Showing posts with label blue sky. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blue sky. Show all posts

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

A work in progress

November 'Dees, acrylic on 12"w x 6"h canvas, November 2019
Lately I've been busy preparing for the busy Christmas season ... stocking galleries and shipping out orders from my online store. The image featured here is titled November 'Dees and this painting has four chickadees perched on a birch on a snowy winter day. People sometimes give me a hard time about painting songbirds ... but when you're inspired by the landscape, I can't help but paint these friendly little feathered peeps. We had gusty winds and half a foot of snow today in northern Minnesota, and the chickadees were buzzing around, singing and eating seeds from the feeder. Perhaps they were just having fun ... or hoping I would paint them ... and they're in luck because I just did.

It's been quite a while since I've posted to this blog, as I've been primarily posting updates of my work via Facebook and Instagram. I've included links below if you'd like to follow me on those platforms, I'd appreciate it!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aaronklossart/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aaronklossartwork/

This piece is part of a show I'm having at 47 Degrees Gallery in Knife River, MN this December 2019.

Monday, March 21, 2016

Spring Arrival

Spring Arrival painting by artist painter aaron kloss duluth mn, pointillism, painting of spring, painting of birch trees in spring, minnesota landscape painting
"Spring Arrival"
What could possibly be better than a spring painting in honor of the first day of spring? Well spring temps and greens would be good ... it will be a few weeks before we see any of that here in Duluth MN, but it won't be long and I can't wait. Here is a new piece titled Spring Arrival, which is 6"w x 18"h, acrylic on canvas. This vertical piece is a simple spring forest, the likes of which can be found all around Duluth MN ... in a few weeks.

This piece is part of my ongoing art show titled Landscapes at Amity Coffee, located at 
4429 E Superior St, Duluth, MN 55804.

Please email me ... aaronklossartwork [at symbol] gmail.com ... if you're interested in this piece or to commission me for a custom painting, and please visit my website for more examples of my work and to purchase prints.

Thursday, March 17, 2016

Noisy Boys

Noisy Boys acrylic landscape painting by artist aaron kloss, aaron kloss painter, songbird painting, duluth art, duluth painter, painting of cardinals chickadees, sping
"Noisy Boys"
Today's post is a fun piece titled Noisy Boys which is a new acylic on 6"w x 18"h canvas. I've been listening for different birds when I'm outside lately, and by far the noisiest isn't the cardinal or chickadee like the ones in this painting, but the downy woodpecker. Every morning I find the downy chirping away and banging on the telephone pole. This silly woodpecker also hacked a hole in my front porch column and built a nest, strewing wood chips and other scraps of insulation, etc. all over my front steps. Since I love birds, I didn't mind the intrusion, or charge rent. But I'm enjoying the antics of the chickadees at the feeders and listening for the songs of the changing season .. and the sound of the noisy boys in the forest.

This piece is part of my ongoing art show titled Landscapes at Amity Coffee, located at 
4429 E Superior St, Duluth, MN 55804.

Please email me ... aaronklossartwork [at symbol] gmail.com ... if you're interested in this piece or to commission me for a custom painting, and please visit my website for more examples of my work and to purchase prints.

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Christmas Sky and book signing at Zeitgeist

"Christmas Sky"  Acrylic on 20"w x 16"h canvas
This is a painting titled Christmas Sky which is 20"w x 16"h, acrylic on canvas. This piece is featured in the book I collaborated with author Chuck Haavik to create and this evening I'm pleased to announce that I will be signing books at the Zeitgeist Arts center in downtown Duluth. Joining me is the author of the book I illustrated titled Christmas Here in Northern Lands. We will be signing books from 7 - 9:00 p.m., please stop by and say hi if you're in the area. There will be live music, treats, and the original paintings from the book will be displayed. Be there or be square! ;)
The book may be purchased online at the following link: http://www.chuckhaavikauthor.com/

Thursday, October 29, 2015

October Blue Jay

october blue jay painting, acrylic on canvas by artist aaron kloss duluth mn
"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.

Friday, August 14, 2015

Cardinal Colors

"Cardinal Colors" Acrylic on canvas, aaron kloss artwork

Featured today is a sweet little 7x5" original on canvas titled Cardinal Colors, available at Siiviis Gallery in Duluth, MN. This is a cheerful piece, the cardinals and bright blues and golds of the background combining for a colorful visual treat. Lots going on ... I'm hard at work on a large piece that features Split Rock Lighthouse that should be finished today.... and thinking ahead to new works next week. Have a great weekend. -A.Kloss

Friday, August 7, 2015

Chickadee Blues

Chickadee Blues Numbers 1-3 at Lizzards Gallery, Aaron Kloss artwork

Chickadee Blues Numbers 1-3 at Lizzards Gallery, Aaron Kloss artworkToday's paintings are titled Chickadee Blues Nos. 1-3 and is 6"w x 6"h, acrylic on canvas. I've been working in series lately, creating painting similar in theme, composition and color. It's always a fun exercise to work repetitively in a subject matter, exploring the different subtleties only found in more in depth study.

