Blue Jay Moon Rays

This piece, titled Blue Jay Moon Rays, measures 8x10" and is a new acrylic on canvas recently delivered to Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais. There has been many blue jays flying around my house, making lots of noise and chasing all the birds away. They sure are a pretty bird with their blue coloring, and impressive in size, and they are fun to paint. In this case, this blue jay is backlit by a moon, and is perched on a golden maple tree ... what a peaceful setting for such a noisy bird. :)

Tiny Blue Jays

"Tiny Blue Jays"  8"w x 8"h

Today's painting titled Tiny Blue Jays, is 8"w x 8"h and currently available at Your Art's Desire Gallery in Minnetonka, MN. This spring painting brought back some pleasant memories as I worked on it. One particular spring, I found a good deal on suet and set out several suet feeders for the birds as the winter had been harsh and the migratory birds were arriving to a frozen tundra and no food. I had blue jays, robins, goldfinch, starlings, and cedar waxings nesting all around my house, and in the mornings I would go outside later in the spring and hear what sounded like thousands of tiny feeble squeeks and squawks from freshly hatched chicks. The starlings stayed all summer, there had to be 30 chicks that would call for their parents to feed them all day. It was a season to remember for someone who loves birds. This week I'll feature spring bird paintings all week here, please stop back soon and think spring! -A

Prints of this painting are available on my online store: 
http://www.aaronkloss.com/store/c5/Spring_Bird_Prints.html

Many other painting options are always being added to my website: http://www.aaronkloss.com

Feel free to contact me for more information ... and I'm also available for commissions if you'd like a special size or subject. 

Memory from Feb. 2013: Departure

A few years ago I had a gallery talk at Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais, MN where I unveiled a new subject matter: the blue jay. The gallery talk went well, I did a painting demonstration, had a great time, even spilled a little white paint on the floor (and blamed it on the seagulls haha). Sometimes I look back over the past six years on the blog and reminisce, it's been a great journey, and I'm looking forward to what's ahead this year. With no futher delay, here's my post regarding a new painting titled Departure, from Feb. 2013, and also I'll include links to Sivertson's blog, and the youtube video about that presentation at the end of this post.

"Don't let the title of this post scare you .. I'm not leaving now lol. I suppose after taking a little break from the blog and then posting 'Departure' you might wonder what people may think. ;) This piece is part of new series for me featuring the beautiful blue jay. I'm super excited to see how people will react to this new forest friend ... not sure how the cardinal in today's painting feels about the blue jays though. He's thinking 'I'm outta here!'."

Link to Sivertson Gallery's thoughts on my work: https://sivertson.com/blog/klosschat/

Youtube video to my presentation: https://youtu.be/JkDSlf0pbfE

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

October Blue Jay

"October Blue Jay"  8"w x 8

I love blue jays. They fly in from out of nowhere, squaking and carrying on, announcing their presence to the entire world and driving away all the other birds. I've never been able to watch them nest, so all I know about them is their behavior around my house. They are a large bird, and they have beautiful blue feathers. So fun to watch in the wild and attempt to capture on canvas. In this piece, titled October Blue Jay, the golds of the birch leaves complement the blue jay, who is quite camouflaged against the cobalt blue sky. And he's at Siiviis Gallery in Canal Park now too ... hopefully not scaring away all the other birds. :) Please contact the gallery for more info.

Ice Blue Jay Number 1 and 2

I had a dream last night about a flock of blue jays. I'm not sure why, but there were hundreds in the trees outside. This past fall, a flock of about a dozen blue jays were at the feeder and that event may have inspired the dream last night. Whatever the reason, that dream inspired me to post a couple of blue jay paintings titled Ice Blue Jay Nos. 1 and 2, respectively. These blue jays think they are hidden amongst a cobalt blue sky and treeline, but their big white bellies give them away. Perhaps they should stop raiding my feeder and let the cute little chickadees have a turn. Have a great weekend! Please contact Riverwood Gallery in Eau Claire, WI for more information on today's piece.

