

Connie Hayes is an icon. She is a wicked good painter. I would LOVE one of her interiors, they are beyond stunning… or any of the landscapes that she’s so known for, the way she can paint a house, dock or a winding road, WOW! This show is a departure from her normal painting subjects, this show entitled “Abandon, Absorption, and Entrancement” is at the Dowling Walsh Gallery located in Rockland, Maine (across the street from the Farnsworth Museum). If you haven’t been to the Dowling Walsh Gallery before, let me tell you what you are missing. A state of the art gorgeous gallery with some of the most famous names in the art business. Dowling Walsh is a high end gallery that spares no expense in promoting their artists. It’s one of my very favorite galleries, and I truly look forward to spending time there each and every year! (It’s a nice plus that you can walk next door for a fabulous lunch, treat, coffee or tea at the bakery, and walk across the street to the Farnsworth Museum and Gift Shop, or to dinner at Rustica just down the street…) I guess what I’m trying to say is that Dowling Walsh is in THE perfect location… Don’t miss Connie’s show, trust me, it’s one you won’t soon forget! Lucky you! Tonight is Connie’s opening reception!

The painting above “Blue Scooter 1” shows such determination in the child’s face. Connie’s use of bright colors and bold brushstrokes is what she is known for. The dramatic shadows from the scooter really sets it all off. Brilliant!

Information (and photo) from the Dowling Walsh website:

Upcoming Exhibition: July 6 – July 29, 2012

Connie Hayes will be exhibiting her new collection of paintings, “Abandon, Absorption, and Entrancement,” at Dowling Walsh Gallery in July 2012. The show will examine portraits, people and interactions. The opening reception will be held on Friday, July 6, 2012 from 5-8 pm.

Preview the show here: Connie Hayes July 2012.

Connie will be giving an illustrated talk at The Strand Theater, “Photography as Sketchbook: Exploring Gesture”, on Tuesday, July 17, 2012 from 4-5pm.

Connie’s show is highlighted in Maine Home + Design’s April 2012 art issue. To download a copy of the article, click here: Show Stoppers.

Biography

Connie Hayes is a painter living in Rockland, Maine. She received her M.F.A. from Tyler School of Art at Temple University in Philadelphia, and Rome; her B.F.A. from the Maine College of Art in Portland; and her B.A. from the University of Maine. She received a fellowship to attend the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture in 1989. Born in Gardiner, Maine she taught at the Maine College of Art for 10 years, also participating in arts administration there for 15 years, including serving as their interim Dean of Faculty. In 2003 she was awarded an honorary doctorate in fine arts from the Maine College of Art. From 1992-1998 she lived in New York City and since 1990 her pursuit has been “borrowed views”, as she lives and paints in others’ homes as an artist-in-residence. While she continues that work, she has recently been developing a new group of figure paintings, exploring gesture and color.

Connie Hayes held an exhibition, “A Decade of Views” at Dowling Walsh Gallery in the fall of 2009. To view a copy of this show catalog, click on the following link: Connie Hayes Web Catalog

Connie Hayes gave a presentation, titled “Up Close”, at the Strand Theatre in Rockland, Maine on September 18th, 2010. To view the presentation, please click here.

Her work was featured in Maine Home + Designmagazine August 2010 Issue. Following is a link to a PDF copy of the article feature: Hayes Article Feature- Maine Home and Design August 2010 Issue.

I want to leave you with one more image… isn’t this fabulous?

“Green Table, Vinalhaven” by Connie Hayes – Image: Dowling Walsh

Did I mention her use of light? Fabulous! Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist… Kevin Beers! New show opens TODAY!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured Artist2 Comments

“Fitzgerald’s Dory” by Kevin Beers

Image: Gleason Fine Art

I normally post the artists I feature on Monday, Wednesday and Friday… Occasionally I need to rearrange my schedule so I can let you know about an upcoming event… this would be one of those times. Kevin Beers… a cool guy that Fred and I met on our first visit to Monhegan Island, Maine. There he was set up with his big easel, painting on this huge canvas. What artist does Kevin’s paintings remind you of? If you said Edward Hopper we’re on the same wavelength. Amazing work. His love for Monhegan truly shows through in his paintings! Kevin shows his work at Gleason Fine Art Gallery in Boothbay Harbor  – if you’re in the area stop in!

