A LOOK FORWARD 2011

Well, be going camping a great deal. have made plans to take my daughter canoeing to bark lake.  she turns 15 this summer, and is realy starting to have her own life ...as it should be. 

I have decided to take 6 months of work,   april  2012 till fall 2012.  both my children, will be independent enough at that point....

time for a major change...... will update as things develop,  It will involve some serious
traveling and Africa, via southern Italy.

Just some thoughts as we all aproch the new year..   check out Jon Stewarts speach at the ralley to restore sanity....at the end of october

he states we are entering a period of dark times .... but not end of times.....

this is so true .....BUT!!!  it is our responsability to all work together, help our nieghbours.  only working together will we bring light to darkness....

Happy New Year to all.  may it be a kind and benifical year for all

A LOOK FORWARD

HI  ALL

Well it's been a while.   Lots going on. Family stuff and work has kept me very busy, and to be truthfull, I ve been in hibernation mode as well. some times you just have to turn things off....

But lots of stuff on the go,  I have applied to get a stall at the local farmers market for the 2011 season, will here a yes or no in feb, so have started to get orginised for that. another artist is interested in shareing it with me, So there will be some contruction of
display easles soon.  lots of ideas for paintings mostly going to be in the 16 x 20 size.

right know i have 4 large canvses on the go at 32 x 40

I have joined a walking group one night  week we walk the lake shore trail doing 5 k
cold or not..... in october we went and did the  fat ass walk or run in battawa 7.5 k
doing it again in feb only its called the frozzen fat ass.....  i am enjoying it emensly
its time to get in some better shape!!

 sad news is that my computer crashed!!!! so im working on an old apple, and looking at a laptop in the near future,,,,, i am open to suggestions on what to purchase,  in the $500.00 range.

Well it s NEW YEARS EVE!!!!!!!!...... TIME TO LOOK A HEAD........  

Whats new

Hi   well whats new????

Life is good here by the bay of quinte.  have a few paintings out in the public relm. One in a local office  its called opps, a geometric abstract. and one in the local hospital which is a watercolor, titled Tuscan jouneys.

 Reading a great book right Now, Gray Owl and Me.  By Hap Wilson...  adventures in Tamagami and else where..... after that if will be Timbuktu, the sahara's fabled city of gold. by Marq de Villiers and Sheila Hirtle.

I went to a very good lecture the other night  By an artist, sculpter Peta Hall, the other nigt who is doing some great and interesting work in Africa. check out her web site, and the related links.   petahall . com
pls check it out.

as for art and new stuff ... started a painting that is generated out of  dealing with a long and drawn out event in my life which finaly resolved itself last spring  (all is very good) and is now generating a very positive burst of creativity.  it is a large painting 90 x 100 cm and is in oil paint. It is about life and Balance and what is realy importand.  I'm also working on two paintings  from my sketches done during my summer adventure.....

I have been asked if I am interested in haveing a stall at the local farmers market next summer, to sell
my art.  I've aske a few others if this is  good investment in time, seems that all agree is a good idea.
I hav approched a few other artist's to partner with me so it looks at this point like a go...

hope all are well     norman k.

Fall Reflections

Painting title is Rain, Watercolor. painted in summer of 2008.

Well its fall. the leaves are changing. Spent some of yesterday gathering leaves, increadable colors. Insperation for winter paintings.

It has been a very busy month. Best part is my large 32 x 50 sculptural 3-dimensional multi canvas painting was accepted into the fall jurried show, at the belleville art gallery. Pictures are forth comming. If it was a few inches longer it would not have fit in the cab.

Other good news is my daughter made the Basket ball team...... so now I hardly see her. She is starting to have her own independant life, and this is a good thing.

As for works in progress, finishing one called OPPS! an aligotical piece which will Hang in a local office that my art group provides art for. I have also started a large 30 x36 landscape based on my sketches from my august adventure.

We all had a great thanksgiving here, I share a large house with seven very distinct personalities. and we all were away with family over the weekend so we had a pot luck supper on tuesday. than went to the local theater where, Marvin was performing in a play called the Staff room. very funny.

