Three Frost Dees

Here's a first of many chickadee paintings titled Three Frost Dees, acrylic on 8x10" canvas. The chickadee is a favorite of mine, residing in Minnesota year round, their familiar call and markings distinguishing them from the flock of songbirds that migrate annually. Long live the chickadee. This piece was recently brought in to Siiviis Gallery in Duluth, MN.

Golden Dee Series

Today's paintings are titled Golden Dee Numbers 1-3 respectively, and measure 6x6" each. These acrylics on canvas have for a subject the chickadee, perched on a golden birch branch with a rich cobalt sky behind them. I paint a lot of birds, and always enjoy the expressions the birds often take. Usually this is by accident, but just a slight angle of the brushstroke can determine if a bird happy, sad, angry, or curious. I'll let you decide what you think these birds are feeling, and if you're feeling like collecting these, they were recently delivered to Lizzards Gallery in Duluth, MN

Noisy Boys

"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.

Nesting 'Dee

"Nesting 'Dee"

I was watching a pair of chickadees yesterday at the feeders, standing just a couple feet away and they didn't seem to bothered by my presence. They were having a hard time deciding between the thistle, suet, and seed feeders and were eating off of all. They strike me as hardly little birds, always playful and fearless. Hopefully I can be more like them. :) Today's painting is titled 'Nesting 'Dee' and was recently delivered to Your Art's Desire Gallery in Minnetonka, MN. TGIF!

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. 

Cardinal-A-Dee

"Cardinal-A-Dee" 8"w x 8"h

This fun little piece is titled Cardinal-A-Dee, and is acrylic on canvas, 8"w x 8"h. You may have guessed it by the title .. this painting features none other than the two all time top selling birds for me, the chickadee and the cardinal. The cardinal may have a heck of time locating the chickadee in the birch forest as they blend right in, but these hardy little birds aren't afraid of northern Minnesota winters, and if they can handle the snow, so should we. It won't be long before the snow flies, but in the meatime I'm enjoying the colorful leaves still clinging to the trees in this last week of October. Please contact Siiviis Gallery in Duluth for more information on this piece.

Chick a Dee Dee Dee Dee Dees

Here's a fun piece titled Chick A Dee Dee Dee Dee Dees (24"w x 12"h) which is currently at Siiviis Gallery in Duluth, MN. The call the chickadee makes inspired the titled of this new acrylic on canvas which is filled with summer's bountiful color and seven happy little chickadees. I love walking in the woods and hearing the call of the chickadee. It's the first bird I was able to identify as a child, and like many people, I find them the friendliest bird in the forest. They're hardy too ... spending the winters here in the great northland. Many birds migrate through the forests and regions, but the chickadee is always there, like an old friend that greets you with a smile when you meet.

Chickadee Blues

Today'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!

Three 'Dees in the Trees

"Three 'Dees in the Trees"

On a bright sunny Monday morning, I thought I'd post a painting titled Three 'Dees in the Trees which is currently available at Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais, MN. This piece is full of vibrant spring colors which reflect subtly on the chickadee feathers. Or should I say chickadee - dee - dee feathers??  Please contact Sivertson Gallery for more information on this and similar artwork.

Sunny 'Dee

"Sunny 'Dee"  6"w x 6"h

I couldn't help but think of this painting, titled Sunny 'Dee, today as I was hiking with my family along Knife River north of Duluth. We hiked for a few hours along the river which had some interesting turns and rapids, and had lunch. Along the way, we played in the river a bit, discovered an ancient copper mine from 1863, and had a great time in the woods amongst the pines and birches. The weather was perfect, 75 and sunny, and bright sunshine filtered through the trees as we hiked, just like the golds in the sky of this painting featuring a chickadee on a birch. He's basking in the glow of the sun, and so did I today ... a day I wish would last just a bit longer. Please contact Lizzards Gallery in Duluth for more information on this piece.

Nesting Instinct

"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.

Spring Chickadees

"Colorful Dee No. 1"

"Colorful Dee No. 2"

 Here are three small chickadee paintings that are part of a new group of work at Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais MN. All in all, there are 18 new small songbird paintings available, which can be viewed on my website here. More sweet little songbird paintings will be posted from this group on this blog in the coming days.... and who doesn't just love chickadees? These delightful little fellas are perched on birches, the backgrounds with multiple shades of blue set the birds off, and as a whole, these canvases pack a colorful punch. Please contact Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais for more information on these paintings.

"Colorful Dee No. 3"

Pinterest!

