Cardinals in Gold

This vibrant original acrylic on canvas features three red cardinals perched on golden birches, set against a bright blue autumn sky. This is part of my ongoing series featuring conversing cardinals, representing the relational need we all have, and the sense of community found in friendship. This piece can be purchased at Lakeside Gallery in Duluth, or through my dailypaintworks site if the painting is still available:
http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/aaron-kloss/cardinals-in-gold/566775

Cardinals on Gold

'Cardinals on Gold'

Today's piece is titled Cardinals on Gold, and is 18"w x 6"h, acrylic on canvas, and recently brought in to Lizzards Gallery in Duluth. This painting is just a fun take on warm color with the red cardinals and gold background, and the cardinals appear to be in conversation. I'm busy painting several commissions at the moment, but I also make time to share the little paintings I love to paint, I often think that these small scale paintings are insignificant, but they are affordable to paint and collect, and I don't have any plans on stopping creating them anytime soon. Have a great week! -Aaron

Please email me if you'd like more information on commissioning a special painting for your home or office.

Approaching Autumn

"Approaching Autumn"  20"w x 10"h

This piece titled Approaching Autumn is 20"w x 10"h and is one of 18 acrylic on canvas paintings available at Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais. Last weekend of summer before autumn approaches and fills the landscape with color. Can't wait! :)

Three new cardinal paintings at Lizzards Gallery (Golden Curtain Ns. 1-3)

Happy Monday! Mondays are made much better with colorful artwork and coffee. Featured today are three new cardinal paintings at Lizzards Gallery in Duluth. These warm works include bright red cardinals on crisp white birch trees, and the background sparkles with golds and browns. The warmth of these paintings remind me that the autumn season is soon upon us, and I just love hiking through the colorful landscapes that will inspire my work through the long cold winter. But we have some beautiful weather to enjoy in Duluth this week with highs in the mid 80s and sun. I think a trip to lake Superior is in order. Have a great week. -A.Kloss

To view my inventory of current works for sale at Lizzards Gallery, please visit my website: http://www.aaronkloss.com/lizzards-gallery-duluth.html

Golden Land Iris

"Golden Land Iris"  24"w x 12"h

The iris is such a fascinating subject. The shape of the flower is so expressive, it moves and changes color minute by minute. With such a fascinating subject, my endeavor isn't to recreate a masterpiece, but to share my impression of the subject via paint on canvas. In this case, it's purple iris on a radiant gold background. The colors complement each other and intensify each other's hues. Perhaps a subject can do that to an artist ... the subject and the artist intensify each other's strengths and passions bringing a combination that achieves a visual spark. Well, that's all I have to offer on a sultry summer evening. Please contact Lizzards Gallery for more information on this spark titled Golden Land Iris, 24"w x 12"h, acrylic on canvas.

Gold Sky

"Gold Sky"  7"w x 5"h

Here's a happy little birch landscape featuring the color cadmium yellow lighting up the sky behind some bright birches and stones. It's hard to be in the studio today as the sun is shining and the birds are singing outside. I've been busy on a 48"wx48"h commmission which I'll post tomorrow. It's summer ... time to work hard and play hard. This piece is part of my show at the Art of Hair on First in Duluth now through September 2015.

Cardinals on Gold

"Cardinals on Gold"  4"w x 12"h

Here is a bright cheery new piece titled Cardinals on Gold. This painting is 4"w x 12"h and features eight little cardinals against a gold sky. The cardinals could care less about the sky however, they are too busy talking about whatever it is that cardinals talk about. Could be the weather, could be how awesome it is up in Grand Marais, could be where to eat lunch ... or it could be how awesome the sky is. :) Please contact Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais, MN for more information on this piece.

