Golden Glow on the Lake, and A View To Remember

Today's post is a two for one special. These two pieces were painted for a collector as a gift to family members. These two paintings depict a sunrise and a sunset over lake Superior with the cabin deck in the foreground. While the reference photos had the cabin and deck silhouetted against the bright sky, I added in some color and detail so that the pieces would be brighter, happier, and also work well if displayed together.

These two 20x16 acrylics on canvas are NFS, but I'm always available for commissions, feel free to contact me for a free quote via email. All my best, Aaron

Sublime Pine

Today's piece is titled Sublime Pine is part of a series of three 4x12" originals on canvas featuring pine trees. These pine pieces are very colorful and expressive, I've enjoyed painting the pines recently and will no doubt continue in them. This piece was recently delivered to Siiviis Gallery in Duluth's Canal Park area. www.aaronkloss.com

Living by the Lake Numbers 1 - 3

  Featured today are three pieces titled Living By The Lake (Numbers 1-3). These were brought in to Siiviis Gallery not too long ago, and are a few favorites of mine. I decided to title them individually as opposed to a triptych, as I felt they were strong enough to stand alone, or would make for a nice grouping. And at 9"w x 11"h each, they fill a horizontal space well when displayed together. And they include my favorite colors .. blue and gold .. and some of the reasons I live within walking distance to lake Superior .. the birch trees, the rocks, the lake, the sky .. just some of the reasons I love living by the lake.  If you'd like to commission me to paint a custom painting for you, please email me for a free quote. www.aaronkloss.com

The Landscape of Summer ... commissioned painting

'The Landscape of Summer'  36"w x 36"h

Today's featured painting is a commissioned painting titled The Landscape of Summer, which is 36"w x 36"h. This piece was inspired by a previous painting of mine titled Summer Encore. I've actually been asked to paint a previous painting again a few times already this year, and each time it's a fun challenge. I primarily work from memory and emotion, so to work from a reference painting or photo is a different process altogether which often makes for a challenge. In the case of today's painting, the challenge was a great reminder that summer will soon be here again, and the frozen landscape will give way to the rich blues, greens, and golds of the summer landscape.

Many other painting and print options are always being added to my website: http://www.aaronkloss.com
Feel free to contact me if you have questions ... and I'm also available for commissions if you'd like a special size or subject. 

Between The Trees

"Between The Trees"  20"w x 16"h

Today's painting titled Between The Trees is a new 20"w x 16"h acrylic on canvas. The title of this painting reflects one of my earliest endeavors in painting which was to concentrate on the negative spaces of a painting ... such as the spaces between the trees in this piece which is a colorful summer birch lakescape with lush greens, blues, and sunset golds.

Artists are taught in school to paint the background first, and make the background look and feel as though it doesn't compete with the foreground or subject matter. So the background is an afterthought to whatever the subject of the painting is, and this approach never caught on with me when I was in art school. To me, every aspect of the painting is important, and the background and negative spaces of a painting can sometimes even be the subject of a painting. How you say something is just as important, if not more important, that what you say. That needs to get into the minds of art instructors. Perhaps this world would be a better place ...

But I'll stop before I get too carried away on the way art should be to me. For now, I'll enjoy this quiet summer morning, and as I view the landscape, I'll remember who I am and what I'm saying as an artist ... and take time to appreciate the space between the trees. Please contact Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais for more information on this piece.

