Thompson Island Plein Air Revisited (See earlier post)

Sometimes, after you have finished and signed a painting, another pair of eyes might see something you missed.  Like clouds that look like Mickey Mouse, or in this case, a straight line of purple beach flowers that look like rocks.  My wife looked at this painting and commented:  "That straight line of purple-grey rocks looks weird".  Well, when my wife speaks, I listen.  Looking at it I had to agree.  So, yesterday I followed her advice and made the straight line of flowers a little more uneven, added a few flowers to the left of the big rock, and put some brighter spots of purple and fuchsia on the flowers.  Voila, the offensive line of rocks is no more!  The lesson here?  Another pair of eyes can be an important tool in inproving a painting, and even after a painting is "finished" it's not to late to make corrections.

Thompson Island Plein Air - August 3, 2013

Three of the Plein Air Connection members painted (in the rain) at Thompson Island on Saturday August 3rd - Kay Carter, Becky White, and me.  When the drizzle turned to light rain, we retreated to Sylvia's in Ellsworth for lunch.  I finished my painting in the studio today, three weeks later! 

This is an 11x14 oil painting on canvasboard and will be priced at $500 once it is framed.

Goose River Cove, Waldoboro

The Plein Air Connection members painted in Waldoboro this past Saturday.  Michael Vermette and I painted different views from the Goose River Cove on the beautiful shore property of Tom and Connie Hammermeister.  My painting was purchased by the Hammermeisters at the wet auction that night.  Thank you, Connie and Tom!  One of my challenges was the rapidly ebbing tide - probably 6 feet from the time we started painting until we finished...

 

 

Goodbye!

Sometimes, it's really hard to part with a work of art.  This one was particularly difficult to part with - I have so many fond memories of hauling my own lobster traps around the ladle, my boat "Grammie" loaded with eager family and friends, all straining to see if there were any lobsters in the trap.  This painting is also a tribute to the subject of the painting, my young friend and mentor in the lobster business, Jason Tyler and his wife Holly, his boat's namesake.  They bought this painting yesterday - it really does belong on their wall.  Thank you, Jason & Holly!

 

 

Jason's buouy is in the lower right and mine (blue - white - navy) is in the center of the island reflection.

A Pair of Schooners

Back in the mid nineties, when I had just dusted off my old paint brushes and started painting again, I painted these paintings of a schooner.  The ship is called the Bluenose II, and is a replica of a famous Canadian lobster fishing schooner (using dories to haul the traps) and successful racer called Bluenose.  They were both built in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia.  I sailed briefly on Bluenose II when I was working in Halifax, where she is usually moored during summers.  I was so taken with this beautiful schooner, I had to paint her, twice - about a year apart.  These paintings (18x24) are not for sale (reserved by family members), but I do accept commissions!

Spring Thaw

One of the many little trout treams that abound in Maine, ready for the first fishermen!  I love fresh caught trout, cooked over an open fire!  This scene is from Trescott, Maine.

This is an 8x10 oil on canvasboard, beautifully framed, priced at $300. This one is now at ARTSANDCRAFTSOFMAINE in Lubec.

Friends of Baxter State Park Benefit Auction

Several members of my painting group, the Plein Air Connection, me included, were selected to participate in a benefit paint-out and live auction on July 24.  We scattered along the Kenduskeag Stream in Bangor and captured our favorite scenes, returning to 51 Thomas Hill Road to frame our wet paintings.  Here is a (bad) snapshot of my painting, an 11x14 oil on canvasboard.  The title is Lover's Leap, Kenduskeag Stream.

 

 

It was purchased by Mr. & Mrs. York of Millinocket, Maine.  Thank you!

Plein Air at Wonderland Trail, Mt. Desert Island

Painted with the Plein Air Connection group yesterday on the rocky shore of Mt. Desert Island.  Michael Vermette and Becky Wight and I all braved the foggy hike, set up and painted our three little masterpieces.  Here's mine (unfinished, may be updated later.)