Gold Perspective and Red Mug Small Works Show

"Gold Perspective"  7"w x 5"h

This piece, titled Gold Perspective, is part of a series of seven small works that are part of a fun show titled Small Works at  Red Mug Coffee in Superior this May. Please stop by sometime if you'd like ... lots of great art! I'll be featuring works from the show this week ... please stop back here soon. All my best, Aaron

Gold Spring Sky

"Gold Spring Sky"  12"w x 9"h, Siiviis Gallery, Duluth MN

Ahhh the sun. There's something about this time of year where I long for the warm sunny days of later spring and summer but I know I'll have to patiently wait. Today we may hit 60 degrees, and after that we return to winter weather for a week before getting back to warmer temps. When you paint landscapes for a living, this type of weather can really wreck havok with your work. I find the need to assign myself tasks and goals for paintings produced until the landscape offers up it's visual treats of the season. This painting, titled Gold Spring Sky, is part of group of new work at Siiviis Gallery in Duluth, MN. This piece offers up a warm golden sky and mixes in birches, rocks, and green spring ridges. Also, there's an event at the gallery tomorrow called First Fridays where the businesses in the Canal Park area of Duluth stay open later and encourage shopping in the local establishments. I'll be stopping by, can't wait to see the new work lighting up the gallery .. and hopefully it won't be too long before the landscape reflects the spring greens I've been painting lately.

A Far Off Forest

"A Far Off Forest" 24"w x 8"h

Here is an interesting piece titled A Far Off Forest which features birch trees with a distant gold ridge and background. What makes this painting interesting is the glazing of the cadmium gold paint in the background which really gives the piece depth. Another important element that I work to incorporate into my work can be best described by me as simplicity. With art, you often find people trying to put artists into boxes called 'realism', 'impressionism', 'abstraction' etc. With me, the box people try to put me in is 'pointillism'. I don't see my work as pointillism, though, as I paint with brush strokes, not points of color as pointillists have done. 'Minimalism' is another ism that I shy away from, as I'm trying to speak my mind visually as clearly as possible, not just take things out of my work to be more minimal. All this to say I'd rather not have to live in a box as it has to be dark and stuffy. I'd rather enjoy the journey of expressing myself on canvas with paint and blaze my own trail ... not to be stuck in an ism box. Perhaps I'd like to walk in a far off forest, with rich golden distant ridges providing sparks of light...
Please contact Siiviis Gallery here in summery Duluth, MN for more information on this piece.

Cadmium Moon Cardinal

"Cadmium Moon Cardinal"  8"w x 8"h

"In The Limelight"

Here is a piece inspired by a previous painting of mine titled In The Limelight. With today's painting, the cardinal is in front of a golden moon, and the moon radiates through the cobalt blue sky, while the cardinal perched on a birch basks in the warm glow. I love to work in series, and it's quite unusual for me to pick up on an older theme or concept, but maybe it's because I felt I hadn't finished the conversation started with the first piece. At any rate, this painting is available at Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais, MN, please contact the gallery for more information.

Cedar Waxwing on Gold 1 & 2

Cedar Waxwing on Gold No. 1

Cedar Waxwing on Gold No. 2

Here is a pair of 6"w x 6"h cedar waxwings that complement a larger piece titled Cedar Waxwings that I shared last week. I departed from my usual minimalistic brushwork to layer the golds on thick in the background. There's something to the color of these birds that compelled me to focus on the background. I know it was the gold bellies of the birds which are full of mountain as berries, no doubt. :) The mountain ashes are in full bloom now, boasting big white bunches of tiny petals. Last year, I was sitting on the deck drinking my coffee when a gentle breeze hit the trees and the little petals all fell down like snow. It was a neat experience, I happened to be at the right place at the right time, and I had to get a new cup of coffee as mine was full of petals. I suppose it's about time to go fill my palette with color and listen to the singing of the songbirds outside, and the soft sound of the brush against the canvas ...
Please contact Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais, MN for more information on these pieces.

Cedar Waxwings

"Cedar Waxwings" 10"w x 10"h

Just when I think I've seen every bird there is in northern Minnesota, a new bird flies into town. This spring I had the delightful experience of watching four cedar waxwing couples build nests and eat the remaining berries off the mountain ash in by backyard. I always wondered which bird ate the berries, and I can see why they liked my yard as my trees had many dried berries hanging on their branches. I suppose a full bird bath and multiple bird feeders didn't hurt either. The cedar waxwings have the most interesting feather coloring. On the tips of their wings and tail there is a bright red and yellow, and their bodies have a streamlined look to them, so I could resist painting them, and this piece is titled Cedar Waxwings and is 10"w x 10"h. They appeared to be very territorial, often chasing away robins, starlings, and any other bird that ventured too close.