Glowing Lighthouse

"Glowing Lighthouse"  10"w x 8"h

The latest of the lighthouses, this piece, titled Glowing Lighthouse, is 10"w x 8"h but packs quite a complementary colored punch. The lighthouse is backlit by a setting sun in the sky, sparkling in the waning hours of daylight. The lighthouse seems content to bask in the glow of the end of the day, enjoying the time of rest before the beacon is lit and the lighthouse guides small sailing vessels and thousand foot safely in and out of the Duluth harbor. Blue and gold ... my favorite colors. I was reading recently about color spectrums and I apparently can see all the colors, which means I have four cones in my eyes, making me able to see subtle shades of colors that the majority of people cannot. Makes me wonder if people appreciate the subtle hues of colors I add to my work. Well, perhaps I'll never know, but it's interesting to note that people that have four cones in their eyes don't like yellow, and I don't ever really wear yellow clothing, but I paint with yellow quite often. Most people have two or three color cones in their eyes. I'm not too skilled in the science behind the color cones ... I'm just content to paint pretty pictures on canvas with a singular brushstroke ... keeping it simple. And sunsets ... I love sunsets, and ... they are yellow. Please contact Siiviis Gallery for more information on this lighthouse which is located adjacent to the gallery in Canal Park. 

Changing Seasons

"Changing Seasons" 24"w x 18"h

Featured today is a piece, titled Changing Seasons, from my upcoming solo show at The Red Mug in Superior, WI during March 2015. This piece, like all work in the show, is full of bright spring color. This particular piece is very compelling with it's long foreground shadows, and bright yellows in the sky, distant lake and foreground. Just when you think winter will never end, spring comes, and the seasons change. This show will feature several new mid sized paintings, along with framed prints, and will fill the space with color, and hopefully soon the landscape will be filled with the colors of spring.

This piece is part of my 'Changing Seasons' show which may be viewed during business hours at The Red Mug in Superior, WI.

Vertical Endeavor

"Vertical Endeavor" 8"w x 24"h

This piece, titled Vertical Endeavor, is the last of a series of fall themed landscapes featuring the 3-1 format (three times as high as wide). This format allows for me to capture the height of the birch tree, which often only has leaves on the top 1/4 of the tree. This format also allows for many layers. The title sums up the feeling this painting gave me upon completion, and also is a good name for the group of works posted to my blog in the past week.  

Please contact Your Art's Desire Gallery in Minnetonka, MN for more information on this piece.

Autumn In New Hampshire

"Autumn In New Hampshire" 8"w x 24"h NFS

For the first time in forever (OK, my kids might be influencing me a bit with their silly soundtrack songs they like to sing) I painted a scene based on what I thought something might look like. Recently, on our vacation, as we made our way north from Virginia to New Hampshire, the leaves went from lush green to full autumn color along the route. Before we left I finished this piece for some folks we visited, and I looked at reference photos and realized the land in New Hampshire was very similar to what I see around my home here in Duluth, MN. Lots of water, hills, rocks, trees ... I felt right at home there as opposed to our time spent in New York City rush hour traffic. I may not be much of a city boy, but the experience was worth the time spent with family and friends.

Superior Stones No. 1

"Superior Stones" 6"w x 6"h, Sivertson Gallery, Grand Marais, MN

I have a new shipment of small works heading to Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marias, MN and this piece, titled Superior Stones No. 1 in one of twelve new pieces. The new works contain many paintings done in series of three. While I love to paint multi panel pieces, I like to offer my work to people who are traveling and/or looking for small pieces to add to their collections as well. This piece originally began as a night painting, but I just couldn't leave it alone as I was finishing and thought to add the golds in the distance and reflecting on the waters. The effect is that now a warm gold sunset complements the many shades of blue in the waters, distant ridge, rocks and sky. The birch trees quietly observe this northern lake scene, and like me, wish the warmth of the sunset would last just a bit longer ...
Please contact Sivertson Gallery for more information on this piece.

With Love, From Minnesota

"With Love, From Minnesota" 72"w x 36"h

Here is a new work which is as wide as I am tall...6 feet! This triptych is 72"w x 36"h, and titled With Love, From Minnesota. I sure enjoy this piece which features golden birches on any given lake in northern Minnesota in the autumn season. The sun sparkles through the sky and the water in this piece, and the rocks and underbrush bring back fond childhood memories of growing up in Minnesota, and I couldn't help but title this painting as if closing a letter that was written with love, from Minnesota.

