Happy New Year!

Dear Friends,

As the year winds to a close, I'd like to take a moment to send out my heartfelt gratitude to all my collectors. Your support allows me to continue to do what I love to do. Making art is a joyful thing to me. Sharing that joy with all of you is a priceless gift. Thank you.

All the best in the year ahead,

Kristina

100 Paintings!

Kristina Wentzell, birds on a wire, oil on canvas, 6 x 12 inches. ©2011

There is still time to get a painting by Christmas! I'll need your order by this weekend, before I head off to sunny Florida for the holiday (I know, poor me).


See the available paintings here.

mixed fruit

These painting are available in the 100 paintings for $100 or Less project. The 100 paintings are all on my website now (HERE)! The sale will run through the end of the year. Here's a secret though... I will continue to add more paintings over the next several weeks so be sure to check back if your favorite is already sold.

walking with spring

Kristina Wentzell, walking with spring 2, oil on canvas, 8 x 8 inches. ©2011

Inspired by my days hiking the Appalachian Trail. Read more here.

This painting is available in the 100 paintings for $100 or Less project. The 100 paintings are all on my website now (HERE)! The sale will run through the end of the year. Here's a secret though... I will continue to add more paintings over the next several weeks so be sure to check back if your favorite is already sold.

sunrise on the mountain

Kristina Wentzell, sunrise on the mountain, 8 x 8 inches. ©2011

This painting is available in the 100 paintings for $100 or Less project. The 100 paintings are all on my website now (HERE)! The sale will run through the end of the year. Here's a secret though... I will continue to add more paintings over the next several weeks so be sure to check back if your favorite is already sold.

winter shadows

Kristina Wentzell, winter shadows, oil on canvas, 8 x 8 inches. ©2011

This painting is available in the 100 paintings for $100 or Less project. The 100 paintings are all on my website now (HERE)! The sale will run through the end of the year. Here's a secret though... I will continue to add more paintings over the next several weeks so be sure to check back if your favorite is already sold.

cardinal in winter

Kristina Wentzell, cardinal 5, oil on canvas, 6 x 6 inches. ©2011

This painting is available in the 100 paintings for $100 or Less project. The 100 paintings are all on my website now (HERE)! The sale will run through the end of the year. Here's a secret though... I will continue to add more paintings over the next several weeks so be sure to check back if your favorite is already sold.

lake country

Kristina Wentzell, lake country, oil on canvas, 6 x 12 inches. ©2011

Here is another piece inspired by the incomparable Rangeley Lakes region. Tucked away in the western mountains of Maine, this area is full of gorgeous lakes, mountains, vistas and beauty (and not a small amount of black flies come spring time)




This painting is available in the 100 paintings for $100 or Less project. The 100 paintings are all on my website now (HERE)! The sale will run through the end of the year. Here's a secret though... I will continue to add more paintings over the next several weeks so be sure to check back if your favorite is already sold.

sunflowers in a cream pitcher

Kristina Wentzell, sunflowers in a cream pitcher, oil on canvas, 8 x 8 inches. ©2011






This painting is available in the 100 paintings for $100 or Less project. The 100 paintings are all on my website now (HERE)! The sale will run through the end of the year. Here's a secret though... I will continue to add more paintings over the next several weeks so be sure to check back if your favorite is already sold.

sunflowers in a tall vase

Kristina Wentzell, sunflowers in a tall vase, oil on canvas, 12 x 6 inches. ©2011

This painting is available in the 100 paintings for $100 or Less project. The 100 paintings are all on my website now (HERE)! The sale will run through the end of the year. Here's a secret though... I will continue to add more paintings over the next several weeks so be sure to check back if your favorite is already sold.

Sage Gallery

Kristina Wentzell ,wild poppies, oil on canvas, 20 x 16 inches. ©2011

My piece "wild poppies" was accepted into a show at the brand new Sage Gallery in Manchester, NH. This group show will run through December 31st. Sage Gallery is featuring many local artists in a variety of media so be sure to check them out. It's always exciting to have a new art venue in town!