These colorful little blue gems are currently available at Lizzards Gallery in Duluth, MN. Happy Friday!


Chickadee Blues Numbers 1-3 at Lizzards Gallery, Aaron Kloss artwork

Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Blue Landscape Triptych

Blue Landscape Triptych, Sivertson Gallery, Aaron Kloss Painting, Pointillism
"Blue Landscape Triptych"  12"w x 4"h
There was recently a blue moon over Duluth, MN where I live, and that moon reminded me of this landscape I had painted a couple weeks previous. This piece, titled Blue Landscape Triptych is 12"w x 4"h, acrylic on canvas, and features the color blue. In the foreground, there's the typical stones and birch trees that are so plentiful in my part of the world .. but then there's that blue sky. I just love the color blue. It's fairly common for me to walk into a gallery to deliver new work only to realize the new work is all predominately blue and my work already there is ... blue. So I actually have to put the tubes of ultramarine, cobalt, cerulean, cyan, and windsor blues away to work in warmer tones for a while. But it isn't long before I once again return to the color that soothes my eyes and calms my soul. Ahhh blue. I'm drawn to you like a moth to a ... blue sky. Please contact Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais for more information on this piece.

Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Summer Breeze & Summer Birches

Summer Breeze, landscape painting of summer birches, lake, aaron kloss, pointillism
"Summer Breeze"
 Summer Birches No. 1, aaron kloss, pointillism
"Summer Birches No. 1"
Today's post features three summer themed works titled Summer Breeze, and Summer Birches Numbers 1 & 2. The summer landscape has influenced my work profoundly this year. In viewing leaves fluttering on the summer breeze and sparkles dancing across summer lakes, I've endeavored to capture the effects of these summer themes on canvas. My skies and lakes now feature more distinguished brush strokes, and the leaves on the trees are also more distinct, the black undertones on the canvas showing through giving depth and something else to my work that I like to call visual texture. Visual texture causes someone to view a 2D painting in a new way, looking intently at the work instead of a mere glance. This visual texture thought that I have with my work has been there from the beginning, I've just been able to articulate it more recently.
 Summer Birches No. 2, aaron kloss, pointillism
"Summer Birches No. 2"

As an artist you want to grow every time you work, the last thing you want is to reach a point where you're comfortable with your work and you keep producing the same painting over and over. I've come close to falling into the comfort trap, but I've worked on a theme repetitively as I knew there was something there that I had to grasp and so would keep at it until I achieved whatever it was I had to say visually. These pieces today are simple summer studies to some viewers, but to me, they represent five years of painting, five years of visual soul searching, endless hours of painting ... I hope you enjoy them. But art is subjective in nature, so you may not, and that's ok. I'm off to the easel, to continue my quest for visual texture. Please contact Siiviis Gallery in Duluth for more information on these pieces.

Friday, May 1, 2015

Nesting Instinct

Chickadee, Nest, Birch, Aaron Kloss, Acrylic Landscape, Minnesota, Dailypaintworks
"Nesting Instinct"
​As I was watching a robin build her nest this morning, in the same place as last year, I thought about different birds and the variation of nests they build. How do they know what to build, where to build it, what to do with it ... how to guard it? Instinct is an interesting word ... I think someone thought up the word 'instinct' to answer all of these questions. Only the good Lord knows how these creatures do what they do, but I sure enjoy observing them. That's why they make their way onto my canvases. Today's painting features a rich background of blues, teals and golds .. and of course, a chickadee. How did I decide what to paint again? Was it instinct? ;) This painting is available at DailyPaintworks.

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

The Song of Spring

Cardinal, Aaron Kloss, Painting, Minnesota, Birch Tree, Spring, Pointillism, Art
Today's painting is titled The Song of Spring and features a bright red male cardinal amongst the greens of spring birches and bright blue skies. On my morning walk I heard a mourning dove, starling, goldfinch, crow, and robin. I also watched a pigeon in the yard whom I think has taken up residence in my roofline somewhere, and doesn't appear to have an inclination on paying rent. Haven't seen a cardinal yet, though. I have the feeder stocked with safflower seeds, suet, and thistle for the finches and chickadees. You can't always see the birds, but you sure can hear them in the morning. In stark contrast to the violence, upheaval and uncertainty in the world there's one thing that's guaranteed to bring a smile to your face .. it's the song of spring. Please contact Your Art's Desire Gallery in Minnetonka, MN for more information on this piece.

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Reflecting Spring

"Reflecting Spring"
This new small work on canvas, titled Reflecting Spring, continues my series on water reflections. I opted for some symmetry with this piece, with the water line down the center horizontally and the three spring birches on either side forming a vertical line. I'd never get away with a symmetrical work when I was in art school, but now I enjoy the challenge of making a piece interesting and symmetrical at the same time. Plus I love lakes, rocks, birch trees and anything blue. How bout you?

