Brushes with the Landscape

"I like what I like.  I can't tell you why, I just do."  That was my Dad's oft repeated saying about Art.  He was a huge fan of Norman Rockwell and one of his favorite books was a book of Poetry illustrated by Maxfield Parrish.  Dad liked a 3d painting of mountains and a lodge in Japan, it was given to him as a present from an inn keeper in Japan and was always up in the house.   The styles could not have been any more different but he liked them all the same. I do find that the different mediums I work with all inform one another.  For instance, I find working in pen and ink makes me think further about composition and design as the medium is so direct and unforgiving.  I know that I've barely scratched the surface of Pen and Ink. I enjoy studying the many moods of the ocean.  The power of the waves.  The color and the shapes in the rock and in the surf, the reflections of the sun and moon, the mist, sea fog and foam, and , the movement of the waves crea

Well I said I'd set this aside, and I did for less than 24 hours.  This represents a few finishing touches which I think improve the overall composition and painting.  The wildflowers on the middle ground actually reflect what was on location (albeit on a hill that would have been out of view to the right referencing this paper). Here is a side by side view.  To the right was the original pass at the subject.  It appears darker here for some reason. Below is the updated version with a few touch ups in the sky, mid ground, and foreground. Onto the next painting.

Acrylic on Canvas Board 18" x 24" This is my latest painting.  I am going to set it aside for now - I'm probably done with it, but I want to get some distance from it before making a final decision.   I work in watercolor, oil, and acrylic in addition to charcoal.  In most cases, I don't decide on what medium to paint with prior to discovering a subject.  In this case, I decided to paint an acrylic before choosing a subject.   I hadn't painted an acrylic or a larger subject in quite awhile.  I decided to pursue another interpretation of my last on location painting. I also wanted to experiment again with a toned canvas again.  The few times I've done this in the past, it definitely helped create a stronger sense of color harmony and tied the pictures together.  In the past I've tried ochre's or sienna's.  In this case I decided to utilize ultramarine blue as a base tone.  As I was covering the canvas, I added more intensity to

I spent Friday morning exploring Harpswell and South Harpswell. My first stop was at the driveway entrance to the former home and studio of Stephen Etnier. The land is no longer in family hands , the house and studio are long gone (which is another story all together).  However, the area surrounding the grounds of the studio is striking.  Farmland, spruce forests, wild ponds, and working houses of lobster and fishermen with boats large and small, for working and for pleasure.  The road was serpentine and very narrow.  That, and the fact that I was an uninvited guest, I didn't stay long. Here is a photograph of "Old Cove" house and studio from the dock (uncredited - StevenEtnier.com)  I could understand why Steven Etnier chose this place to build his home and studio.  I must admit that I imagined seeing his good friend Andrew Wyeth visiting captivated by the endless subjects to paint at every turn. My second stop was a subtly marked parking area (a Maine traditio

Robert Kahler landscape paintings 5 mins  ·  Lisbon Farm, Watercolor This painting was accepted into the Juried exibition "Summertime" at River Arts Gallery in Damriscotta Maine. The opening of the show is tomorrow evening. It's going to be a busy night... Art Show then back to Lisbon for the Moxie Festival Fireworks!! https://robertkahlerlandscapepaintings.blogspot.com/2018/06/lisbon-farm-charcoal.html

Bill Maudlin 1921-2003 Long before I ever had an interest in drawing and painting, other than the normal interest that most children seem to have, my grandmother gave me a present of "The Brass Ring" by Bill Maudlin (1921-2003).  It was in 1972 - I was seven years old.  Far too young to read and understand the book - but I loved the cartoons and "read" the book again and again over the years.  I have no idea what possessed my Nana to get this book for me - but I'm so glad that she did! Although I also had no sense of the horrors of war nor any of the amazement that someone involved in combat could express the feelings and emotions of the "average" "Willie and Joe ( combat infantry)" through cartoons.  However,  I did have an appreciation for his sense of humor even then.    These are a couple of my favorite.  I've had a number of cars like the jeep on the right below. I've not read any other of Bill Mauldin's

I find artist studios fascinating (not that I've been too many in person).  I was looking through some photos of Charlie La Salle at work in his studio in Scottsdale AZ @ 1958 and I found my eye eventually drawn away from the large oil Charlie was working on to the tantalizing glimpses of other paintings and artifacts that Charlie had around his studio.  I wondered about the stories behind each of them.  One of the pictures is below along with a painting by Charlie of his neighbor and one of his closest friends in Arizona - Larry "speed" Richardson. I also wonder how (or if) an artist's studio reflects the artist, their personality, their working methods.  I think the artists studio must be a reflection of the artist - whether consciously or not. I then took a quick look around my studio and noticed some of the items that I had around me for inspiration - ranging from mementos from family, close loved ones, as well as professional artists, some of whom took some o