Glowing Birches

"Glowing Birches"  6"w x 6"h

Glowing Birches is a new 6"w x 6"h landscape featuring .... well, glowing birches, of course. The moon in the center is shining and sparkling off the birches and waters. While I've used my favorite color in this piece, cobalt blue, I've also used something that you'll be reading a lot about on this blog if you're a regular reader. That something is my goal for this year, which is to accentuate my singular brush stroke by using color. To say it another way, I'm intentionally leaving the black canvas ground that I paint on exposed around my brush strokes to give more visual texture and interest to my work. In order to keep growing as an artist, I assign myself new tasks every year, and that's my task. So you'll be seeing new colors, brighter colors, and more contrast, texture, and distinctive brush strokes. I find that setting an annual goal gives me time to explore that goal and stay consistent, because I'd be more prone to try new landscapes, colors, compositions, sizes, etc. on a weekly if not daily basis. While that may be exciting, as an artist, I do have to take into consideration those who collect my work or are viewing it for the first time. I endeavor to have consistency throughout my work in terms of style, color palette, subject, size, etc. And that consistency has helped me stay on track when I'm compelled to explore every deer trail I encounter while on the road. That road is leading me towards more color and expression, more interest and continuity, and in this case, glowing birches. Please contact Your Art's Desire Gallery in Minnetonka for more information on this piece.

Aerial Lift Bridge: Cobalt Sky

"Aerial Lift Bridge: Cobalt Sky" Acrylic on 24"w x 36"h canvas

I love to hike and travel the trails around Duluth and the north shore of Lake Superior, where I find my inspiration to paint. And as much as I love the woods and waters of the area, there is an element in the landscape that cannot be dismissed: the aerial lift bridge. It welcomes visitors to the area. It raises to let 1,000 ft. ore boats pass beneath ... and also small sailboats. It bridges Duluth and park point. It draws visitors and is visible from the hilltop as you enter Duluth. It's one of the most visually interesting structures I have ever seen. So it's only natural to get asked to paint the bridge if you live and work in Duluth. I've been asked to paint the bridge so many times I've just stopped counting. It's a challenge, that's for sure ... and for an artist that wants to paint the woods, it's a challenge to just depart from nature to paint a structure. But I've always been one that wanted/needed a challenge, and so here's the result of my latest effort. This piece is titled Aerial Lift Bridge: Cobalt Sky, and is 24"w x 36"h. This is actually my second attempt at this subject matter. My first attempt was back in July of 2012 with a painting titled Aerial Lift Bridge Number 1, which is included in this blog post in a smaller format. I remember this first attempt well. I worked so long on this piece that I was happy to have it finished and thought I'd never return to this subject ever again. But after many requests, I've painted the bridge once again. The bridge. What would Duluth be without it? Just another port city, I suppose. But with the local economy booming, jobs plentiful, people moving in town causing a tight housing market, the landscape bountiful with recreational opportunities, and a bright future, Duluth is poised for growth. It's a beautiful place to live and work. And it's home the aerial lift bridge. Please contact Siiviis Gallery in Duluth, MN for more information on this piece.

Cobalt Winter Birches

"Cobalt Winter Birches"  6"w x 6"h

This 6x6 inch piece, titled Cobalt Winter Birches, is part of a series of paintings I began several years ago. My intent with this series was to feature rocks and birch trees, with the emphasis on the birch trees growing amongst the rocks, almost as if anchored in and supported by the stones. The rich blues of the rocks, ridges, and winter sky all play against eachother to keep your eye moving, and while I don't quite remember the reasoning for this series, the series has pulled me back to itself many times over the years. Perhaps it's times like these when I'm fighting a nasty flu virus during the darkest week of the year that the significance of the birch trees and their stone anchors becomes apparent. -Aaron

Cobalt Harvest

"Cobalt Harvest"  6"w x 12"h

Today's painting titled Cobalt Harvest is another piece from my Northland Kaleidoscope show at Your Arts Desire Gallery in Minnetonka, MN. There are a few night paintings in the group of work, and each one is very rich in color and mysterious as night paintings always seem to be for me. They are also an interesting challenge ... how do you decide how bright the color value should be in a night scene where everything is so dark and the details are difficult to make out? Perhaps that's why I put so much emphasis on the sky in the night paintings ... the intensifying color value radiating from the moon really becomes the subject of the piece and the foreground elements are almost an afterthought. Such it is with my work ... I'm always emphasizing the elements of composition such as the sky and the negative spaces that most other painters brush aside. (That's my sad attempt of humor by the way, you better laugh 'cause I can't come up with anything funnier at the moment) ... so there you have it. A harvest of cobalt blue on canvas with the full harvest moon smiling down on the scene. Please contact Your Art's Desire Gallery in Minnetonka, MN for more information on this piece.