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

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Spring Ahead

"Spring Ahead"  30"w x 15"h
Today's painting, titled Spring Ahead, 30"w x 15"h, may have been influenced by a certain time change that leaves groggy people wishing they had an hour of sleep back, but to me the time change signifies a new season. I often paint seasonally, modifying my color palette to reflect the color of the landscape while I'm working. But this spring has influenced me in a profound way to paint with green in such a way as I never have before. I've enjoyed exploring this color in all it's hues and saturations. This piece features many greens and golds. The birch forest offers you a colorful glimpse into the spring color that is marching across the land and casting bright green shadows on the forest floor. And the sky mimics the blues I'm currently viewing out the studio window as I type this post. Spring. The season of green, the season of new life, the season of songbirds, leaves and leaves. I don't know about you but I'd trade an hour of sleep for warmth, color and life any day of the week. Please contact Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais, MN for more information on this piece. 

Monday, April 13, 2015

The Season of Green

"The Season of Green"
Another piece from my ongoing spring series titled The Season of Green is 9"w x 12"h. This painting feels appropriate today as we had some lively thunderstorms roll through northern Minnesota yesterday, bringing some much needed rain. It's ironic living by lake Superior, viewing so much water and yet needing rain, but we've been dry this spring. Hopefully it won't be too long before the landscape resembles the one featured here today with the abundance of rich blues and lush greens.
Please contact Siiviis Gallery in Duluth, MN for more information on this piece.

Friday, April 10, 2015

Fields of Spring

"Fields of Spring" 24"w x 18"h, Lizzards Gallery Duluth MN
Just for fun I thought I'd paint fields as opposed to lakes and trees. This is the painting I came up with, titled Fields of Spring which is 24"w x 18"h. This piece features repetition of form and color as design elements with the many shades of green in the fields and distant spring ridges. Large white puffy clouds form a break between the foreground and cobalt blue sky. It was fun to paint these fields ... it would be even more fun to run through them like a child without a care in the world. Please contact Lizzards Gallery for more information.

Thursday, April 9, 2015

Spring In The Forest

"Spring In The Forest"  24"w x 18"h
This piece, titled Spring In The Forest, 24"w x 18"h, features a birch forest with rich green leaves on the trees, and a selection of green and gold foliage beneath on the forest floor. Looking through the birch trees, a bright blue spring sky beckons you to stay and enjoy the spring vista. I think I'll hang a hammock between a couple of these trees and take a nap. :) Please contact Lizzards Gallery in Duluth, MN for more information on this painting.

Sunday, December 14, 2014

Colorful Sparkles

"Colorful Sparkles"  6"w x 6"h
This 6"w x 6"h painting, titled Colorful Sparkles, features a lake with several jewel toned autumn ridges. The color of the ridges reflects in the water in the foreground, giving that fun mirror image effect to this piece. The rocks on the water break up the plane and add some character to a painting which otherwise pushes the edges of abstract. -Aaron

Friday, December 12, 2014

Summer Dream

"Summer Dream"  12"w x 4"h
In the midst of winter I couldn't help but reminisce about summer, if only for a few moments. I love the snow and changing seasons of Minnesota, but can't take the cold temps as I get frostbite within minutes at sub zero temperatures. So a summery painting was in order, this one titled Summer Dream, 12"w x 4"h. Seven birch trees in the foreground with a rich green ridge and deep cobalt blue sky in the background. The birch trees reflect a bit of this color in their bark, almost as if they're enjoying the warm colorful season as much as I am. This painting can be found in Grand Marais at Sivertson Gallery.

Thursday, December 11, 2014

The Middle Man

"The Middle Man"
In the midst of holiday shopping season, I thought I'd poke a little fun at the distributors and suppliers of big box stores with a cardinal painting titled The Middle Man. This 6"w x 6"h piece also speaks of summer with it's green leaves, but the red and green combo also use the colors of the holiday season. I think the cardinal in the middle of this group of three is either trying to listen to two conversations at once, or thinking about a quieter birch branch to perch on. This painting can be found in Grand Marais at Sivertson Gallery.

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Icy Forest Cardinals"

"Icy Forest Cardinals"  6"w x 6"h
I love complementary colors. Green and red, blue and gold, orange and blue, and in this case red and blue. In this 6"w x 6"h painting titled Icy Forest Cardinals, these bright red cardinals are probably oblivious to their beautiful icy blue background, because they are busy talking about rising property taxes. Ha ha, I often place elements into compositions as if they are relating to each other, perhaps it's the human emotion that I'm always wanting to address in the landscape ... that powerful emotion that a certain landscape can bring out. Not everyone is as visual, many people have a favorite song or food that will trigger a strong memory. For me, the cardinal will always trigger the response I had when I first observed a cardinal in the woods. The vibrant red color and song of the cardinal is second to no bird in my opinion, and their vibrant color speaks volumes to me in terms of being who you're supposed to be in contrast to a culture that wants you to conform. Perhaps that's what these guys are gabbing about today, it's for you to decide. Please contact Your Art's Desire Gallery in Minnetonka, MN for more information on this piece.