One month in Vienna, November 22, 2015 to December 22, 2015


Schubertkirch in the fog


Christkindlmarkt Rathaus


Chris


Night time at Christkindlmarkt


Stephensdom at Christmas

Hotel California

I need to add a few words about this painting. 
Yesterday Chris and I spent the day driving around looking for something to paint. It was a beautiful day and we saw some wonderful scenery traveling back roads but nothing grabbed us. The night before I watched a documentary on CNN called "I'll Be Me" about Glen Campbell's last tour and his battle with Alzheimer's. I watched it because my Godson Kief Nilsson was in his band, but the documentary blew me away and has been with me ever since. At one point in the doc Keith Urban said how all we are is our memories and what a horrific loss to lose that. I realized how true that was. So today I went back to a place of very wonderful memories to see if it was still there and how it made me feel. The day was beautiful, warm and just a little breezy and I was alone and there it was still the same and empty, although the area around it has changed. For two hours I was back in time and happy painting and remembering. This very haunted building was part of the Camarillo State Mental Hospital (aka Hotel California) For four incredible years I rented it for Caitlyn, and Chris built her stage and she had a complete theater, including courtyard, rest rooms, and lobby for her one woman shows. Her brother Richard was her partner and the two of them worked together so beautifully creating a new show every other month. Caitlyn did the choreography, costumes, programs, publicity, and of course danced, and Richard did all the lights, special effects, sets and scenery. And every year for Halloween, led the ghost tours of the abandoned buildings. Henry sometimes contributed music and mom, family and friends attended. Caitlyn developed a loyal following of fans. I sold tickets and refreshments at intermission. It was such a very special time and loving family project. The creativity, originality, hard work and talent that went into these shows was something I will never forget. One article said Caitlyn was the future of dance, and I will add Richard was the wind beneath her wings. It was a magical 4 years and I am so proud of what they did.....and what happened in this little building, now empty except for its ghosts. Today for awhile in my heart it was alive again and the lights were on.

Super Blood Moon, Malibu 9/27/15

And October drive across the Country to Acadia National Park

Coyotes howling but so far the world hasn't ended

©Carolyn Carradine

From Drive across country to Artist's Invitational, Acadia Maine, October 2015

Niagara Falls

Sunset Cadillac Mountain

Fun evening Eric Rhoads playing guitar

Halloween painting

Two Sister's creek

Dawn

Stream in full Color

The Enchanted Cottage

Brome Home, Weston MA

Fall Colors

Twilight

LobStar

Dirt Road

Light House, Acadia

Light House Acadia

Blueberry Hill, Acadia National Park

Inlet

Hogback Bridge 

of Madison County, Iowa

Blue Moon, July 31, 2015

My Blue Moon Series

Ernestine Schumann-Heink

Ernestine Schumann-Heink

my great grandmother

As a small child when I would visit my grandmother who had a little  home in Burbank I was a bit overwhelmed by what appeared to a 4 year old as a giant either photo or painting of my great grandmother in her Waltraude costume for a Wagner opera over the fireplace. She had died long before I was born but apparently in real life she was as imposing as her portrait.

She became the inspiration for the cartoon character of the opera singer with this costume.  At that time opera singers made their own costumes so this was her creation.  She was also the inspiration for the phrase,  "It's not over till the fat lady sings."  She was a bit heavy but although very powerful and charismatic quite small of stature.

I wish so much I could have known her.  My mother had wonderful stories to tell as she lived with her until her Nona died in 1936.

I have no idea what became of the portrait I remember from my childhood but decided to try to recreate it as best I could.  

 The Giving Tree, oldest Sycamore in Malibu

The Malibu Lagoon

June 2015, Back in Malibu

 

The Sycamore is 160 years old, the oldest tree in Malibu and in danger of being chopped down for the left turn lane of the new Whole Foods complex.  A total of 3 feet is all it encroaches on the developer's plans.  Also to go are a whole row of very old Eucalyptus trees along PCH.  I sat on the ground in the Sycamore's glorious shade and painted it.  I was moved by its soft leaves under me, the beauty of it's branches above me and the cool breezes on a very hot day.

Earlier in the day I had painted the Malibu Lagoon. After I finished I felt called by the Sycamore, packed up my stuff and walked over the bridge to Cross Creekto paint the Sycamore while it was still there.

I would love to have some comments on how anyone feels about the different styles and emotions in these two paintings.  When I put them next to each other it doesn't seem possible they were painted the same day.

June 7, 2015

Just returned from the most amazing 2 and a half month trip.  We started out on the Seabourn Quest and did 14 days of transatlantic, nothing but water everywhere!  We made one stop in Madeira (Have some Madeira, M'Deara, it's oh so much nicer than beer a)  Funchal on Madeira is lovely and the flowers were gorgeous.  We then went on to Barcelona, Gaudi, and from there a train to Nimes to get a river cruise of the south of France. Avignon, Arles etc.  So much fun and so beautiful.  We decided to spend a few days in Paris and ran into Bethan and Pete so were able to spend a lovely evening and dinner with them. We spent a day with Mary Blake, an artist friend I hadn't seen in about 40 years.  She is painting and living in Montmartre.  Lovely time in Paris.  Spent a lot of time in the D'Orsay gorgeous and then to the horrific Frank Geary blight The Louis Vuitton Foundation.   As ridiculous pretentious and arrogant as it sounds.  Then the train to Zurich and on to Vienna.  We were to go from there to Russia for a 2 week river cruise from Moscow to St. Petersburg but it didn't work out, last minute bait and switch.  We stayed in Vienna and had the best time.  Saw La Boheme at the Volksoper in German lots of museums, and found a house we fell in love with in Gloggnitz.  Keith was in Brussels filming and had some time off so came and spent 4 days with us and in the rain we recreated the 3rd man and went to all the locations we could find, saw the remaining Klimt's and just had a really terrific time.  Then a surprise Kristen Aspervig arrived with her family and we had two lovely meals with them.  Plus the joy of being with Henry and Karina, one dinner at the Ille's in multiple languages. museums and coffee with Patricia and 2 spectacular concerts of Karina's.  Karina and Henry had us over  when Keith was there, fixed dinner and performed some beautiful house music for us.  Such a lovely time, we hated to leave.  I fell in love with the blackbird "Max" who returned from last year to sing every morning and evening on our stairs. We formed a bond and he would come when I whistled for him.

 Three days before we left so did he.  He was old and had only one leg at the end.  I will miss him terribly.

Last scene of The Third Man

 From our suite 14 days of water

 At Friedensbruck a couple blocks from our apt.

 Alte Donau park

 Pont Le Sur D'Avignon, from our River Cruise in France

Bye Bye Blackbird