Golden Age

"Golden Age" 60"w x 48"h

Today's painting, titled Golden Age, is perhaps the largest I have ever attempted. The photo of course does not do this piece justice, the scale is just too immense to be captured in an image that's a mere 4" or so wide on a computer screen. But the image does represent the theme and color of this piece. The birches rise high above the landscape, their trunks diminishing in size as they ascend, giving a feeling of height. The trees have golden leaves that are reflecting the sun's rays in a dazzling bright gold that dances across the tree tops. The foreground is deep and moody, a rich brown fading to black against a deep cobalt sky that gives the birch trunks the contrast they need to pop off the canvas. The large scale of this piece was intimidating at first, but as the days went by I embraced the challenge and remembered the love of large scale work I have. Perhaps this is the beginning of a golden age of large paintings.
Please contact Lizzards Gallery for more information on today's painting.

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.

Blue Ridge Maples

"Blue Ridge Maples" 12"w x 9"h

This painting titled Blue Ridge Maples is an interesting take on a view of the forest I'm attracted to. The simple vertical lines of the tree trunks and the ridges seen off in the distance. Incorporating these elements can quickly make a painting take on an abstract feel. While that's not my intention, it is always fun when it happens ... when a painting takes on a life of it's own and you wonder 'how did that happen?'. The creative side of art always amazes me, when the artist lets the creativity flow.

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

Land of the Cobalt Birches

"Land of the Cobalt Birches" 8"w x 10"h

I titled this painting Land of the Cobalt Birches as it accurately describes the color and subject of this piece. This may seem like a simple painting, really, but it's an exercise in color value and composition when you really get down to it. The birch trees with their stark white bark stand out against a rich cobalt blue background that incorporates a cobalt blue ridge line. The foreground cobalt blue rocks repeat the color and depth of the background, using that wonderful composition theme of repetition. The light descends from above in all three cobalt elements, so that they stand out from each other. Perhaps I'm drawn to this theme due to it's simplistic minimalistic nature which fits so well with who I am, but I also know I'm drawn to the color of a twilight lit landscape. It seems as though when I walk through the galleries now that everyone is painting bright paintings ... and then there's my subtle quiet work. Perhaps I stand out a bit, but then again, that's just me. Please contact Lizzards Gallery for more information on today's pieces.

Ever Reaching

"Ever Reaching" Lizzards Gallery, November 2013, 30"w x 24"h

Today's painting titled Ever Reaching is among several new works at Lizzards Gallery in Duluth, MN. This piece in particular I really enjoyed due to it's background. There are two cobalt blue ridges in the distance, and I had fun with adding light color value to the blues as I was finishing off the background. The blues complement the colorful maples in the foreground which have a brighter than usual color value to them. The subject of this piece is the three majestic white pines along the foreground ridge, but I just enjoyed every aspect of this painting, adding bright color and contrasting that with the deep foreground shadows cast by the trees. Please contact Lizzards Gallery for more information on today's piece.

Copper Leaves and Copper Birchland

"Copper Birchland" Acrylic on 8:w x 10"h canvas

"Copper Leaves" 10"w x 8"h

Last week I had finished all the framing, wiring, labeling, etc that my work required for the Fall Forests show ahead of schedule. So I took some extra time to work on a couple small 8"w x 10"h canvases and I was pleasantly surprised by what happened. There are subtle differences in these two pieces featured here today as opposed to the rest of the work. There's just a bit more of the different ground colors exposed, and because of that, there's more contrast which causes the birches to really pop on these paintings. I gave them the names they have based on the copper tonal quality of the burnt sienna color as I mixed other paints, changing the value.

These paintings featured today are 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.

Cobalt Night

"Cobalt Night" 10"w x 10"h

"Blue Night", 4"w x 4"h

Last week I dropped off a large selection of smaller canvases at Siiviis Gallery in Duluth and Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais, MN. This group of work is very colorful and vibrant. Several new compositions including these two pieces featured here today. These are rich in cobalt blue and have that mysterious night color and lighting to them. The skies are filled with tiny stars and the moon sparkles off the lake. Please stop back soon as I'll be featuring new work this week ... including a new bird. :)

Please contact Siiviis Gallery in Duluth, MN for more information on these paintings.

In The Hands of Time

"In The Hands of Time" 40"w x 30"h

This painting was for me a welcoming return to the subject matter that captured my heart when I began painting several years ago. Red and gold maples play off each other in repetition of form and color against a deep cobalt blue background. This piece is available at Lizzards Gallery in Duluth, MN.

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.

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.