Repeat Customers

I am so grateful for all the people who have found my artwork worthy of purchase.  And when some customers come back for one, two, or three more, I am just speechless.  What are they thinking?  My most recent multi-painting collector had an answer:  Imagine what these paintings will be worth once you're gone!  Well thanks, guys!

Here's their latest choice.

This is a 9x12 oil on canvasboard, an early Spring scene, titled Down East Forest Stream.
Enjoy, Ellyn & Brad!

Commission: Ronnie's Deer

Just delivered this 24x48 landscape painting of a deer, seen from just outside his cabin in the woods.  What a beautiful spot!  For various reasons, it took over 3 years from start to finish... 

Thanks for you patience, Ronnie & Connie! 

SOLD: The Narrows

The Woodwind Gallery in Machias sold this 14x18 The Narrows (painted in 2009) recently.  Thank you, Holly!

 

The reference photo was taken just east of Hamel's place, in the afternoon, looking southwest.

Bull Moose in Pond

Since the Alone Moose Gallery in Bar Harbor sold my Bull Moose in Fog, I brought them another recently completed moose today, Bull Moose in Pond. 

This one is a 14x18 oil painting, framed in Mahogany with gold liner, and priced at $440, available at the Alone Moose Gallery in Bar Harbor.

East Side Marsh

This marsh is located just off East Side Road, Addison, Maine.

East Side Marsh - 8x10 oil on canvasboard, $200 framed.

Vanessa Jane

This lobster boat, The Vanessa Jane, is from Winter Harbor, Maine.

The scene is a view from the West side of the Scoodic Peninsula, with Mt. Desert Island in the far background.  This is painted in oil on a 5x7 canvasboard, priced at $150 framed.

Surf at Schoodic - Acadia

Here's the third in a series of Acadian shore paintings.

Surf at Schoodic.  This is an 8x10 oil on stretched canvas with "creative edges" - no frame required. Price - $200.

Another View from Acadia

Here's another view of the beautiful rocky Schoodic shore...

This is another 8x10 oil, Black Rocks of Schoodic, $200.

Sunswept Rocks - Schoodic Peninsula

Explored the Schoodic Peninsula recently (part of Acadia National Park) - took a lot of paintable photos.  Here is one.

This is an 8x10 oil on stretched canvas, painted around the edges (needs no frame) and is priced at $200.  The title is Sunswept Rocks - Schoodic Peninsula.

Backyard Butterflies

A few weeks ago, while the blackberries in the backyard were in bloom, the butterflies were everywhere.  I took some closeups of a couple of them, then painted them - here's the first one. 

This is a Great Spngled Fritillary (Speyeria Cybele) - my wife loves butterflies!

This painting is a 5x7 oil on canvasboard, available beautifully framed for $180, free shipping.


Here is another backyard butterfly.

This is a Monarch (Danaus Plexippus) - a beauty!

Also a 5x7, $180, free shipping.

River Marsh with Lone Egret

Completed commission...a repaint of an earlier sale, with apologies to the proud owners of the original - your piece has now appreciated 100%!

Upcoming Shows

I will be showing at the lobsterboat races in Jonesport on June 30ieth; I will be setting up on a large table inside a giant tent in the ballfield behind the library, along with numerous other area artists.  Come see us!

I will also participate in the next "First Friday" show at the Grange in Machias  on Friday, July 6th from 5 - 8.  Lots of great art and free goodies! 

Last year's show:

NEW GALLERY!

Just came back from a successful marketing trip to Bar Harbor.  My work is now shown at the ALONE MOOSE Gallery on West Street in Bar Harbor.  Thank you, Sherry and Ivan!

This Bull Moose in Fog is now available at the ALONE MOOSE Gallery, priced at $425, beautifully framed.  If you're in Bar Harbor, drop in and ask for Sherry or Ivan (and tell them that I sent you)!

SOLD!     



Seascape on Wall

This is temporary home for this lobsterboat painting - our den...

Seascape in Permanent Home

This seascape was purchased last year by a local collector, now hangs above the couch in their den.  I love seeing my work in their permanent homes!

Thanks, guys!

New Galleries, latest show

I showed at the Grange in Machias last Friday - here is a photo of part of my set-up.