Sage Gallery
70 Lowell Street
Manchester NH
hours: Tues-Fri 11-6 Sat 10-4 Sun 12-5 (thurs until 8)

on painting in Monet's Gardens

Kristina Wentzell, eiffel tower, gouache.  ©1986

“Go and paint.  You have 2 hours to finish.” the instructor told us


I was standing in the middle of Giverny, Monet’s Gardens, next to the pond and the arched green bridge depicted in so many of his masterpieces.


I was eighteen years old, just out of high school, and away from home for the first time.  I was on a four week adventure studying painting and drawing in France with Parsons School of Design.

Kristina Wentzell, chartres, gouache.  ©1986

The weeks had been going by in a blur of intense work, the sights, smells, and sounds of the south of France, ancient cave art, crumbling castles, arid scrubby landscapes with the scent of lavender.  And then on to Paris where we spent the days riding in subways through the hectic, busy city, visiting all the grand museums, cathedrals, flea markets, the Seine, outdoor cafes and now to here.

Giverny.

I had been working hard and steadily the whole trip.  Making huge artistic progress and reveling in every moment. I had painted in the Louvre, in the countryside of the Dordogne, inside Notre Dame, at the Eiffel Tower, along the Seine, in French parks and along roadsides.

Kristina Wentzell, along the Seine, gouache.  ©1986

But here in these revered gardens I was frozen for the first time.  It didn’t help that we had just visited the L’Orangerie and had seen Monet’s water lilies up close. 

Painted near the end of his life when Monet was almost blind, the canvases were huge and covered with layer upon layer of thick, impasto brushwork.  Up close, they were completely abstract. Standing back, they came to life as watery landscapes dotted with lilies.  And they were impossibly beautiful.


And here I was looking at that same watery landscape.  I can do this.  I can do this, I tell myself.


I take a deep breath and pick up my paint brush.

water lilies by Claude Monet

open studio this Saturday

I'm having an open studio this Saturday...last one before the holidays!

Kristina Wentzell, pansies, oil on canvas, 6 x 6 inches. ©2011

Kristina Wentzell Fine Art
Open Studio
Saturday, December 3rd
2-4pm

87 Ashuelot Street
Keene NH

presenting....Lucy & Ricky

Kristina Wentzell, ricky, oil on canvas, 8 x 8 inches. ©2011

Kristina Wentzell, lucy, oil on canvas, 8 x 8 inches. ©2011

These paintings are available in the 100 Paintings for $100 or Less Sale.

open studio round up

the best beach

Kristina Wentzell, the best beach, 10 x 8 inches. ©2011

This painting is available in the 100 Paintings for $100 or Less Sale.

snowy owl

Kristina Wentzell, snowy owl, oil on canvas, 6 x 6 inches. ©2011


This painting is available in the 100 Paintings for $100 or Less Sale.

barn owl

Kristina Wentzell, barn owl, oil on canvas, 8 x 8 inches. ©2011

This painting is available in the 100 Paintings for $100 or Less Sale.

barney

Kristina Wentzell, barney, oil on canvas, 10 x 8 inches. ©2011

This painting is available in the 100 Paintings for $100 or Less Sale.

betty

Kristina Wentzell, betty, oil on canvas, 8 x 8 inches. ©2011


This painting is available in the 100 Paintings for $100 or Less Sale.

just over the rise

Kristina Wentzell, just over the rise, oil on canvas, 10 x 8 inches. ©2011


This painting is available in the 100 Paintings for $100 or Less Sale.

birds on a wire

Kristina Wentzell, birds on a wire, 6 x 12 inches. ©2011

The 100 paintings for $100 or Less are all on my website now! The sale will run through the end of the year. Here's a secret though...I will continue to add more paintings over the next several weeks so be sure to check back if your favorite is already sold.