KEVIN BEERS

JUNE 28 – JULY 28, 2012

RECEPTION: SATURDAY, JUNE 30, FROM 5 TO 7PM

I’ve included a few of his new paintings… let me tell you how difficult it was to choose only two! If you aren’t in Boothbay Harbor, check out the gallery website! Hey, if you make it to the show please tell him (and his wife Amy!) that Fred and I said HELLO!

“Night Shed” by Kevin Beers

Image: Gleason Fine Art

Here’s a blip about Kevin from the Gleason Fine Art website:

Kevin Beers

Each summer Brooklyn resident Kevin Beers returns to his beloved Monhegan Island to paint for 4 months, mining a fresh treasure trove of subject matter from this tiny island off the coast of Maine. Beginning in 2009, Beers has also been making annual trips to Monhegan in winter in order to capture the islands special light in snow.

“Monhegan is a dazzling place with incredible, beautiful light. It is such a remote and untouched island. I love to paint the buildings on the island–the color and structure of weathered buildings, the patterns of sunlight and shadow, and the sharp contrast between a red roof, white clapboards, and bright blue sky,” says Beers.

Kevin Beers has received increasing attention for his work, including features in Maine Home + Design, DownEast, American Art Collector, and American Artist. Avid collector, actor Remak Ramsay, says of Beers: “Unlike so many contemporary artists, Kevin Beers is well trained in the basics. Combine that with a genuine affection for the people and places he paints and his love of slanting light, and you get a rare magic that, eschewing trendy gimmicks, is as honest and sincere as it is beautiful.”

Daniel Kany, arts reviewer for the Portland Newspapers, writes of Beers: “Kevin Beers respect for Hopper is apparent, but he quickly takes his quiet volumes and glowing tonality away from Hoppers slow, cooled lines. Beers brushwork flows at a strong pace that never hurries or abandons thoughtfulness. The masterful bow to Hopper is worth applauding–especially when a closer inspection reveals Beers flowing brushwork is nothing like Hoppers.”

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Jamie Wyeth, Rockwell Kent and Monhegan – at the Farnsworth Museum through December 30, 2012!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured Artist4 Comments

“Jenny Whibley Sings” by Jamie Wyeth

Let me start by saying. Ahhhhmaaazzzzzing! I love how dramatic this piece is! The glow of the house against the deep dark surroundings, and of course, Jenny Whibley singing… The tumultuous sky with the few brightly lit stars. Love it!

I sure didn’t want anyone to miss hearing about this exhibit! I am looking so forward to seeing this collection of fine paintings! If you’re in the Rockland, ME area, don’t miss it! Afterwards pop across the street to the bakery for a chocolate croissant or to Rustica for some heavenly pasta!

“Late Afternoon” by Rockwell Kent – Image: Farnsworth Museum

On to the details… from the Farnsworth Museum:

JAMIE WYETH, ROCKWELL KENT AND MONHEGAN

May 12, 2012 – December 30, 2012
Wyeth Center

Jamie Wyeth’s connection to Monhegan dates to the late 1950s, when he first went there with his father, and he has continued to paint there ever since. His connection to fellow artist Rockwell Kent goes back nearly as far. Early in his career Wyeth bought several pen and ink drawings by Kent used as the sources for his illustrations to Moby Dick, one of Kent’s most renowned book illustration projects. Subsequently, Wyeth acquired what was Kent’s last home and studio on Monehgan, and then bought several of Kent’s paintings from his first period on the island around 1907. This exhibition will focus on works by the two artists done on Monhegan, and how the scenic island has inspired their work.

This exhibition is made possible in part thanks to the generous support of: Anonymous, The Crosby Kemper Foundations, Mr. Richard Gilder and Ms. Lois Chiles, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Pyne, John and Anne Surovek, and Mr. and Mrs. George Twigg III.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist… Peter Poskas!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured Artist3 Comments

“Evening, Rockwell Kent House” by Peter Poskas – Image: Haynes Gallery

This certainly is a nice little painting of the Rockwell Kent House, at Lobster Cove on Monhegan Island, Maine…. Lovely rendition for sure. The warm light, the water and sky how they so closely come together… Peter has some wonderful paintings, many of Monhegan for those of you for an affinity for the island… hard to choose just one! Take a peek!