Hope all had a great thanks giving. checked the map that shows where blog viewers are very wide spread.. pls feel free to email me, be interesting to see what is going on out there from local points of view..

Peace to all....Norman K.

UNDERGROUND NIGHTS 18 x 30 inches

WATERCOLOR

PAINTED SPRING 2008

This was created based on the sketches I did while listening to the Open mike nights at the Organic Underground Cafe. It is fitting to use it as the work for this post. For as the Underground Has Passed in to memory, so has another dear friend...............

At the start of this blog last spring i mentioned Bob G..... I found out this weeknd that he passed away last year.......

His full name is Bob Greenburg, he was one of the key people responsable for where my life is today. He was a teacher, scolar and friend. and while for a hole host of reasons we have not spoken for many years, he is always present. He was that type of a spirit. A Kind and gental man who would offten say his role was to point out the choice of pathways, open the door just a crack but than step way. Leaving the individual to chose there own way.

He tought many things most of them not directly related to architecture. the most important lesson was the ability to learn to step back from a problem. Focus on it, and than have the patiance to bring it to resolution. than say whats next.

It was Bob who opend my eyes to architecture, the wonder of pencil and paper, Paints and the small brush, a texture of life a world most people don't see. He tought me to see and hear the music and ultamatly how to compose it.

In 25 years of teaching he touched many we each took our individual pathways into the future

I hope he is proud of his Legacy

I have been on an Adventure

ANCIENT PATHWAYS, WATERCOLOR, AUG 2009

Two canadian coasts liked by water.


Hi all. Well, I went on an adventure!!!! I left town for four days, and went in to the woods. ALONE!!

I left town on a Friday and hitchhiked to a lake north of Bon Echo p.p. got dropped off on the side of h.41 and hiked two miles or so into the lake. arived about 4 pm. set up camp. I have not camped for about 10 years. but routine came back ok. good dinner cooked over camp fire
It was great. Just me and the Loons. did not see any one the whole time, except an ATV er who roared through sat am ( who got an eye full as i was up to my knees in the lake a la natural ).

the weather was great sat, spent day resting and painting. lots of views from site which was about 1/3 way up the lenght of the lake. started to cloud up about 7 pm. so no stars, or light show.
Friday night the stars were incredible, lots of shooting stars. So bright.

just sat on the rock and listened to the quiet.... and the loons, have not heard them for too long.
the sun seting slowly..... got very buggy though.... so went to bed early.

At some point sunday am long before the sun arose there came the crash of thunder so loud.
And with it rain heavy hard rain. But the tent stood and only a little leak at the zipper.

rained into the late am so just lay ed there listening to it comming down and the loons calling.
finaly hunger drove me out. fire wood was all wet. it was under the tarp but still got wet.
fired up stove and made some Maxwell instant coffee ( we must suffer for our art). I have been since informed that the Starbucks VIA is the way to go Italian roast of course.

spent sunday in and out of tent. in lat afternoon cleared up so hiked to south end of lake where there is a group of bogs and swamps. with my sketch book and got some great scenes which will become paintings through the winter.

Started to rain again an the way back, so it was bread, nutala and chesse for dinner. finaly cleared upd and was able to watche the sun go down and have a great swim.

alas monday came and it was time to go home.

some thanks are in order to the 4 guys who provide rides, hank from Tweed, and jim from north brook who drove me all the way to the drop off point friday and to Paul who in one ride, Monday droped me back in Belleville. and Marvin who drove me to tweed to get me started friday.

some logistical notes.

need to invest in a portable water filter system ... boiling water as an ongoing job

better meal planning ... sort of through food together out of what was in house, and meat in small cans with zip top lids..... pc low sodium canded chunks of ham, is tolerable with lots of onion and garlic ..sort of! overall not well planed but I ate, was just a bit heavy.

and painting kit needs a re vamping, the laptop case works for local stuff on the bike, and in a canoe but for backpacking not so good( im sure i made an intersting picture on the trail big back pack and a laptop case) LOL.. was a bit lobsided.


Well hope all are well.... Norman K.

Painting while on the move

I was asked what i take with me for a painting trip.