Thanks to all who showed up, and for all your support!

BIG NEWS:  I am now represented by another two new galleries - the prestigious Woodwind Gallery in Machias (Thanks, Holly!) and the successful Cinnamon Stick Gifts and Fine Arts in Milbridge (Thanks, DeeDee!)  Pat on the back to my Marketing Manager (wife) and self!  

PS - watch out for moose on the lose these days - recently, on the way to Ellsworth, we saw three moose trying to cross Route 1, and on the way home from Machias this afternoon, I caught this one on camera:

She's abeauty!  Also on Route 1, standing in a blueberry field...



New Galleries

Two new locations now carry my paintings:  The Schooner Gallery in Milbridge displays two of my paintings from May 7th to May 27th:  Blueberry Barren and Marsh at Carrying Creek.  The Winslow Public Library near Waterville has three of my paintings:  Giant Breakers, Skiff on Mooring, and View from Fish Beach - Monhegan.  I am also trying to get into a gallery in Bar Harbor.

Little Mopang River

After selling one painting before it was hung, on opening day, Friday April 14, the replacement painting also sold.  Here is a photo of the painting, with the original reference photo below.

The Little Mopang River, 5x7 oil on canvasboard.  The trout fishing here is wonderful!

The Mopang River is a tributary to the Machias River.  Photo copyrighted by Karsten.

By the way, the third 5x7 painting, Ronnie's Marsh, is still available at the Jonesport Library, priced at $100, attractively framed.  See previous posts.

Two Minis

Here are two 5x7's I completed recently. 

This one is called River Marsh Reflections.  I took it to the Art in the Library show on Tuesday for hanging on Wednesday, with the opening reception scheduled for this Saturday.  However, on Tuesday night I was informed that the painting was sold before it was even hung - they want another one!

So, I just finished this one, Ronnie's Marsh, also 5x7 oil on canvasboard.  It will be hung at the Jonesport Library this Saturday, priced at $100, framed.

Major Work: The Holly Lynn

This painting was completed today.  I added buoyes, painted the last of the "creative edges", and signed it.  The painting is on a 30 x 40 stretched canvas, in oil, and priced at $900.  The boat is the Holly Lynn, owned by local lobsterman Jason, and the island in the background is the Ladle, which is located just outside our harbor in South Addison, Maine.

The Holly Lynn at The Ladle

The Ladle is a landmark island just outside Eastern Harbor and one of my favorite fishing spots.  This is another instance where I had to use two photos to create the painting.

The Holly Lynn at The Ladle - oil on 30" x 40" stretched canvas, "creative edges" (needs no frame), priced at $900, free shipping.

Tip of the Day: Painting from Multiple Photos

There are times when I want to paint a particular scene, but with important element(s) added.  Here I had a photo of Shipstern Island, a picture I took of this beautiful island near Harrington, Maine (I took it from my lobsterboat).  The challenge was, I wanted my boat in the painting.  Luckily, I had had my friend Jason take some photos of me in my boat.  To create my scene, I picked a suitable photo of my boat, positioned it next to my photo of the island, keeping in mind distances and perspective, and taped them together.  Voila: me in my boat, sailing past Shipstern Island.

Painting from this collage, I was able to complete the scene I wanted, as shown below.

This painting, F/V Grammie at Shipstern Island, is oil on 12" x 16" canvasboard, priced at $300, free shipping.

Jason's F/V Holly Lynn

This fishing vessel, the Holly Lynn, is owned by a friend and neighbor who taught me all I know about lobster fishing and helped me buy and maintain my own boat - she's a beauty! 

Oil on 5 x 7 canvas board, $50 + $8 s/h

Lobster Boat on Mooring

For several years, I had my own 30' lobster boat and fished a handful of traps along the Downeast coast of Washington County, Maine.  While I was out and about, I took lots of photos of other lobsterboats for possible future paintings.  I've been working on two of them the last couple of days - here is the first one.

This is a 5 x 7 oil on canvasboard, $50 + $8 s/h.