Open Studio Friday & Saturday

Kristina Wentzell, storm's coming 2, oil on canvas, 8 x 8 inches. ©2011



100 Painting Preview Sale
November 11th & 12th
Fri: 5-8pm Sat: 10am-4pm

87 Ashuelot Street
Keene NH

cardinals

Kristina Wentzell, cardinal 3, oil on canvas, 6 x 6 inches. ©2011

The 2nd Annual 100 Paintings for $100 or Less is officially underway! A series of cardinals (two are included here) and several landscape series were among the latest works posted. I still have some paintings underway so be sure to check back to see new work. See the paintings here.

Kristina Wentzell, cardinal, oil on canvas, 5 x 5 inches. ©2011

cupcakes!

Kristina Wentzell, cherry on top, oil on canvas, 4 x 4 inches. ©2011

Cupcakes!

I've never painted baked goods before but thought it would be fun. My 100 painting project is a good excuse to try new ideas. A few years back, I discovered an amazing cupcake cookbook: Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World.

For a while there, cupcakes were taking over my world...I was baking one delectable recipe after another...it was starting to get a little crazy. Luckily, I had some good friends (and two little charges) who were happy to help me consume them.

So here they are...a calorie free delight.

Kristina Wentzell, sprinkles, oil on canvas, 4 x 4 inches. ©2011

Kristina Wentzell, cupcake 2, oil on canvas, 4 x 4 inches. ©2011

Kristina Wentzell, cupcake, oil on canvas, 4 x 4 inches. ©2011

These paintings are available HERE...as part of my 100 Paintings for $100 Less project.

100 Painting Open Studio this weekend!

Kristina Wentzell, at the closing of the day, oil on canvas, 9 x 9 inches. ©2011

The Preview to officially launch my 100 painting project is almost here. I hope to see you at my Keene studio this Friday or Saturday. Please note I have extended the hours on Saturday to make it easier for folks to attend.

Otherwise, please check out my online gallery where all the paintings are on display. Be sure to check back as I am adding new paintings daily!

100 Painting Preview
November 11th & 12th
Fri: 5-8pm Sat: 10am-4pm

87 Ashuelot Street
Keene NH

the best beach?

While the two feet of snow on the ground has been slowly melting away here in southern New Hampshire, I've been dreaming and painting of far away beaches.

Kristina Wentzell, the best beach 5, oil on canvas, 8 x 8 inches. ©2011

A few years ago, my family had the opportunity of living in Australia for a short time when my husband received an international research fellowship from the National Science Foundation. We ended up in Western Australia, the little inhabited coast of that country, in September (springtime down under).

our first glimpse of the Indian Ocean

We started our stay with a family adventure by renting a camper van and driving a thousand miles up the largely uninhabited coast. Our first glimpse of the Indian Ocean on day one of our trip was magical...pure white sands, turquoise waters, and not a soul around for miles. We spent the days driving up the coast, through the desert, marveling at the amazing sunburned colors of the earth, spotting kangaroos, lizards and multitudes of jewel colored birds, and the nights camping on the beach gazing at the southern stars.

my two little charges at Shell Beach

Shell Beach, Monkey Mia

gifts of the sea

Coral Bay Beach

I painted these simple beach scenes with inspiration from my Australia days but also with the hope that they would bring back memories of your favorite beach.

The beaches of Western Australia rank up at the top for me, but I also have others, the coast of Maine (with its many beaches: Popham, Scarborough, Wells, Reid), or the lovely beaches of New Hampshire's short coastline where we now take our little charges in the summer, or a very special beach on a tiny island in the British Virgin Islands where we were married.



Where is your best beach?

Kristina Wentzell, the best beach 4, oil on canvas, 8 x 8 inches. ©2011

Kristina Wentzell, the best beach 3, oil on canvas, 8 x 8 inches. ©2011

Kristina Wentzell, the best beach 2, oil on canvas, 8 x 8 inches. ©2011

Kristina Wentzell, the best beach, oil on canvas, 6 x 12 inches. ©2011

These paintings are available through my 100 Paintings for $100 or Less Project.