Light of the World

"Light of the World"  36"w x 24"h

Today's painting, titled Light of the World, is 36"w x 24"h, acrylic on canvas. This painting was commissioned and features Split Rock Lighthouse set in a late summer scene with the sun shining brightly in the sky and reflecting upon the water. This is a bright and cheerful painting and is my fifth attempt at painting this scene. Each time I paint the lighthouse I try a different approach, this particular approach hinting at changing seasons with the green foliage with gold highlights. I also enjoy a challenge, and this piece brought it. And this is also my sixth commissioned painting in a row, wow ... lots of custom work, very enjoyable. Please send me an email if you'd like to commission a special painting. (aaronklossartwork@gmail.com) All my best, Aaron

Sparkles of Spring

"Sparkles of Spring"  20"w x 16"h

On a cloudy, gray day, it's great to pull up a painting that's full of color and life to lift the spirits. This piece is titled Sparkles of Spring and is 20"w x 16"h. A bright gold sun is centered in the composition, not afraid to spread it's sparkling light across the distant foliage, lake, foreground birch leaves and stones. The landscape is starting to take shape now, leafing out fully and filling the land with green and life. This painting is available at Z Place Gallery in Ironwood Michigan. Happy Friday!

Spring Cardinal 2015

"Spring Cardinal 2015"

This piece, titled Spring Cardinal 2015, is 6"w x 6"h and is part of my series of small works at the Red Mug Coffeehouse Small Works Show. This warm piece features a golden sun behind the cardinal, with a nice blue and green background. I'll be featuring the rest of the work from this show this week on this blog, please stop back soon. Happy Friday! -Aaron 
This piece can be found at Red Mug Coffeehouse in Superior, WI in May, 2015

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.

Spring at Lake Minnetonka

"Spring at Lake Minnetonka" 48"w x 30"h

Today's painting is titled Spring at Lake Minnetonka, 48"w x 30"h. This piece continues my recent series of spring works that feature vibrant blues, greens, golds, and water reflections. Lake Minnetonka is filled with islands and is quite an interesting lake with all it's bays and towns surrounding the lake. I have many childhood memories of this lake, from YMCA summer camp to driving around the lake and swimming, boating, and fishing. My memories of this lake are warm and colorful, and I really wanted this painting to reflect those memories with a bright gold sun in the center of the piece and light reflections off the water and surrounding landscape and foliage. I imagine the maples are leafing out now around the lake, and it won't be long before other children are making summer memories of this lake. Let the children's laughter remind us how we used to be. -Whitney Houston. Please contact Your Art's Desire Gallery in Minnetonka for more information on this piece.

Spring Light

We've been noticing the days feeling longer lately. Even though it's still March, the brightness of the sky is a delight, giving you an extra dose of energy. The ice and snow are melting, and the sun is increasing in intensity daily as we head toward the summer equinox. This painting features a familiar lake theme with it's usual cast of characters: shadows, rocks, birches, water, distant ridges, sky, and sun. The sun captured my attention in the finished painting and inspired the titled of Spring Light. Please contact Sivertson Gallery in sunny Grand Marais, MN for more information on this piece.

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.

Spring Lake Shadows

"Spring Lake Shadows"  30"w x 24"h

While I haven't been too active blogging these days, I have been working on some bright new pieces. The winter often compels me to hibernate, but it won't be long before Spring arrives, and that thought inspired this painting titled Spring Lake Shadows. Every year I challenge myself with new subjects, compositions, and colors. My style has been consistent over the years, and I've never felt like departing from my signature singular brush stroke. But I'm working on exciting new adventures in painting, which I'll be sharing here from time to time. In the meantime, enjoy this spring themed northwoods lake which is saturated in greens, golds and blues ... and think warm thoughts. :)
-Aaron

Summer Encore

"Summer Encore" 36"w x 36"h, Sivertson Gallery, Grand Marais, MN

As winter has officially begun here in Duluth, MN with several inches of snow, and low temperatures approaching zero by early next week, I thought I'd fight back with a summer themed painting. This piece is titled Summer Encore and is available at Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais, MN and measures in at 36"w x 36"h. While this piece incorporates some familiar themes of mine, it also has a hefty dose of cadmium yellow, a color I often refer to the color that makes me smile. :) I'm sure I'll paint some winter paintings soon, but for now I'm reminiscing of summer, missing the hiking, biking, walking and swimming with family. I could go for a summer encore right about now. Now where did I put those Vitamin D tablets ...
Please contact Sivertson Gallery for more information on this piece, which will arrive in Grand Marais later this week.

A Little Slice of Heaven

"A Little Slice of Heaven" 8"w x 24"h

 

What can I say about this piece? It was so easy to paint, the composition and color just appearing effortlessly on the canvas, making me wish the painting continued on. Some paintings are quite a struggle, as any artist would know, but this piece was just meant to be I guess. The summer greens with the sun shining off the lake amongst a bright cobalt blue sky and lush birches. With the heat and humidity we've had here, maybe I'll just go jump into this lake, a little refreshing swim in a secluded lake ... a little slice of heaven.
Please contact Siiviis Gallery here in summery Duluth, MN for more information on this piece.

Ahhhhh ... Summer

"Ahhhh Summer"  36"w x 24"h Siiviis Gallery, Duluth, MN

The title of this piece, Ahhhhh Summer, describes this piece much better than I can with a paragraph. It's that time of year where people wish the days would never end, days filled with beautiful weather and memories of outdoor adventures with family and friends. This is also the time of year you'll often hear the question asked 'why can't every day be like this?' ... I wish I could answer that one, but here in northern Minnesota where you have literally a few weeks of hot sunny weather in any given year, you have to take advantage of the summer weather and get outdoors to soak up that vitamin D from the sun and enjoy the season for all it has to offer. Ahhhh summer ... why can't every day be like this?
Please contact Siiviis Gallery here in summery Duluth, MN for more information on this piece.