April 21st came this year with less emotion or fanfare than I have experienced in the past years. If I had not had it marked on my calendar, it may have passed me by without being noticed, on my part. I am not making that mean anything good or bad. It was just how it feels, and as I have … Read More
October 3rd 2024 We Are Going to the Moon! When I started this project if someone would have ever told me that this painting would be a part of a project that is sending images of art to the moon, it would not have made sense to me and it still doesn’t register in my thoughts. Let me catch you … Read More
September 19th 2024 On Sept 18th 2024 I received a text from the artist Charles Kapsner that read, “Great news; “the Best of Him” is in the Semi-Finalist Division of Art Renewal Center’s 17th International Salon! Next advancement will be announced on November 20, 2024.” A little more about Semi-Finalist Division of Art Renewal Center’s 17th International Salon “…competitions dedicated … Read More
August 30th 2024 “I hate to tell the world this, you are only going to love your mom and dad the way you should when they are gone. I am sorry.” Garth Brooks As it has been a while since I shared about the painting and my journey, I should share a little more about my grief process. Things have … Read More
April 24th 2024 Early this morning, shortly before I awoke, I was dreaming, and I was visiting with my dad at his new apartment. (Note, he never lived in a brownstone apartment in a big city, but that’s where he was.) I was on the phone with him, walking towards his place, I saw him in the window cooking, I … Read More
April 21st 2024 It’s been three years since my father’s passing. There are many days that go by and I don’t think of him. It is really no different than when he was alive. I have carried on mostly the same. We are such creatures of habit. But today isn’t just another day. Actually all this week has been a … Read More
December 16th 2023 On the oddest of all weather days in Minnesota, with rain falling, we headed out to the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery in Little Falls to be a part of hundreds of people that volunteered to place wreaths at the headstones of our fallen heroes who are laid to rest there. Unlike last year, there was no snow … Read More
December 16th 2023 Nearing the end of the craziest two weeks the painting comes home for Christmas and to start the New Year. Not on just any day, but the day that we place live pine Christmas wreaths at the grave sites of the thousands of US Veterans laid to rest at the Minnesota State Veteran’s Cemetery Little Falls.I did … Read More
October 14th 2023 The Charles Kapsner Salon 2023 has officially begun. The opening night was simple, grand, and engaging. For one of the first times in my life, I was the first one there and got to watch as the food was crafted and laid out in the most artistic and beautiful way by a top food marketing expert and … Read More
Opening Reception, October 13th 6 – 9 pm The Best of Him,by Artist Charles KapsnerCommissioned by JoyGenea Schumer Furnstahl, on display at the 15th annual Kapsner Salon at Great RiverArts! SPECIAL Opening receptionFriday, October 13th, 6 – 9 pm Great River Arts!122 1st St SE,Little Falls, MN 56345 Come join us for wine tasting, great food presented by Charles’s niece, … Read More
October 5th 2023 I received this email from Charles yesterday. “I varnished the painting yesterday. Looks Fab. Cheers ????, Charles “ It is the last and final step in the whole process. He explained to me months ago as to why it was so important to wait to varnish it. I don’t recall exactly, but I will share what I do … Read More
September 18th 2023 CLICK HERE for a PDF of the dedication ceremony program. This weekend I had the rare and unique opportunity to attend the groundbreaking of the soon-to-be-new Minnesota Military & Veterans Museum located in Central Minnesota near Camp Ripley. It was a lovely, sunny with a chance of a floating cloud covering the sun in the blue blue … Read More
September 11th 2023 While visiting Charles Kapsner in the studio he reminded me that the Minnesota Military Museum would be having their annual big event and open house this coming weekend. He mentioned that they might be out of brochures for the painting. Well, here I am set to fly out of state for the week and return just in … Read More
September 10th 2023 This weekend I had the chance and made the time to swing by Charle’s Kapsner’s little studio. A couple of months ago when I met him at the Minnesota Military Museum to see the painting for the first time on display and get all the artifacts he used for the painting, well the two of us forgot … Read More
September 5th 2023 Recently there have been a couple of situations that have come up that have given me pause on the day-to-day of things and reminded me of my grief journey over the past years. All three involve grief but in very different ways. One involves the grief journey I have been on with my husband’s late wife’s amazing … Read More
July 5th 2023 Today I was finally able to have time to meet Charles Kapsner at the Minnesota Military Museum and see the painting there for myself. Seeing it hanging in the frame on a blank white wall is incredible. One of the most touching parts is that it is in the same room with Charles Kapsner’s historical new painting … Read More