They chose to build their nests in the gutters of my house along the upper roofline, and try as I might to change their minds, they just didn't listen to me. A couple weeks later I was treated to the cheep cheeps of baby birds as I drank my morning coffee, and frankly, it was a bit much at times as I'm sure I could also hear the starling and robin chicks squaking for morning breakfast to be delivered. Not every story has a happy ending, however, and after we received a weekend downpour of several inches of rain, the cheep cheeps of the chicks and colorful feathers and song of the cedar waxwings were never heard again. But it still doesn't diminish the wonderful experience I had watching these birds in the trees and lasting impression they made on me. Please contact Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais for more information on this piece.

Gold Ridge Crocus

"Gold Ridge Crocus" 6"w x 6"h

Another piece in a spring flower series featuring flowers in the snow. This one has a warm gold ridge in the background to complement the blue sky and deep purple blooms of the crocus. I haven't painted flowers for a couple years ... it does feel a bit strange to be blogging about my flower paintings, but oh well, Vincent Van Gogh painted flowers so I can too! lol. Check back soon and happy spring.
Please contact Siiviis Gallery in Duluth, MN for more information on this piece.

Sunrise Birches

"Sunrise Birches", 24"w x 30"h

Wow, it's been a while since I posted a painting! I've been working hard, just not doing a good job of posting work here. There's a reason for that ... I've been working out of a space that doesn't have internet, funny how integral my website and blog have been to me in terms of chronicling my work and helping me keep track of things. I've been working on a body of work for an art exhibition coming soon ... more on that next week.

For now, here's a painting I'm submitting for Artistic Duluth which is a fine art auction benefiting the Duluth Art Institute. This piece titled Sunrise Birches features a bright sunrise rising through a brightening cobalt blue sky. The birches are in their golden autumn glow and the sun reflects off the distant golden ridges. The foreground also sparkles with the golds and the birches cast long shadows across the burnt sienna landscape.

Back to the Duluth Art Institute ... my family takes advantage of the free art instructional days the DAI provides once a month. It's a joy to watch my kids express themselves in clay, sculpture, color and texture. So it's a good feeling to support the DAI with this piece which will be on auction at the event. More information here. I promise to put down the paintbrush and blog more often .. so much to do .. so little time! -A

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.

Don't Stop Believin'

"Don't Stop Believin'", Acrylic on 48"w x 36"h canvas, April 2013

There has been a lull of sorts in my blog posts as of late. This is not by choice, but life happens and so I need to roll with the punches. I'm a very introspective type of person who doesn't like to share too much, but I thought I'd share a little today on the significance of this painting. I was diagnosed with MS about 10 years ago, and while I've managed to stay healthy, every once and a while it gets the best of me and knocks me off my horse for a while. Recently I had an attack, first one in seven years, and I didn't want to create or produce any artwork for several weeks. It's kinda strange, really .. someone who has always been an artist not wanting to make art .. but I pulled through and I'm still going. I picked up my brushes once again and painted what I would say is one of the most ambitious works I've ever created. Using a small brush and many layers I created a large scale vibrant painting which I titled Don't Stop Believin'. The title says it all ...

Please stop back soon, more works will be coming in the next couple weeks ... so exciting. :)

Please contact Lizzards Gallery for more information on this painting.

Misty Morning Birches

"Misty Morning Birches" 40"w x 16"h

The fascination with the birch tree continues. The crisp white bark with it's distinctive black markings compel me to capture on canvas what I view. I just love a birch forest with fall color ... the way the color plays with the eye when contrasted with the birch bark ... just love it. On the easel now is a 48"x36" birch forest ... the canvas is calling, gotta go. :)

Please contact Siiviis Gallery in Duluth, MN for more information about this piece.

Autumn Layers

"Autumn Layers" 12"w x 6"h

Here is one more piece from my Daily Paintworks site. This one features a distant cobalt ridge that is about as subtle as a distant cobalt ridge could be! The birch trees are the focus and subject of this piece, but I enjoy studying works and finding subtle things to enjoy ... a certain brush stroke, a color, a depth of texture ... that's what I enjoy the most. The subject is important, but so is the skill of the artist and the execution of the work ... and the subtle shades of color and texture that bring a smile to the painter's face. :)

For more information on today's piece, please visit:
http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/aaron-kloss/autumn-layers/129795