Urban Oasis: Vertical Birches

6"wx12"h, $65

These 6"wx12"h works titled What A View, Sunset Solitude, and Above All from my Urban Oasis show at Jitter's Coffee in Duluth feature many themes that I've been exploring as of late. One theme is the sun and moon shining and how the light emanates from the brightly lit circle. The sun and moon demand your attention, but after a while I find myself studying the composition quickly. Up until now, my work has featured many twilight and low-light compositions that were more calming, but these new works are filled with energy and light up the space they are hanging in.

6"wx12"h, $65

Another theme is the water. It could be Lake Superior, or any northern Minnesota lake or even stream. The range of blues in the skies and waters are just a joy to paint. I layer shade after shade of blue, knowing that I can't always load my brush with blue, but for now I'm content to feature blue in much of my work. Why? Perhaps it's the sight of water to a thirsty person. Or it's the blue sky causing you to smile after days of gray skies.

6"wx12"h, $65

The birch tree is another recent theme of mine. I could paint birches all day. I just love the graphic black and white tree standing in the midst of a colorful landscape. The birches in these compositions do not have leaves as I wanted to draw attention to the sun and moon, and not the golden leaves of the birches. Perhaps I'll paint some spring and summer birch trees soon. For now it's back to the easel on a rainy day in Duluth. We've received 9 inches of rain in a 24 hour period where I live, and my studio area is warm and dry ... and I'm thankful. :)