JUNE 23rd 2023 To my total surprise and appreciation, I got a call from Charles Kapsner today explaining that his recent installation of the Women of the National Guard to the Minnesota Military Museum was complete and that he was talking with the director Randle about “The Best of Him” and how it would look nice at the museum. They … Read More
It was a beautiful hot day, hotter than normal for Central Minnesota. My intention was to leave by 9:00am to be there by 10. Plans needed to change, due to the weather and my husband’s client schedules, so instead of him coming with me for the day, which would have been a long and boring day for him, he headed … Read More
The Best of Him Brochure to print and share CLICK HERE TO VIEW PRINTABLE PDF Page 3 – The Best of Him by Artist Charles Kapsner & Commissioned by JoyGenea Schumer Furnstahl A Memorial oil painting designed at honoring the brave sacrifices made by our veterans and their families, not only during their service to our country but also in … Read More
The Best of Him by Artist Charles Kapsner & Commissioned by JoyGenea Schumer Furnstahl A Memorial oil painting designed at honoring the brave sacrifices made by our veterans and their families, not only during their service to our country but also in their everyday lives after their service has ended. The intention is to inspire awareness and open conversations about … Read More
May 15th Quote “Life is a great big canvas. Throw all the paint on it that you can.” Danny Kaye Grief is a great big canvas too. It’s got room for everything we are thinking and feeling. Enter so let’s throw all the paint on it that we can. Let’s take what’s inside of us and express it outside of … Read More
This is the third birthday to come since his passing. I know for some people birthdays are really hard days. I am lucky, for me, they aren’t too bad. They are more of a reason to pause and reflect on him. Really the only thing that is different now than before his passing is that I can’t call him to … Read More
Today the mail person dropped off one of the most thoughtful and meaningful pieces of marketing I have ever received. The TAPS (tragedy assistance program for survivors ) box. Look at this thing. It is so beautiful that the mail person asked me about it. It really is brilliant on their part to have boxes like this. It reminds me … Read More
April 27th 2023 I got this email from Charles today. “Subject: TEASER Hey JoyGenea, Here it is!!!!!!!!!!! It came yesterday.Cheers,Charles” And this image. In that moment seeing the frame was when I really could see that the whole painting is going to leave the studio and hang on a wall and look so different not sitting next to the items … Read More
I believe in Psychics and mediums, so did my dad and so do most of my friends and family, mind you at different levels. Me and all of those same people believe in God and an afterlife. And, in reality, some of my friends are psychics and mediums. That said, most of my friends, family, and my dad would not … Read More
Are you ever going about your day and totally stumble onto something great that you didn’t know you were looking for? I did that just a couple of hours ago. Through TAPS I had the opportunity to join a web presentation from the woman who runs Modern Loss. I had never heard of this website and now I wish I … Read More
April 20th 2023 The Best of Him painting a memorial to a Vietnam Veteran and Father by Charles Kapsner and JoyGenea Schumer This was going to be the title, but YouTube would just not go for it. What the heck? I had to settle for: The Best of Him painting Today we are working on the website and getting that … Read More
The moment has come for Charles to stop working on the painting and sign it. To bring this chapter of the journey to a close. The frame will be here in the coming week and it needs to rest before the big show in the fall. The day is sunny and spring smells are in the air. We arrive at … Read More
April 15th 2023 I have a little side story I just wanted to share. Last night while I was searching through cable tv to try and find something to watch I came across the movie Mr. Roberts and went right to it. When I was growing up one of the ways my dad would connect with us kids was through … Read More
April 13th 2023 I was standing on a hill in eastern Ohio checking out the cabin the Pennsylvania family members had rented for the weekend when my phone rang. I looked at the screen and it was Charles, I thought I wonder why he is calling? He’s back from his honorary guest invitation to Norway visit and has been working … Read More
Paint on canvas brings more than just a story to life. It creates a connection. I’m visiting Charles Kapsner in his painting studio in Fort Ripley. I am taking in the depth of the atmosphere being here is full of. In some ways, it kind of feels like I am hanging out with my dad for part of the day … Read More
Today the website goes LIVE! If you have ever built or had someone build for you a website, you know the exciting moment when you put it out into the world. I have decided that is today. I have a day ahead of me that I will be able to spend some time on building out more and more of … Read More