I have a laptop case which holds a basic kit. in the main compartment I have pad of water color paper 140 lb

and a hard cover sketch book. small 8 inch white plastic plate for mixing color. the internal side pockets hold brushes, 2 round and 2 flat. and case of paints.

I picked up a kids paint set and poped out the solid paint disks and squized in some good paint and let it dry. I supplement this with a few tubes of paint. Other side pocket holds pencils and and basic utility knife for sharpening. as well a few colored pencils.

laptop case has out side pockets and i always find somthing extra to suff in.

Lee, realy enjoyed the trip reports from your trip home, great photos..... may work them into some paintings.

OTHER INFO

The title of the Painting Below is Face in the Style of Picasso fall 2008 in Watercolor.

still figuring out how all this works....

other events in life....

A fond and sad fairwell to my home away frome home..... The Organic Underground cafe here in town was forced to close at the end of June.....

Why ....... it was the type of place where any one was welcome there was always a pot of home made soup and some one to talk to ..... what ever you need was... a place that tryed to make the world and our community a better and kinder place..... it offered community and at times sactuary to those in need, a place for teenagers to not be judged and new artists to hang out and hang there art with no comishions to the house...

it was a place of ideas ..empowerd change and positive growth and while the doors have closed
It will be remembered with grace and dignity. Thank You to Kathrine for three wonderfull years

Second Item

Toronto was host to the G20 in June.....

While i fully suport Canadas role in the world and our peace keeping activities....

what went on in toronto as truly sad..

first let me say I do not in anyway suport violent and destructive protests. the individuals re sponsable for violence and property damage should be held responsable for there actions.

However,

I have several friends who were peacefully protesting, who were in the crowed that was enmass
arrested saturday night. they were held with out due process, in over crowed conditions in damp
over air conditioned cells....for 24 hours with out being charged. as a result one of my friends spent 3 days in the hospital with phnemonia, the following week.

Canada is a democratic country.... Under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms we as citizens have the right to voice our points of view, peacefully. with out fear of reprisal.....

this was not the case in toronto....... I am a Proud Canadian but I was ashamed of our police and elected officals over the way the "security" for this event was handled.

Hello It has been awhile.

Hi all .... well I know its been two months since I posted last,, time just flys.....

Life has been good the last while. I was down with increadably bad chest cold from mid may till mid june just did not want to go away.

well to the art world.... I did not get in to the jurried show at the library....

But did get a number of encouraging crits from judges and others so am encouraged... it was a very good show and the piece i did get finished will be submitted to the fall show along with

face in the style of picasso fall 2009 watercolor

another piece that is about 60% finished...currently working on a study of a tree

in our backyard..... not so much the tree but the spaces created in the overlapping of the branches this is under layed with a vertical grid which is defined where two colors meet to make a differeing color ie a line of yellow beside one of red where thy combine orange..... woring on a 16 X20 peice of water color paper in oil for the study ... finished work will be on canvis in oil

about 30 X40 inches....

Well I am on holidays now and am going up to bark lake. near Madawaska, to do some hiking and painting this comming week for 6 days. Im going to base camp and just do day trips all a group of seven style. going thursday.

It has been a busy month

Well, Its been a very busy month. Started out real slow, work was cutting shifts, than next schedule for first half of may laneded and every body was working full time hours.

It was nice to have the work... but sometimes its hard to make plans.. nature of life right now for lots a folks..

Aside from work lots on the plate this month working on two large works for the local June / July juried show. the theme of the show is "music as muse". One is 32 inches by 48 inches total size, consisting of 4 seperate canvases

and is an abstract based on the songs My Hometown and Glory Days, by Bruce Springsteen. Using the shapes from the backsides of buildings in the downtown. Unfortunatly this one did not get finished, so i will submit in the October show. Its close but needs more work.

The second one is an abstract called Hiddin Journeys. It is based on Hotel California by the Eagles and Thunder Road by Bruce Springsteen. It is five canvases with a total size of 32 by 40. and I built a mounting frame work out of reused lumber left over from building a house last summer (thanks Marvin). I submit on saturday, hope fully gets in the show. It has been Photographed and will be posted soon.

