"Millbrig"

During my wanderings looking for painting subjects I keep my eyes open for cows in a stream. Lately I haven't seen anything that inspired me to paint so yesterday I took some old photos I had of cows in pastures and made up a composition and created my own steam. I named it after a stream near my old home town of Galena, Illinois because my uncle years ago had a cottage there. We used to have family picnics that always included swiming or wading. Usually it was necessary to share the stream with cows.

Ken

Ken Marsden Art

"Morning Mist"

I love to capture the moood of a time and place.

Ken

Ken Marsden Art

"Miss Kitty"

Miss Kitty adopted us seven years ago. I finally got around to painting her.

I recently joined the Northeast chapter of Wisconsin Visual Artists. It seems to be a good group and I am happy about that after several disappointments with other art organizations. Another good one is East Ludington Gallery, the coop gallery in Escanaba, MI. I will be working there tomorrow from 3:00 to closing to help out with an Art Walk promotion. East Ludington Gallery is a fun place and has a number of good artists as members. One of my favorite events is "Third Thursday" which as the name tells you is held the third Thursday each month. Information about that and the other events and promotions at the gallery can be found in their newsletter. To get on that mail list (e-mail) contact Kay Eaton through her web site. Kay is one of the fine artists at ELG.

Ken

Ken Marsden Art

"Baby Robin"
I need a title for this. Any input is welcome.
Ken

Ken Marsden Art

"Netted"

I Put on my waders, fly fishing vest and posed for this in our back lawn. My wife Shirley took a couple of quick photos. The neighbors must have thought I'd completely lost it seeing me dipping into the grass lawn wth my net.

Actually I seldom use the net while fishing because I release the trout that I catch. Only rarely do they end up in the frying pan.

Trout season is over for this year so I will be doing more painting.

Ken

Ken Marsden Art

"Grass"

I just have to get better at photography and Photoshop. My painting is much better than this. Oh Well! I don't think this one is going to be entered into any competion. It is just a batch of grass and weeds along side the backroad we were travelling near Galena, IL...a real painting challenge. I guess it was a challenge for the automatic setting on the camera also. In real life the grass was almost glowing and was contrasted against shadows so dark they were almost black. Over hanging shrubs were yet another tone.

Like so many artists, I spend hours looking for a great subject to paint while often there is one right where we are if we would only look.

Ken

Ken Marsden Art

"Still Standing"

Last weekend we visited Galena, IL. In nearby Council Hill we stopped at Council Hill Station and I took lots of pictures-no time allowed for sketching-and this painting is a result. As I often do I modified the scene considerably-night rather than afternoon-added pumpkins for a touch of color-and placed it on a hill-otherwise a fairly accurate portrayal of a fascinating structure.

Ken

P.S. I have to once again put in a plug for The Grandview Guest House in Galena. You must stay there!

Ken Marsden Art

"Fishing the Falls"

I love trout fishing! Not only is it great fun but, it also takes me to beautiful places. Marinette, Wisconsin, where I live, has many waterfalls. Trout love them too.

I find waterfalls a challenge to capture using watercolors. I keep experimenting with techniques. I thought this one turned out ok. What do you think?

Ken

Ken Marsden Art

"Headed In"

The boats have gotten up-dated and commercial fishing in the Bay of Green Bay isn't what it used to be but ...

Ken Marsden Art

"Menominee Lighthouse"

The Menominee River separates the Upper Peninsula of Michigan from Wisconsin. This view is from Marinette Wisconsin.

I still haven't gotten over my love affair with Indian Yellow and the various yellows in my box of watercolor paints.

Ken

Ken Marsden Art

Ken Marsden Art

"Fisherman"

Painting and fishing, I love 'em both.

Ken

Ken Marsden Art

"Brule River"
After nearly a week of camping on the Brule River I was once again inspired by Joe Lopez's photography and this will give a watercolor impression of the area.

Ken

Ken Marsden Art

"Joe's Deer "
For years I have been fascinated by encaustic paintings. However, I don't enjoy the laborious effort involved in the process of melting wax, etc. so I have experimented with simulation. This one is watercolor on gessoed Masonite board. The original isn't quite so washed out but this is the best my copier could produce.