February 8th 2023 “When someone we love becomes a memory, that memory becomes a treasure.” –author unknown I have no time to type this up and engage with it, and yet I feel I must. This quote came up today and it just summed up this project so well. Those memories and even the new details I am adding to … Read More
January 23rd 2023 In the month or so before my fathers passing we had talked about his memorial and one of the things that was important to him was a nice program. He laid out in one of our conversations what he wanted on that program, the photos, the poems, the words to a hymn and a plan for service … Read More
January 14th 2023 I drove up to see Charles today. We are just driving away from his studio and I am reflecting on what the painting looks like at this point and more importantly what it represents for me. Charles is in an excellent mode. He and Catherine are off to Norway soon to be honored and the women in … Read More
January 9th 2023 Good morning JoyGenea,I hope you had a wonderful new year and are ready for a great 2023. Well here we are back onto this beautiful still life, I’m really enjoying working from life again! As you can see the next layer of color is being applied and you can start to understand and see the color density … Read More
October 31st 2022 Recently I have had a question pop up. Is it possible to really know your parents while they are living? I have been asking a few of my friends who’s parents have passed away if they felt like they knew their parents more after they passed. The overall answer is, yes. I wonder why that is? I … Read More
October 29th 2022 Oh my GOD!!! I was shifting and filing the office paperwork two portable file bins out of my office, since I am not having to look in them nearly as often anymore. As I was filing things, I was also assessing what information I had in there and what was important. In the back of the current … Read More
October 6th 2022 Tony from the frame shop called a couple of weeks ago to let me know that my artwork was ready to be picked up. My schedule has been busy with many on-site projects and weddings on weekends. I have just been floating the note to pick them up. On Monday he called again and said Charles had … Read More
August 5th 2022 Recently while going through my father’s final possessions and paperwork that I have been safely keeping at my house under a big brown piece of fabric I found a multi-page document from the Department of the Army Board for Correction of Military Records, at the Pentagon. And in that document, they explain how they have denied my … Read More
July 24th 2022 It has been months since I have seen the painting, so much has transpired in my grieving process. I am at a point in this process where the painting brings me great happiness. It really does feel like I am asking Charles to capture the best of my dad. That time and the layers that it takes … Read More
While we may grieve about the past, we live in the present. The past few weeks have brought with it clarity and some small levels of heartbreak. One of my brothers has inherited the disease of addiction from my father. Most of his life I have watched him fight to love himself, to find value in who he is and … Read More
I don’t know if I ever shared what my father died from. I don’t think about it much or talk about it often, because for me I only lived with the knowledge of what that was for a matter of a couple of days and then he was gone. No time to do research, no time to look at treatments, … Read More
May 30th 2022 -Maybe my brother stayed sick and struggling, just to connect with my dad. Just to keep us together. Dr. Phil has talked about how a person will do that in a family. I think that was what Nathaniel was doing. Now how do I share that with him? -The big question I am asking myself for the … Read More
Yesterday I asked my friend and wordsmith extraordinaire Michelle if she would help me figure out the title and write up the details for the painting when the time comes. She is amazing and said yes. Then I proceeded to tell her about where I am in the grieving process. What my recent thoughts and feelings are about as it … Read More
May 24th 2022 This was a very impromptu visit. With the trip to DC only days away and having my father top of mind, it had been a while since I had been able to stop by the studio and see the painting and talk with Charles about the progress. When I walked in the door, there was a distinct … Read More
February 23rd 2022 from Charles Hey JoyGenea,Since you would be walking in the door right now here is where things are at. Needless to a say very tedious! I am having a great time!We are completely snowed in at the county road level; I suspect tonight they may plow it. We have to keep the snow blower going to stay … Read More
February 17th 2022 from Charles Hey JoyGenea,Here is how it starts on the panel; very tedious measuring using a plumb line and measuring stick.Cheers,Charles PHOTOS
February 15th 2022 Charles has pointed out that a piece of art like this gets named. We are at that place. He said the naming of it is my search, it is part of my journey. Once it is named, the name becomes part of the project. The naming helps him with the feeling of the painting. I can see … Read More