Stay tuned for a future post about Jamie Wyeth, Rockwell Kent and Monhegan… Jamie Wyeth was an admirer of Rockwell Kent’s paintings, he purchased his house at Lobster Cove as well as a few paintings. Can you imagine? The house is a beauty!

Here’s a blip about the artist from the Haynes Gallery website:

Peter Poskas

American, Born 1939

Prominent 21th Century American landscape artist Peter Poskas has been painting New England farms for more than three decades. While his earliest pieces were reminiscent of Edward Hopper’s style, inspiration for his current work evolved when he move to Washington, Connecticut, where he began painting the farm of his elderly neighbor, Emily Uranus. While the farms depicted in his paintings have changed over the years, his thoughtful studies of light and perspective that reflect the subtle nuances of seasonal change remain a constant subject of his work.

Poskas has enjoyed a successful career as an artist and continues to exhibit his work throughout the United States. His much sought-after paintings have been collected both privately and publicly, including such important institutions as the Frye Art Museum in Seattle, the Mattatuck Museum in Connecticut, the Mint Museum in North Carolina, and the Rahr West Museum in Wisconsin.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Photo: Owls Head Lighthouse… Maine!

On By Barbara StroudIn TRAVEL2 Comments

Several years ago we went to the Owls Head Lighthouse, what a neat place. That dead tree to the right of the stairs added such character to the place. And… have you ever seen a bluer sky?

A treasure that we found in Owls Head is the Owls Head General Store. If you’re in that area, check it out, GREAT food (haddock melts, hamburgers, and more!), and it’s like coming home to family. They’re the nicest group of people ever!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist… Jerry Rose!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured Artist2 Comments

“Dockside Conversation” by Jerry Rose  /  Image: Bayview Gallery

I think Bayview Gallery is full of some pretty fabulous artists. We were in Camden, ME one year and were so excited to visit the gallery, it was the first time we saw Charles Movalli’s work in person. STUNNING. HUGE pieces everywhere. We signed up for their mailing list which notifies you of any new artists, etc. We received an email the other day introducing artist Jerry Rose. Don’t you love this painting? The water looks like glass… I love the brilliant white boat against the oh-so-dark water… and those fabulous reflections… makes for a very nice painting! If you’re in Maine, Bayview Gallery has two locations, one in Camden and one in Brunswick. Stop in, say hello and take a look at all the fabulous art!

A blip about Jerry from the Bayview Gallery website:

Jerry Rose  Sedgwick, Maine painter Jerry Rose uses dynamic brushwork and luscious textures to capture the ever changing landscape of the mid-coast and neighboring islands. He has an affinity for the working waterfronts and vernacular architecture of the small villages that make up his local scene.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Island Inn, Monhegan Island, Maine OPENING May 25, 2012!

On By Barbara StroudIn TRAVEL4 Comments

Island Inn, Monhegan Island, Maine… opening May 25, 2012  – The quiet that the island has endured over the past winter is almost over… it’s time for the Island Inn to open up next week, and with the opening will come some lucky people! Some there for the first time, not knowing what to expect, others most likely that have been coming this same time each year. If you’re new to the island, click HERE for the Visitor’s Guide to Monhegan, ME. We have met some of the most fascinating people on this island, it’s why we keep going back. Revel in the fact that there is no TV, no alarm clocks and all the “stuff” that keeps you wired… enjoy it! The peaceful quiet very well may overwhelm your senses!

Treat the island well… leave no trace. Enjoy and embrace the peacefulness that this island offers. You will miss it once you leave!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist… Charles Movalli!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured Artist6 Comments

“Looking Toward Fish Beach, Monhegan” by Charles Movalli

Image: BayviewGallery.com

I admire artist Charles Movalli. I would truly like to meet him one day. He seems to be a nice guy with a sense of humor. I love that. His paintings are spectacular. My husband and I first spotted his paintings at Bayview Gallery in Camden, ME back in 2006. I can still see that painting hanging up high, it was the hull of a boat with the American flag. I was captivated. It was a large painting and it was spectacular! Since that time I’ve seen plenty of his paintings that I just fall in love with! “Looking Toward Fish Beach, Monhegan” is one… another that was on the Walls Gallery website (so I’m not sure where the painting is now or if it has sold), it was called “Just Another Workday”. Did you read the other day where I mentioned that little pop of an orange or red in a painting can make all the difference… so can a larger pop… love this one!

