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

One For The Road

One For The Road

Today's piece is titled One For The Road, and measures 6"x6", acrylic on canvas. This painting features a red squirrel perched atop a golden birch branch. The squirrel is holding an acorn and thinking to himself ' I think I'll take just one more for the road'...but we all know he's going to bury it someplace safe, never to be found again. It was fun to paint a new subject, and the red squirrel may be a feisty little fella, but the copper brown coloring of their fur is indeed pleasant. This painting was recently delivered to Siiviis Gallery in Duluth MN. To view more originals available at Siiviis please click here: http://www.aaronkloss.com/siiviis-gallery-duluth-mn.html

I Was Here First

I Was Here First, acrylic on 6x6" canvas, Siiviis Gallery, Duluth MN

Today's painting is a fun picture of life in the trees. A bright red cardinal is perched on a golden birch, minding his own business, when a red squirrel appears out of nowhere and wants to use the same branch. The cardinal says 'I was here first!' as the squirrel retreats, knowing better than to mess with the bright beaky winged fellow. I enjoy the playfulness of this piece, and the bright color, something I miss this time of year as it's raining in January and the skies and landscape are grey. Spring will be here soon enough and provide ample inspiration to paint once again. This painting is part of a new group of small works at Siiviis Gallery in Duluth, MN.

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. :)

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

Golden Birch Rays

This painting is titled Golden Birch Rays and is 8"w x 10" acrylic on canvas. While I anticipate the coming fall season, I reflect on the many adventures I've had hiking through the woods much like the woods portrayed in this painting. The setting autumn sun casts long shadows and the leaves sparkle and dance in the crisp fall air. It's a special time of year, one where you look at the trees in amazement, wondering if it's a dream, wondering where all this color came from. It's a short and sweet season, can't wait ... so I paint. :)  Please email me to check on availability or to commission a special painting, thanks!
-Aaron

Autumn on the Lake

"Autumn On The Lake"  48"w x 36"h

Today's piece is titled Autumn on the Lake, and is a larger acrylic on canvas measuring 48"w x 36"h which was delivered to Your Art's Desire Gallery in Minnetonka, MN this past weekend. This painting follows along a familiar reflections theme of mine ... something I've been working with over the past year. The reflection abstracts the image in the water, and provides a unique distortion of the landscape above. While the abstraction of the reflection speaks to distant memories, the autumn themed landscape brings powerful memories to mind. The blazing colors of fall are splashed across the canvas and are further energized by the rich windsor blue waters and skies. Please contact Your Art's Desire Gallery

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. 

Autumn Moonlight

Featured today is a sweet little autumn landscape titled Autumn Moonlight which is 9"w x 12"h, acrylic on canvas, at Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais, MN. I've heard some reports of snow flurries this week, but we've had a wonderful warm autumn season this year which has inspired many paintings ... like this one. :) Please contact Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais, MN for more information on this piece.

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.

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.

Season of Color

"Season of Color"  48"w x 36"h, Siiviis Gallery Duluth, MN

Featured today is a new acrylic painting on canvas titled Season of Color which I just brought in to Siiviis Gallery in Duluth's Canal Park. This painting was actually the 'demo' painting I worked on while doing a painting demo at the opening of the Birds, Birch & Bicycles show along with fellow painter Adam Swanson. This painting was nothing but pure gold while I was working on it, adding all the base golds throughout the piece while I chatted with people walking by. I've never painting outside before, it was a fun experience, even if the wind off lake Superior dropped the temp into the 50's and I painted fairly briskly to stay warm. :)  This piece also continues my reflection series, with the golden birches reflecting on the deep blue lake, the complementary colors playing off eachother and increasing the vibrancy of the color during this wonderful autumn season of color we are experiencing here in northern Minnesota. Please contact Siiviis Gallery for more information on this piece.

The Most Colorful Time of the Year

"The Most Colorful Time of the Year"

Today's painting, titled The Most Colorful Time of the Year, is part of show recently hung at Fire Roast Café which is on display now through October 31, 2015. This show is a fun collection of new paintings, older fall favorites of mine, as well as prints ... all featuring the warm colors of the season. This painting is along a series of works I've been completing lately that feature the colors blue and gold. I love working in themes and this series really emphasizes color and speaks volumes about why I love the landscape in the autumn. I sometimes wish the trees would have fall color year round, but it's only a couple weeks and you need to get out in the woods and enjoy the color while you can. And if you can, please stop in to Fire Roast Café in Minneapolis, MN in the next few weeks for some great coffee ... after all, it's The Most Colorful Time of the Year.