 



 This is an 11x14 oil on canvasboard - to see more detail on our trip, go to http://michaelevermette.com and click on latest blog post.  Contact me at 207-266-6027 for price and availability of this and all my other paintings, or email me at kittelsen@aol.com.

Plein Air in Columbia Falls, Maine

I helped the town of Columbia Falls celebrate their 150th birthday today; painted in the misty rain from 7am to 2pm.  The painting was sold at a silent "wet auction" after the event.  It was fun, but I prefer sunshine!

This is Union Hall, which is where the event was coordinated and the auction took place.  Delightful old building!

Gull Rock - Monhegan

This week I had the pleasure of participating in a plein air workshop on Monhegan with the excellent artists and instructors Michael Vermette and Eric Glass.  We hiked across the island and down to the Eastern shore, where we painted a view of Gull Rock from the North (a scene painted many times by a number of famous artists).  It was an amazing experience and learning opportunity.  Here is my 11x14 painting.

Here is a photograph of Michael Vermette and a couple of the students in the group.

Thank you, Michael!

Painting with "Authority"

One of my instructors once said that you need to get to know your subject; go over there and look at it closely, touch it, stand on it, if you can.  When you do that, you can paint with more "authority".  Following his advice, I have tried to immerse myself into everything I paint.  I hiked the trails, hunted the moose and deer in the Maine Northwoods, canoed on the rivers, fished the trout, cooked, and ate it.  I bought a lobsterboat and caught lobsters, photopraphed lobsterboats, islands along the coast, the brakers on the rocks.  Following that same philosophy, the other day I went out with two local fishermen fishing for halibut.  Here are some of the photos I took, "on location."

Nice catch, boys!

Friends of Baxter State Park

The Friends of Baxter State Park are organizing a Plein Air Paint Out on July 24th, and I have been juried in to participate.  Also, the selected artists have been asked to submit one painting to be sold at an online auction prior to the paint out.  This little 9x12 bear picture is my entry.

Information regarding the auction may be obtained from Suzanne Brewer at suzbrew@roadrunner.com.

Now in Four Downeast Galleries!

After a month of focused marketing efforts, my work is now represented by four downeast art galleries, the Schooner Gallery in Milbridge, Tunk Mountain Arts and Crafts on Blacks Woods Road (Rt. 182) in Cherryfield, the Woodwind Gallery in Machias, and the ARTWORKSOFMAINE Gallery in Lubec.  Here is one of my paintings hanging in my latest gallery, Tunk Mountain Arts and Crafts:

Go see them, and tell them Karsten sent you!

Special thanks to the gallery proprietor, Cynthia Huntington, and the members of the art jury, who graciously accepted my work!

Dull to Colorful!

Something about this painting seemed dull - it was lacking in color.



So I dry-brushed some yellow-green, orange, purple in appropriate areas around the canvas - it seemed to bring the scene to life again - more like it was when I was there.

This is a 9x12 oil on canvasboard and will soon be in a local gallery priced at $400, framed.

Bad Little Falls

This week, Machias is celebrating their 250th anniversary, and as part of the weeklong program, yesterday they offered a plein air paint-out and wet auction.  I painted the view of the falls from the Machias riverbank in the parking lot just behind the Woodwind Gallery and the hardware store.  The painting sold at the auction that evening.  Michael Vermette and Kay Carter from the Plein Air Connection also participated.  Michael's painting earned a "best in show" ribbon!

This was an oil painting on an 11x14 canvasboard.

ARTWORKSOFMAINE

The newly opened Artworks of Maine Gallery in Lubec is now showing six of my paintings - this is one of them:

F/V Holly Lynn at the Ladle, Eastern Harbor, Maine.  This is a 30x40 oil painting on stretched canvas, priced at $900, unframed (has painted "creative edge").

Snow Scene - Commission Delivered

This recent commissioned painting is now framed and delivered!