Ken

Ken Marsden Art

"Opposite Points of View"

While painting I thought about many things including about how slow I was proceeding with the piece I was working on. Years ago I thought if I got good at watercolor I could paint "Wham-Bam" and produce a great painting like they portray in the movies. I still try that sometimes but have found that I now paint liesurley, enjoying what I'm doing and letting my mind roam. There is no extra charge. The act of painting seems to stimulate thought.

I used to refer to my grandmother when making a point as my old German grandmother. Today I realized I should drop the "old". She was wise and old had little to do with it. One of her oft mentioned sayings (not original with her of course) was "all things in moderation". Mind wander led me to apply this to recent conversations with fellow artists. Some place great emphasis on formal training. Others deny that has importance and may be a hindrance.

As usual, I believe my grandmother was correct. Why get too heated about such an issue? Sound training, be it formal, academic or self study provides the foundation for good work. At some point though, the artist must throw away all rules and let inner feelings and knowlege that has been made into one's own take over. Only then can originality surface and a unique style emerge.

What do you think?

Ken

Ken Marsden Art

Shirley says my cartoons always make fun of her. This one poked fun at me. Shirley thinks I am accident prone.

Ken

Ken Marsden Art

One day while camping in Texas an RV pulled into the site with a couple that were nudists. When they heard I was an artist she couldn't wait to show me her sketches. As usual I had to create a cartoon for my daily journal. More about this in my next Blog.

Ken


PS. She was clothed.

Ken Marsden Art

Here is another cartoon from my travel trailer days

Ken Marsden Art

We don't travel south to spend the winters anymore but when we did I kept a cartoon journal of daily events. This is one I did in Goliad State Park, Texas.

Ken

Ken Marsden Art

My memory is short. I guess that is another way of saying it's bad. I don't remember if I put this painting up before. It is of an Indian ranch in Taos New Mexico. A former student of Ansel Adams looked at it and said paint the building red. Apparently he insisted on doing color photography even though his mentor preffered black and white and was told "if you insist on color put red in your photos". I thought that was a good critique of my painting but I left it the way I saw the scene.

Thanks for looking!

Ken

Ken Marsden Art

This is a watercolor from "The Prayer" by William - Adophe Bouguereau.

Thanks for looking!

Ken

Ken Marsden Art

Thursday, June 17 will be an eventful day at East Ludington Gallery, Escanaba, MI. One of the Bus Tour groups that visit the gallery is scheduled for that day. They are always fun and I enjoy talking with folks from all over the country. Sometimes there are people from other countries. This group is World Wide Country Tours.

Thursday, 4:30 to 6:00 is our monthly "Third Thursday" event. If you are in the area you should come and enjoy a fun time with lots of interesting conversation.

Ken

Ken Marsden Art

"Cone Flowers"

Ken Marsden Art

"Krenger's Farm" Here is a 4" X 6" miniature. Now I'm off to go trout fishing!
Ken

Ken Marsden Art

"The Walk Home" ...yet another miniature. Trout season takes me into some beautiful places. I like to fish the more remote spots so the hike in and out provides scenes for paintings.

Ken

Ken Marsden Art

...a miniature of another of my fishing spots. This one is going to East Ludington Gallery in Escanaba, MI. Last Sunday I had the pleasure of attending the annual bash at The Paint Box Gallery in Ephraim, WI, where a number of my miniatures are offered along with larger paintings. If you haven't visited these exceptional galleries I highly recommend you consider doing so.

Ken

Ken Marsden Art

Hello! To those, if any, that try to follow my blog, I have been having internet woes. Everything now seems back in working order so I hope to do better about keeping up with new postings.

Recently the Co-op gallery that I'm in at Escanaba MI moved to its new location on Ludington street. It is really nice and I hope those in this area will stop by. There is an additional incentive if you do so on the third Thursday any month. At those events between 4:30 and 6:30 we have a lot going on, including prizes, usually entertainment and best of all, interesting conversation. Many of the ELG artists are there to meet with you.

My 28 painting exhibit in the lobby of the State Administrative Building, Madison, WI, sponsored by theWisconsin Arts Board, ends this Friday so anyone in the area please hurry over to see it.

Thanks!
Ken

Ken Marsden Art

"Wisconsin Soybean Field -2"

The Paint Box Gallery in Ephraim, WI, in Door County requested "miniature" paintings for the annual May exhibit. I usually don't paint that small but have been doing a few for submission. Here is the first one.