We've Been Old Friends ... All Through the Years ...

"We've Been Old Friends ... All Through the Years...",  60"w x 48"h, Sivertson Gallery

Today I'm happy to share a major work completed this week titled We've Been Old Friends ... All Through the Years ... which is 60"w x 48"h. It's kind of difficult to describe this painting, as it's so simple and yet complex at the same time. What appears to be a golden sunset over a deep ultramarine blue lake which is surrounded on all sides with golden birches is also a painting which captures my fascination with this majestic and mysterious tree called the birch. This tree carries such a visual interest to me that it finds it's way into many paintings and inspires me to carry on. This birch tree offers no color to razzle and dazzle you with, just crisp white and black color. So simple and yet so complex. So beautiful to behold and so difficult to capture on canvas. I've spent many long hours working on this piece, and at it's scale you can spend a long time looking at it and find little details every time. From the rich cobalt blue undertones to the crisp white birches and the richness of the golds sparkling and dancing across the canvas, this piece has become a friend of mine and features the birch tree which continues to captivate me ... after all ... we've been old friends ... all through the years ...

Please contact Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais, MN, where the birch trees grow, for more information on this painting.

Retrospective: All That Glitters...

   For fun, I thought I'd share some early work periodically that was very influential in my development as a working artist and also for the work's influence on my style. This piece, titled All That Glitters, 12"w x 15"h was painted in January 2012 and is one of several paintings that are very dear to me.
   There is work that you just want to hold on to and not sell, and this is one of those. While this piece sold at Sivertson Gallery that month of 2012, it holds a special  place in my heart for many reasons. This is the first time I fully incorporated a single brushstroke into what some call pointillism, and others call square-alissm ha ha. I'm not trying to start something new with my work, I'm trying to speak visually as simply as possible. You could make a case that my work is closer to minimalism, but in the end I've been influenced by the neo impressionism work of Van Gogh, Gauguin and Seurat, to name a few, and hope my work reflects that influence.
   Back to the painting, this piece has many layers of gold in the leaves, the distant ridge and foreground shadows under the birches. But what really gets me is the sky. I used so many layers of blues and yellows to capture a sun setting in the sky, and the leaves of the birches have a transparency to them, which is achieved using a technique in acrylic painting called glazing. All this to say that I love this painting, and all that glitters is ...
To read my thoughts on this piece from 2012 please click here.

Distant Maples & November Lake

"Distant Maples" 12"w x 9"h

"November Lake" 6"w x 6"h

I was pleased to hear that a few pieces had sold at Your Art's Desire Gallery recently including the one above titled Distant Maples. The other piece on the left is titled November Lake and while they have completely different subjects, I thought I'd feature them together as the colors complement each other very well, and I thought they would look good together. I'll often pair a couple pieces together when thinking about a larger painting. I did this when I painted Somewhere North of Here which was a personal favorite of mine. That piece featured the moon on a lake viewed through the trees, just like these today. When I work small, I often wonder why as I love to work large, but I realize that working small is a great way to nail down what works on a large scale, and it gives people a chance to collect my work. Just like my work with it's many small brushstrokes making up the bigger picture, the small things are often more important than I realize.
Please contact Your Art's Desire for more information on today's painting.

Pine Forest Sunset

"Pine Forest Sunset" 18"w x 18"h

This painting titled Pine Forest Sunset stands apart from the rest of the work in the show. This one features majestic white pines and sunset over the sparkling water. The multi-colored rock formations along the water suggest this could be somewhere in the boundary waters (bwca) of northern minnesota. I took a couple trips to the bwca when I was a boy scout and remember the rocks and pines and camping right along the shore. I also remember throwing rocks at a black bear that was trying to steal our food that was suspended from a pack between two trees about 20 feet off the ground. The bear was trying to cut the rope with his claws ... something tells me he had some experience stealing food this way. He didn't get our food that night but it's a one of many fond memories of moose, bear, eagles, fish and campfires along the lake. Funny how a painting can bring back so many powerful memories. I guess a picture can say a thousand words.