Skiff II

Here's another view of the same skiff - I love painting reflections.
Oil on canvas board, 9 x 12, $150

Skiff on Mooring I

Skiffs are essential for lobstermen to get to and from their lobsterboats moored in the harbor.  They are notoriously neglected, left to bang against each other at the dock when not in use, and maintained only when absolutely necessary.  Most of them are home made out of plywood and liquid fiberglass.  Yet they can be some of the most picturesque and interesting boats around.  Last summer this one caught my attention (amazingly well kept), so I took a few photograps of it and decided to paint a couple of different views of the skiff.  Here is the first one.

Oil on canvasboard, 9 x 12, $150

Painting Fog with Atmosphere

I have had several requests for an explanation of how I paint fog. Well, I don't really paint fog, as such. Maybe you could paint a scene, let it dry, and then glaze over it with a thin layer of "fog", I don't know. What I do is use my "atmosphere". Atmosphere is usually your sky color, or some other light bluish grey paint that you mix into your "local color" - the "real" color of objects viewed up close. As objects recede into the distance, you add more of the atmosphere color to it, to make the color blur, giving the illusion of distance. I do this in most of my paintings. What's different about fog paintings is that I use much more of the atmosphere mix, making even closer objects appear enveloped in fog. When painting fog like this, you can also easily control the tone or mood of the whole painting by mixing some of the same atmosphere into all of your colors, thereby giving the painting "color harmony" - an overall blue tone, an overall purple tone, etc.

Downeast Shoreline

This gravelly beach reminds me a lot of my growing-up years in my native Norway. The scene is located at South Addison Public Beach, Mooseneck, Maine. The painting is done in oil on an 11 x 14 canvasboard and priced at $200.

"Writers Block" - tip of the day

Just like writers, artists occasionally get "writers block" - either we pull out a canvas, knowing just what to paint, then sit staring at the frightening blank canvas for hours, unable to get started, or, we stand there looking at an unfinished painting, not quite knowing how to complete it.

Solution?

In the case of the blank canvas, roughly outline your scene and get some underpaint on it - just a thin wash indicating the approximate colors (and values) of the scene - once there is something on the canvas, the process becomes so much easier.

In the case of the unfinished painting, just put it aside (but in view), and start another one. That way, your hesitation won't interfere with your productivity, and almost invariably, you'll be inspired to complete the painting before long. I sometimes have three or four paintings "in progress." (See the current four in the photo above.)

Happy painting!

Mossy Forest

Here's another pointillistic 5 x 5 "creative edge" mini, a sunlit mossy forest floor with lichens growing on the tree trunks. Nature is beautiful!

This one is also priced at $50, may be used as a companion piece to the Old Stump posted yesterday.

Call me for availability.

Old Stump

This old stump caught my attention while beachcombing along the Downeast shore. It's got a lot of character. This is "pointillism" number 2 - fun!

This painting is a 5 x 5 mini, has a "creative edge" (requiring no framing) and is priced at $50.

Call or email for availability.

Progress....

Working on it... One thing about triptychs - you have to keep in mind that they are really three individual pieces that each needs to meet normal design rules, then the three together must also meet these same criteria, just like any other painting...

Pointillistic Experiment!

Thought I'd try pointillism - a neighbor artist friend has done a fantastic job with it, and it looked like fun. Boy, is it ever! Requires some discipline and patience, but I love the technique. Will probably try a few more, from time to time.

This is a rock pile by the side of the road on nearby Cape Split.

Oil on canvas board, 11 x 14, $300.

Work in Progress

Working on three paintings today - one miniature beach moonrise scene (5 x 7), one experimental Pointillism - Cape Split Rocks (11 x 14), and my third triptych - Hancock Marshes - (3 x 12 x 6).

MOOSE!

Those of us living in Maine don't always fully appreciate how lucky we are. Imagine camping in the woods, waking up before dawn, walking down to the lakeshore, and as the sun rises and the early morning mist lifts, there, 30 yards away, is a majestic bull moose, contemplating his domain. Awesome!

This is a 14 x 18 oil on canvasboard, $400, with free shipping. Email me for availability.

Monhegan with Mike Rooney

Finally went back and finished a painting I started on Monhegan Island while attending a workshop conducted by Mike Rooney last September. Loved the class and loved this harbor view!

8 x 10 oil on convasboard - $50, free shipping. Email me for availability.