“Just Another Workday” by Charles Movalli , Image from Walls Gallery 

Here’s a blip about Charles from the Walls Gallery website (the Walls Gallery closed the Wilmington, NC locationDecember 2011, which I was sad to hear… Walls was a nice gallery with some fabulous artists, to mention a few: Ken DeWaard, Tim Bell, Larry Moore, Cindy Baron) click HERE for more info… I see they mention that the Walls Gallery may be opening at the Greenbrier resort some time this year)…

Charles Movalli

Charles is a great ambassador for the Cape Ann School.   Cape Ann is the longest active artist colony in the United States.  No surprise. The place is one painting after another, just waiting to be painted. After all this time, you’d think the nay-sayers of art, the It’s-all-been-done crowd, might have a point, but Motif #1 still draws painters, who are still doing something that’s never been done before. Charles’ lecture on the Cape Ann School is not to be missed. Winslow Homer, Childe Hassam, Edward Hopper, John Sloan,Emile Gruppe are a few of the regulars going back nearly 200 years. Gloucester and Rockport are plagued by picturesqueness.  It’s catching.  Trash bins may even be lovely.

The focus of the artists Charles admired and learned from as a young painter (Emile Gruppe, Carl Peters, Aldro Hibbard) was composition, and his paintings have a solid structure even amid dinghies bobbing at the dock and buildings listing under their years.

Charles has a PhD in English and has written books and articles galore.  The books, though pricey if you can find one, are fantastic reads for any student of painting covering not only many laudable artists, but also composition, color, and the wielding of the brush.  We are still waiting for the book on Charles himself, but he has let us know that some things will melt and others freeze over before we’ll see that book.  We’ll enjoy his paintings while we wait.

I told you… he’s got a sense of humor… love that! Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist… Ken Dewaard!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART5 Comments

Morning on Monhegan by Ken Dewaard

Ken Dewaard is one of our favorite artists. Super nice guy as well as talented beyond words. The man can paint ANYTHING! You must check out his website, look at the paintings he did of China… whoa! I spent a great deal of time agonizing over WHICH painting… usually there is a painting or two that stands out to me… with Ken there were many… decisions, decisions… Check out his work, I promise you will not be disapointed!

If you’re fortunate enough to be in the Pine Mountain area of Georgia, Ken will be participating in the Third Annual Plein Air Paint Out, Art Show and Sale at Calloway Gardens. Sunday, April 15- Sunday, April 22!

Here’s a blip about Ken from his website…

For Ken there is nothing more rewarding and challenging than painting under an open sky, surrounded by the scents and sounds of nature, along with it’s ever changing color and harmonies to excite one’s creativity.
After receiving his Bachelor of Arts with honors, Ken began working in a commercial art studio in Chicago. He continued his studies at the American Academy of Art, where he studied with nationally recognized watercolorist, Irving Shapiro. Upon Irving’s recommendation Ken joined the acclaimed Palette and Chisel Academy of Fine Art in Chicago, where he soon began studying with Scott Burdick
as well as Dan Gerhartz.
It is here that Ken adapted his direct and pure approach as well as his bravura brush style, which he achieves by painting from life.
Strongly inspired by John Singer Sargent, Nicolai Fechin, Joaquin Sorolla and the Russian Impressionists, Ken finds himself painting an array of subject matter from everyday life. The feelings Ken evokes in his paintings are due in part to the excitement and passion he feels while capturing the fleeting effects of light, or the wonderful color nuances and harmonies presented by nature and all of her beauty.
Ken continues to travel throughout the United States as well as Italy. He has spent many a summer day painting the Italian hillsides, American vistas, and beauty wherever it finds him. This has always been a contributing factor in his work, insight, and inspiration and growth as an artist.
Ken is an instructor at the Kewaunee Academy of Fine Art, 
in Kewaunee, Wisconsin. He currently resides with his wife and four young children in the beautiful driftless area of southwest Wisconsin.

And… one that isn’t for sale (it’s ours!)… Love this one, View Of Booth Bay…

Catch you back here tomorrow!