Ken Marsden Art

"He's On!"
In Spring a young man's fancy turns to baseball - or fishing. Well I guess it's the same for old men too. I've not been tending to my blog but I have been painting and I guess my thoughts have at least in part been on the upcoming trout season. This painting is the result.

Ken

Ken Marsden Art

Last week 28 of my watercolor paintings were hung in the lobby of the State Administration Building, 101 E. Wilson St. in Madison Wisconsin, thanks to the Wisconsin Arts Board. A special thanks to Jeri Krohn of that organization for all of her assistance. The Wisconsin Arts Board is a state agency. You can learn more by visiting them on line. The paintings will be on exhibit thru April 30, 2010.

A number of my paintings can also be seen at www.portalwisconsin.org. The site is a project of the Cultural Coalition of Wisconsin, which is made up of seven statewide partners - Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters,Wisconsin Arts Board, Wisconsin Historical Society, Wisconsin Humanities Council, Wisconsin Public Radio, Wisconsin Public Television and University of Wiconsin Extension-Continuing Education.

If you are in the Madison, Wisconsin area please swing by and take a look at the exhibit. Access and parking are quite easy.

Ken

Ken Marsden Art

"Cana Island Lighthouse "

I noticed that I forgot the railing on the previous Blog so here is the finished painting.


Ken

Ken Marsden Art

"Cana Island Lighthouse"

Our local art organization hangs paintings in city hall seasonally. This is one of mine that will be going in next Monday for the spring season.

It has been quite a busy time. Yesterday I drove to Madison Wisconsin with a load of paintings that will be hung at the Wisconsin Arts Board Admin Building March 8. Last week I was in Escanaba meeting with coop gallery members trying to find a new location. After 29 years our landlord is closing the building we were in. Yikes!

Ken

Ken Marsden Art

"Perch"

Here is the second fish in my new series

Ken

Ken Marsden Art

"BLUEGILL" The economy is impacting art sales but my affordable ceramic and marble tiles continue to sell well...so I decided to create more of them. Next will be a series of fish paintings. Here is the first one.


Ken

Ken Marsden Art

"Hard Life-10" I must have painted this scene 10 times but I didn't count.

Today, sitting in church(before the service started) my mind was triggered by the individual pieces of glass in a stained glass window. I don't know the connection but I next thought about painting a maple leaf in autumn colors. I realized it would be impossible to get it exact. Later as the service progressed and the pastor preached it occurred to me that we can accept what we do not understand. Somehow this all got connected after I got home and embarked on some art project. So--I can accept absract art 'though I do not understand it. What gets me is the number of people who look at an abstract piece and proclaim they do understand it .

Perhaps it's a matter of intellect. I never claimed to be at the top of that list. So, I go on painting cows, etc., which I continue to portray in a manner not quite exact but far from what anyone would call abstract.


Ken

Ken Marsden Art

"Cheating"

Years ago My family played a card game called Euchre quite regularly, often at my cousin Bob's house. His sister Helen only lived a few doors away and always was Bob's Euchre partner. They were notorious cheaters. They both passed away some years ago but my memories of those card games and the fun we had lives on. Here is a painting of Bob sneaking a glance at my partner's cards. You had better hold the cards close to your chest.

Ken

Ken Marsden Art

"Texas"

Well, we're back from our very short trip to Texas. The wind was too strong to permit fishing on Lake Fork but I did come away with a commission to paint this bull. The owner raises stock for rodeo events.

I am always nervous about commissions for owners who are expert in an animal breed. They always know so much about the anatomy that it is easy for an artist to get something not quite right. Wish me luck.

Another thing, painting all black animals is difficult. In order to avoid ending with a black blob the artist must resort to trickery and introduce browns, blues, etc. that may not actually be present. Just plain lightened highlights don't seem to work. Oh well! All painting is a form of trickery anyway. Let me know what you think.

Ken

Ken Marsden Art

"Soybean Field"

My fascination with Indian Yellow continues. If I could figure out how to do a winter scene in Indian Yellow I probably would do so.

Ken

Ken Marsden Art

"Grandma's Birds"

I did this subject a day after my wife Polly died in 1997. It showed more emotion and was done in quite a different color scheme. Later I decided to do it in just a little bit more precise manner and to give it a new title.

I have been preparing digital images for an upcoming show and decided to include this painting but had no digital record of it. It is a thankless job to remove a painting from the framing but a necessary task to take a photo. I think it was worth the effort.

Ken