This painting featured today is part of my Fall Forests show which may viewed now through mid December, 2013 at First Lutheran Church in Duluth, MN.

Rock On

"Rock On", 18"x 18", Sivertson Gallery Grand Marais, MN

Spending so much time at lake Superior and the local creeks this summer has influenced my work. The rocks that line the waters have such interesting forms and colors, and the reflections in the water is also very visually interesting. I haven't been trying to capture what I see realistically, but I paint more of the lasting impression the landscape makes upon me. The rocks are scattered all across the canvas in this piece, and the rocks feature a wide range of grays and cobalt blues. The sun sparkles in a straight line across the canvas vertically, and it reflects across the exposed land. The water is a bit more subtle in this piece too, the sparkles are there, but don't compete too much with the golds and yellows of the sun. Rock on.

Please contact Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais, MN for more information on this piece.

Gold Sunset Maples Triptych

"Gold Sunset Maples Triptych" 12"w x 4"h

"Gold Sunset Ridge"

 

After painting so much with cobalt blues and bright titanium white colors it's nice to paint with a warm palette especially after all the cold weather we've had here lately. The crimson leafed maples with their burnt sienna trunks and matching foreground along with the cadmium gold skies and shadows warm the soul. I'm itching to paint this theme on a grand scale, perhaps 30x40" or so .. we'll see. I have to get caught up on what's in progress then I'm going to enjoy the challenge of large scale painting. To me, painting large vs. small is the same as viewing a 80" plasma TV vs. the 20" TV for the couch potato. :) I like potatoes, and couches, but I'm no couch potato. :) I'm off to the easel, next week this blog will be full of new works. Can't wait! -A

Please contact Z Place Gallery in Ironwood, MI for more information on this piece.

Red Maple Sunset

"Red Maple Sunset" 12"w x 12"h

I don't know if other artists do this ... but I enjoy changing my palette on almost a daily basis. Paintings will be cool and loaded with cobalt blues, greys and ultramarine blues ... then it's on to deep evergreens ... then high contrast cardinals only to return to the colors that began it all, the colors of autumn. Hiking through the woods in the autumn season is something I long to do all year round. It brings back warm childhood memories and the colorful leaves and crisp cool air make the experience one to remember. Times like that influence my work year round, such as this piece featuring warm golds and crimsons along with burnt sienna. Red Maple Sunset ... a piece that warms my soul and brings a smile to my face. :)

Please contact Z Place Gallery in Ironwood, MI for more information on today's piece.

Golden Sparkles

"Golden Sparkles"

On a cold, gray day, I thought this piece would brighten things up a bit. :) When I started this one, I kept the ultramarine blue on the dark side to give the gold ridge across the lake something to contrast and compliment. I wish this was my view today, perhaps kicked back in an adirondack chair on the front porch as I watch the sun setting across the lake through the birch trees. :)

Please contact Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais, MN for more information aboutthis painting.

End of Summer & Yellow Skies

End of Summer Triptych, 12"w x 4"h

Yellow Skies, 4"w x 4"h

Two paintings currently available at Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais, MN which incorporate yellow. The triptych features yellow as a ridge line, hinting at the Autumn season, while the smaller piece suggests a warm yellow sunset. I'm lovin' the landscapes that feature blue stones ... I suppose because the stones are such a common feature in the landscapes around northern Minnesota, and because the stones add such an interesting dimension to the works. Sometimes the stones are sharp, sometimes on the softer side .. but they anchor paintings so well and often contrast nicely with the other colors in the piece. Summer's end is near ... the crimson colors of Autumn are calling ... so is my puppy, who happens to be named Crimson, 'cause he needs to go outside. :)