Dyce Head Lighthouse

Monday I participated in a Plein Air paint-out in Castine, Maine with a group of plein air painters from Bangor, led by Michael Vermette.  We scouted the areas for painting opportunities and settled on the lighthouse at Dyce Head.  Here is the result of my efforts, touched up after an after-dinner critiquing session with the group.  I was intrigued, not only by the beautiful lighthouse, but by the adjoining keeper's house, plus, of course, the lilacs in full bloom in the bright morning sunlight.

This is an oil painting on an 8x10 canvasboard.  If interested, contact me at 207-266-6027 for price and availability.

The Schooner Gallery

Two of my recent paintings will be shown at the Schooner Gallery in Milbridge, Maine for about a month, starting with an opening reception this Saturday, May 25th from 4:30 to 6:30PM.  There will be free refreshments and lots of great art!

This is a 9x12 oil on canvasboard, has an elegant gold frame, priced at $400.

This is a 9x12 oil on canvasboard in an elegant gold frame, priced at $400.

Hope to see you there!

The Road to Somes Sound

This old pine has greeted many a traveller on Mt. Desert Island, just as Somes Sound comes into view.  I love the rugged look and the sweep of the elegant limbs - all superfluous little dry branches have been stripped off by the merciless Maine weather.  It's probably the most photographed tree in Maine!

This unfinished 11x14 oil painting will be priced at $480, beautifully framed.  It's destined for a gallery in Bar Harbor.  Call me for price and availability.

Carriage Road, Mount Desert Island

Last fall, the Carriage Road on Mt. Desert Island was ablaze with color.  This scene caught my attention.

This is an oil on canvasboard, 9x12, priced at $400.  Call me for availability (207-266-6027).

Sunrise on Birch Hill

Sunrise on Birch Hill - a sight to behold!  This was a must-paint view, unresistable.

9x12 oil on canvasboard.  If interested, call me for information.

Commission - Winter by the Sea

This 9x12 winter scene from the rugged coast of Maine depicts the customer's back yard, with a view towards Cadillac Mountain on the horizon.  Scenic, postcard view!  Their photo, joint enhancements, all mistakes are mine.  Who says winter scenes are dull and colorless!

SOLD!

Really enjoyed working together on composition, design, colors.  Looking forward to the next assignment!

Bear with Birches

I like the little sketch of this scene, so I decided to paint it again, in a larger format.

Call me for price and availability.  12x16 oil on convasboard.

Bear with Birches - a Sketch

Just off Stud Mill Road, this logging road leads through a stand of birches and around and to the back of Little Musquatch Lake.  This is where I ran across this bear.

Call me for price and availability.  9x12 oil on canvasboard.

Little Musquatch Lake

This lake is one of my favorite destinations in the Maine Northwoods.  It's surrounded by logging roads and trails frequented by bears and moose.

Call me for price and availability.  9x12 oil on canvasboard.

Reflections of a Moose

These massive antlers are a sight to remember!  The sun hit the tops of the antlers just right, producing brilliant reflections.  Stay right there, big fellow!

Call me for price and availability.  7x9 oil on canvasboard.

Moose in Marsh

This cow moose browsing in a marsh is so representative of the wild beauty of Maine.  I could hear the quiet!

Call me for price and availability.  9x12 oil on canvasboard.

Quiet Pond

Along Route 1, in Washington County, this little pond sits just next to the road.  Peaceful!

Call me for price and availability.  8x10 oil on canvasboard.

Memory Lane

Browsing through some old photos - took this one in Norway a few years ago.  This old watercolor painting hangs in my cousin Aage and his wife Grethe's house.  I painted it in 1958 and gave it to them as a wedding present.  A true antique!

First painting of 2013!

The Maine blueberry barrens were absolutely ablaze with color last fall.  I took about 50 photos, a number of them paintable.  Here's my rendition of one of my favorites.

This is an oil painting on an 8x10 canvasboard, available from the artist, unframed, for $250.  E-mail me at kittelsen@aol.com for details.