Meeting with Charles Feb 13th Our meeting had to be rescheduled due to hazardous winter conditions twice. As Tom and I bobbed through the snow on a Sunday out to Charles’s studio I wondered what awaited me. February 14th 2022 from Charles Hey JoyGenea,Thank you for the visit and keen eye yesterday! Here is the cleaned up compositional sketch for … Read More
Music is one of my strongest emotional communication tools. It hits so many senses and just helps me feel things that at times I can’t quite put words to or am not exactly sure how to express. There I was standing in the kitchen at 6:03 am making breakfast and listening to some random current hits off the streaming device … Read More
January 13th 2022 The visual part of the project starts. Last night I dove into the pile of important items that are currently stored at my house. The items that we didn’t want to leave in the storage unit, in case there was to be a break-in at the unit.I was on the hunt for a few more things to … Read More
December 29th 2021 from Charles Hey JoyGenea,I hope you had a good Christmas; and a quiet one. Ours was low key, just the way we wanted it.I have my last model coming back on Friday for her portrait. Finally!!!!!!!!!!! She had been in Africa and started a new job; that made scheduling rather difficult. I will be able to start … Read More
I am days away from Christmas and I can feel the pull of the holidays on my heart and mind. The fun part I am enjoying about grief is that for a little while here I seem to be mostly focused on the positive memories with my dad. I can’t say I was good at that while he was living, … Read More
December 11th 2021 from JoyGenea Something to represent the farm and his mother (rosary)Something to represent us kidsLock of my blond hair – MeA thistle plant – NicSomething from Mexico – NathanielDo we want a gun? He loved guns, collected themThere should be some coin moneyBolo – Leon, JoDee and style December 20th 2021 from JoyGenea After I left your … Read More
The day has finally arrived to sit down with Charles and deliver the bulk of the items I am hoping tell the story of my father’s life. The bag has been packed for a couple of weeks and now I bring it up into the kitchen to make sure that it is ready to go on the trip to the … Read More
Nov 20th 2021 Early, during the quietest time at our house in the morning, I went to the stack of my father’s most valuable belongings and I I started to sort out the items that would be part of his memorial painting. I was asking myself questions like, who was he, what are the objects that demonstrate who he was as … Read More
Nov 20th 2021 Early, during the quietest time at our house in the morning, I went to the stack of my father’s most valuable belongings and I started to sort out the items that would be part of his memorial painting.I was asking myself questions like, who was he, what are the objects that demonstrate who he was as a … Read More
May 27th 2021 The meaning behind these items for JoyGenea 1 Savage 12-gauge pump action shotgun One of the things my dad did with each of us kids was to bring us to the wild rice paddy fields on the weekends. That was when he had to go check the pumps and make sure they were still working from the … Read More
September 18th 2021 from Charles Hey JoyGenea,How are you all doing these days? Hard to believe it is the 18th of September already! My out door painting of the house is about to come to an end; we got the ramp moved on Monday allowing me to reach the high points on the north side of the house. With the … Read More
June 10th 2021 from JoyGenea Charles, I think this will be helpful in figuring out the medals or at least some of them. I will continue to send you emails with details in the coming week. I am going to be focusing on moving this aspect of the funeral. It will make it easy to pass along details. Thanks,JoyGenea Attached … Read More
June 6th 2021 Drop off of items for Charles to start looking at and getting an idea of how to start this project. I brought with me everything I thought represented him. I brought his uniform, I brought some paperwork. There were two garment bags and a box of items.Most of it was military The meeting went well and Charles … Read More
May 29th 2021 From Charles Hey JoyGenea & Tom,Just checking in. Here is the latest; not finished, since you like flags I thought I would send a shot. Enjoy the Holiday weekend!!!!!! I am sure Hawaii was good!Cheers,Charles June 3rd 2021 from JoyGenea I love it.The frame looks great with that. Your right…I love the flag. Hawaii was wonderful and … Read More
May 10th 2021 Charles, I have had an idea rolling around my head since we met at your studio and I want to share the concept with you and find out if it inspires you a little too and if you would like to explore the idea more. I don’t know if you do commissioned smaller pieces? (I mean smaller than … Read More
2021-04-03 I have wanted to purchase one of Charles Kapsner’s original paintings for years. Each time we would go to another one of the presentations at the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery in Little Falls for the giant murals he was painting to commemorate each branch of the service I would be reminded how I wanted a piece of his work … Read More