"Moonlight Chickadee" 6"w x 6"h

Lately I've noticed a few of my pieces tagged on Pinterest, which is described by the website as  'a visual discovery tool that you can use to find ideas for all your projects and interests.' I've started a Pinterest page, aaronklossart, which can be found here. I've started pinning a few recent works, and found some older works that others had pinned previously. Very interesting concept this Pinterest, it's almost like an interior designer art board, where you have samples of colors and fabrics, etc. for a specific theme or space. I can see why people spend so much time on such an interesting site. We'll see where it goes, but for now, feel free to pin my paintings to pinterest ... I've even added an easy pin to each image on my blog if you hover over the image to pin it. I noticed it doesn't always work in the mobile version of my blog, you may have to switch to the desktop or standard view if you're on a smartphone. My profile picture on Pinterest is this new little gem, titled Moonlight Chickadee, which is 6"w x 6"h, and featured on dailypaintworks.com Happy pinning! -Aaron

Art for Earth Day Gallery Hop & Spring Colors

Spring Colors

It's that time of year again! The Art for Earth Day Gallery Hop is an annual treat where folks can do something I love ... gallery hopping! You can go to a few or all of the galleries listed here and enjoy works of art from many local and regional artists between 11am and 5 pm. My work is on display at Siiviis Gallery in Duluth, and at Lizzards Gallery in Duluth you'll find spring paintings and a fresh batch of small chickadee paintings brought in just yesterday. The image today, titled Spring Colors, is one of many new works at Lizzards Gallery in Duluth .... and you just may bump into me at the gallery hop if you go. I promise not to eat all the treats at each gallery this year. :)

Summer 'Dee No. 2

"Summer 'Dee No. 2" 6"w x 6"h

Here is the companion piece to yesterday's titled Summer 'Dee No. 2. Just like bookends, these paintings are almost meant to be displayed together. We'll see if someone in Grand Marais agrees, or if these cute little chickadees find separate homes. The chickadees sure like my new thistle feeder in back, and I've moved the suet feeders away as the noisy starlings take over the block whenever they're eating. Nature's pecking order, I guess. This painting is available at Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais, MN, please contact the gallery for more information.

Summer 'Dee No. 1

"Summer 'Dee No. 1"

Just a happy little chickadee, this is part one and I'll post part two tomorrow. The late start to summer has influenced my work as I titled this one Summer Dee No. 1 and there are no leaves on the birch tree. That has changed now though, as things are growing here in Duluth, and hopefully the lettuce plants and apple tree bears fruit for us, provided we keep up the nice warm sunny weather. This painting is available at Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais, MN, please contact the gallery for more information.

Jive Talking

"Jive Talking"  6"w x 6"h

I titled this piece Jive Talking as I thought that's what these two chickadees were doing. What is jive talking anyway? I don't even know ... but the shoe seemed to fit. As far as chickadees go, I haven't seen any recently as I have several starling families living around my house that have taken over the feeders. They can clean out the suet feeder in a day or two. Usually, there's at least a dozen starling chicks at the feeders, and they are full grown now, so I think it's time for them to move on to greener pastures. I'll trade the squawking starlings for songbirds any day. :) Please contact Siiviis Gallery in Duluth, MN for more information on this piece.

Friendly Little Fellas

"Friendly Little Fellas"  12"w x 4"h

If I was a bird, I'd want to be a chickadee. That's all there is to it. They are just the friendliest little bird ever. This painting is titled Friendly Little Fellas and is available at Siiviis Gallery in Canal Park, Duluth, MN.

Chickadee Moon

 

 

 

"Chickadee Moon"

Here is a fun painting featuring two chickadees on birch with a bright full moon in the sky above them, radiating its light through the deep cobalt blue sky. I was ice fishing on a lake north of Duluth recently and was skunked, as usual, but I did get a sweet shot of the full moon over the lake. The ice fishing trip was cut a little short due to my son stepping into an ice hole and getting cold, but we still managed to have fun. Just like the chickadees, they seem to have fun no matter what the weather.

This painting is part of a small collection of paintings and framed prints collectively called "Lights" that can be viewed at Bixby's Cafe in Duluth at 1608 Woodland Ave now through the end of April, 2014. The works from the show can also be viewed online on my personal website here.

Baby Chick 5 & 6

Here's baby chick numbers five and six in the series of small chickadees I posted to my DailyPaintworks web page. I've received quite a bit of feedback on these, people noticing the subtle shades of blues and light browns in the birds and birches. Funny how people notice the little things, sometimes I think people just glance at my paintings, but when they point out some details, I know they're noticing what I'm noticing. I'm noticing I have some work to so so I'm going to get to it .. happy St. Patrick's Day!

Baby Chick No. 4

"Baby Chick No. 4"

With Spring on the horizon ... even as we received a fresh four inches of fluffy white snow this morning ... I'm posting a series of 'baby chickadee' paintings, this one titled Baby Chick No. 4. The baby in the name refers to the sizes of these pieces, a mere 4"wx4"h. I've never painted a nest of baby birds, but that would be a fun composition, especially a robin holding a big fat juicy nightcrawler over half a dozen open beaks. I observed a nest of baby birds once, and I noticed the beaks would pop out of the nest before the momma bird was in sight, and I thought that the babies could hear the familiar sound of mom's wings flapping in order to slow down prior to landing on the delicate nest. Anyways ... if you like this piece, this one is available on my dailypaintworks gallery, which is an online community of artists who paint, give eachother feedback and support, and occasionally sell a painting, which to an artist is equivalent to a hungry baby bird getting a big fat juicy nightcrawler.
Please visit my DailyPaintworks gallery page for more information on today's piece.