Starting to develop plans for 14 day painting trip in august, Probably canoeing Ahmic lake near Burks falls. friends have a cottagee near there and have offered to loan me there canoe. still working out the details, More latter.

Painting above is based on my trip to venice in 1988. Wonder full city.

Hi Here's a pic of my work desk. this is where i do the actual paintings. It is one of those great old oak desks, with the long and deep drawers. . I found a peace of board co for the top. the top is 4 feet long and 32 wide so has lots of room. the water color in the center back is a garden painted by my daughter, Maria. the front center is the start of a series about journeys we take in life in oil.

Table to the far left is my drafting table, where all the planning gets done. When planning a painting i work of quick sketches done on location. than rough them out on full size sheets of newsprint. I find this works well.

More chair pics bellow

Hi, Well here are the picks of the front and seat of the muskoka chair I painted for the Quinte Symphony over the winter. With thanks to Maria for taking the pictures.

I will post more pictures of my art in the coming months.

I have started work on the two new works which shell be submitted to the B. Public Library show in June. One is based on urban spaces and the music they create as they are used. the other is framed around journeys, roads we take in life. and where we end up. both will be of a large size.

Front of Chair and Seat

Entry to 2008 BAA Jurried show.

ESCAPE. 2008

This is the watercolor abstract I submited to the BAA Jurried show October 2008
It recived the Murial Andrews award for Design. It is based on the music of Ian Tamblyns Spirit and Light c.d. the music is about the historey of the north shore of Lake Superior.

Painting the muskoka chair

Hi .... well here is a back shot of the chair I painted for the Quinte Symphony. Front shot is coming soon.

My theme for the chair was based on Vivaldis four seasons.

this the back was the fall, colors changing and birds flying south. Watched over by that sentinal of winter.

It is painted in oil over a base of Blue eggshell latex house paint. I enjoyed the project, and while it was chalanging, I would like to do another one next year if asked...

Well what else happened this week?

I took my daughter on a feild trip with the art association to the McMichael Gallery, on thursday. We had a great time and look forward to going back for a longer visit.

Saturday I saw went to a presentation on early canadian art at the library.

well I have posted my first picture. More to come, I just haved to get a friend to come over with there camera to photograph more... really

should invest in a digital camera.

My First post

Well, I finally set up a Blog..... How exciting!!!

Well, where to start???

I am 52 years old, and very much enjoy expressing my self through painting.

I came to art in a long path..... it started in 1980, with a hammer, and lots of nails..and assorted power tools..... and an old house on sullivan st. in toronto..... and a contracting job.....

In the summer of 1988 a good client sat me down with a cappichino on a very hot sunday, on the back deck and asked me some hard questions.... the aswers lead to the heart of downtown and the facalty of architecture at Ryerson. it took six years ( of night school) but in the fall of 1994 at the age of 38
i found myself a full time first year student of architecture. and the adventure began!! I have never worked so hard in my life as i did for the next 5 years.... I loved every minute of it...

and at this point just before I jump ahead to now I just have to say a thanks to a few who helped me make it through Len R. Steve and Naha, Richard L, and Blaine Who never left. Bob G. the man who introduced me to a small paint brush, walked me to the threshold, cracked the door open just enough to show me the light, than steped back, to let me find my own path . More about Bob in latter posts. My brother Mark for his guidence and lastly to my father Keith, for his quiet support.

Zoom to the present ....


I started with Watercolor about 3 years ago, and have started working in oils this past year. Iwork in what I call message abstract, blending images and textures. Things that inspire me are music with a message that comes from the gut , Bruce Springsteen, Warren Zevon, Eagles and Canadian folk such as Ian Tamblyn. Old buildings, I spent the 1980 s traveling in Europe ( when not renovating old houses in toronto ) how can any one walk in to the Cathedrals look up and think these were built by hand, and not be moved??

my paintings and soon sculpting have to say somthing...quite often the message is very diferent from where i started.....

where and how this blog will develop is a good question... but it will not be limited to just art

more to come ... just remember to stop and listen for nature is talking ... go in peace and goodwill

Norman K.