Forever in Blue

"Forever in Blue" 7"w x 5"h

Not too long ago a flock of blue jays decided to make a pit stop at my house. They chased away all the birds and were quite loud, loud enough to get my attention and to wake up the dog too. They are quite impressive when viewed up close as they are larger than most song birds. Their feathers are a brilliant blue and if I was a bird I'd steer clear of blue jays too. They didn't stay too long, they were just passing though, but it was something I'll always remember. At one point, there were at least a dozen by my bird feeder. Today's painting titled Forever in Blue features a blue jay on a cobalt blue background. Just a simple two color piece, you don't need to add much when the subject matter is as striking as a blue jay.

Please contact Your Art's Desire for more information on today's painting.

Hidden Blue Jay

"Hidden Blue Jay" 8"w x 8"h

"Tiny Jay" 4"w x 4"h

Today's piece features a blue jay who thinks he's hidden himself amongst the cobalt blue forest, skies, and birches ... but he can't fool us, we can see him. :) Such an interesting form the blue jay is, the markings, the color, they are such a striking bird. If it ever stops snowing here in Duluth, MN I'll get more paintings finished! lol, I'm off to work. -A

For more information on these paintings, please contact Z Place Gallery in Ironwood, MI.

Birch Forest Sentinel

"Birch Forest Sentinel" 10"w x 10"h

"March Forest", 4"w x 4"h

There is an underlying current that runs through my work and that current compels me to set boundaries and limits while I'm working. I frequently feel drawn to do this and I'm not sure why at this point. Since I paint from memory and emotion/experience ... I often complete a painting and then view it over time .. learning more about myself, my artistic voice, why the painting turned out the way it did. For today's Birch Forest Sentinel, the boundary set was to paint with two colors only ... titanium white and cobalt blue. The depth of color that can be achieved amazes me ... and I'm already thinking ahead to another piece in this theme on a larger scale where the contrast is pushed even farther in the deep areas of the cobalt blue. Cold and sunny here today ... good day to be productive in the studio. :) -A

Please contact Siiviis Gallery in Duluth, MN for more information on today's pieces.

Autumn Blue Jay

"Autumn Blue Jay" 8"w x 8"h

"Birch Jay No. 2" 4"w x 4"h

Who doesn't like complementary color? I know Van Gogh's bold colors weren't always well received by his fellow Parisian painting pals, but I'm sure glad he paved the way and wasn't afraid to express what he felt he had to say via the brush and the canvas. There is an element of meaning in these bird paintings I often create and I know I've mentioned it before here on this blog. It's the determination you need if you want to be an artist. You can't be afraid to express yourself, and even go against the grain of what other artists are doing if that's what you need to do to communicate what's in your heart. Blue jays often scare away other birds in the forest, but they also warn when predators are nearby and they aren't afraid to take on other animals bigger than themselves. Perhaps this is the vibe I'm getting from today's warmly lit blue jay piece. No fear here. :) -A

Please contact Siiviis Gallery in Duluth, MN for more information on today's pieces.

Trés 'Jays

"Trés 'Jays", 10"w x 10"h

"Birch Jay No. 1", 4"w x 4"h

Please contact Siiviis Gallery in Duluth, MN for more information on today's pieces.

Nestled In

"Nestled In" 12"w x 6"h

This blue jay is nestled into the birches, basking in the glow of a sparkling golden sky in the background. :)

For more information about this painting please contact Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais, MN.

Wings of Gold

"Wings of Gold", 8"w x 8"h, Sivertson Gallery, Grand Marais, MN

"Red Wing", 4"w x 4"h, Sivertson Gallery

Today's post features two works that have *surprise!* complementary colors. The gold and blues ... the blues and reds ... even the white birch bark and the black markings of the trees ... all provide contrast and punch to these colorful bright works.

Nice sunny day here in Duluth, MN ... 35 degrees today, which is a heat wave for February. :) So nice to see the snow melting and the birds singing. Spring is just around the corner.
-A

For more information about these painting please contact Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais, MN.

Departure

"Departure" Acrylic on 18"w x 6"h canvas

"Tiny Green" 4"w x 4"h

Don't let the title of this post scare you .. I'm not leaving now lol. I suppose after taking a little break from the blog and then posting 'Departure' you might wonder what people may think. ;)

This piece is part of new series for me featuring the beautiful blue jay. I'm super excited to see how people will react to this new forest friend ... not sure how the cardinal in today's painting feels about the blue jays though. He's thinking 'I'm outta here!'.

To see more blue jays please visit my website and check out the new work at Sivertson Gallery under the Paintings section.

For more information about this painting please contact Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais, MN.