To You I Will Always Return

"To You I Will Always Return"  36"w x 24"h, Siiviis Gallery Duluth

Many times artists, especially painters, have a familiar theme, color, brush stroke, etc. that runs through their work like a common thread. For my work, I've found myself drawn to familiar themes such as lakes, birch trees, woods, the autumn season ... and familiar colors such as deep blues and vibrant golds which complement eachother well. It's along this idea that I've been completing several new works such as this 36"w x 24"h original acrylic on canvas at Siiviis Gallery titled To You I Will Always Return. This title was influenced by the thought that artists return to what feels right, almost like returning home and finding a warmth and familiar space. While I must return to the easel, the sun is shining and the leaves are a vibrant gold on the birch trees which are inspiring me to continue working. Hope you have a great week! And please return soon ...

This painting is part of my Birds, Bicycles and Birch show at Siiviis Gallery now through Nov. 2015

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

Autumn Lake Excursion

"Autumn Lake Excursion"  36"w x 12"h

Here is a new piece titled Autumn Lake Excursion which is 36"w x 12"h, acrylic on canvas. This one is part of a group of work recently delivered to Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais, MN. Gold leaves on maples, rich blue waters and skies and random stones scattered about ... sounds like a recipe for a sweet landscape scene to me. :)

Forest Kaleidoscope

"Forest Kaleidoscope"  40"w x 16"h

Just like a hike through a familiar wood, this piece, titled Forest Kaleidoscope, is a familiar walk through a favorite subject matter. Crisp golden maples against a rich cobalt blue sky, framed by foreground birch trees and ancient gray stones. Watching my kids skip across large stones as we explore the woods is a treat, reminding me of trips I took through familiar forests as a kid. This painting is part of show titled 'Birch Forests' at Vanilla Bean Restaurant in Two Harbors MN, now through the end of July 2015.

Last Leaves of Autumn

"Last Leaves of Autumn"  20"w x 16h

While I'm enjoying the heat and humidity of the summer season, I'm also thinking ahead to my favorite season ... autumn. During the fall, the colorful leaves fill the landscape with warmth and color, but one particular event is a powerful memory over the years. That memory is laying on the grass while the leaves drop off the trees in a gentle wind. One morning I was drinking my coffee on the deck and the leaves were dropping off the maple tree and it was an event I had to be there at that time to experience. Painting from memory can sometimes be more powerful than painting en plein aire, and today's piece titled Last Leaves of Autumn is a friendly reminder of that. Don't forget to visit the Vanilla Bean restaurant in Two Harbors during July to view this piece and my show titled Birch Forests. 

Golden Autumn Lake

"Golden Autumn Lake"  9"w x 12"h

Golden Autumn Lake is the title of this 9"w x 12"h landscape. It may be summer, but amongst all the vibrancy of the greens and blues I often paint the season that's near and dear to my heart ... Autumn. This little landscape offers the colors of the season in vibrant golds and complementary blues, with some stones scattered amongst the foreground enjoying the colorful golden display. I don't want time to fly too fast as summer is the time for making memories...This piece is part of my show at the Art of Hair in Duluth now through September 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.

Budding Birches

Spring fever has hit me hard this year and I've responded in the best way possible for an artist. I've picked up the brush and started slinging the colors of the season in paint onto the canvas. Many works will be posted here in the next several weeks, as I'm behind in art blogging but not in painting. This piece today is titled Budding Birches, 36"w x 36"h, and features .... birches. These trees are full of lush greens, and a sun in the center of the sky gives the leaves an extra golden sparkle. New this year in my work is the reflection of the water. Typically, I paint the water a deeper blue than the sky, but not this time ... I've become fascinated by water reflections lately and this fascination has found it's way into my artwork. The water reflecting with ripples causes a slight distortion, and I associate this with memories of the past that I know are there, yet hard to grasp or articulate. This reflection theme will run it's course until I've said all I have to say, but until then, I'll be reflecting on my past in my work literally. Hope this piece helps shake off those winter blahs and gets you ready for warm skies and green landscapes. All my best, Aaron.
Please contact Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais for more information on this piece.