November Woods

"November Woods" 12"w x 4"h

I have to chuckle a bit as I post this painting, titled November Woods, on a single digit temperature morning here in northern Minnesota. Usually, we get some snow that melts right away this time of year but we've been 20-30 degrees below normal for the past few weeks. We may get a one day break this weekend when temps spike above freezing before dropping down again. Strange weather pattern we are in .. all this to say that the November forest usually is fun to hike through, with all the leaves off the trees and crisp 30-40 degree weather. That's the memory that inspired today's piece ... birches with a bright blue sky and distant cranberry ridge. The forest floor is covered in brown leaves with a hint of twilight casting golden shadows in the foreground. Alas, the landscape is covered in white today, and people hurry about all bundled up, heads down against the sub zero windchill while the wildlife are hiding from the early winter. Please contact Your Art's Desire Gallery in Minnetonka, MN for more information on this piece.

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.

Twilight Forest Maples

"Twilight Forest Maples" 18"w x 18"h

This piece titled Twilight Forest Maples is from a recurring theme of mine that I've titled 'Twilight Maples'. One of the first landscape ideas I had was one that had a stand of maple trees with the twilight sky in the distance backlighting the maples so that they cast long golden shadows across the foreground. This theme is one I return to now and again, when I'm lacking inspiration, this theme is like a warm fire on a cold rainy day. Perhaps one day I'll feel as though I've reached the end of this series, but it hasn't happened yet, and I'm planning on painting a large scale on this theme in the coming weeks. TGIF!

This painting featured today is part of my Fall Forests show which may viewed now through mid December, 2013 at First Lutheran Church in Duluth, MN.

Gold Maples

"Gold Maples" Acylic on 6"w x 6"h canvas

Here is a painting in a familiar series I like to work in that I refer to as twilight maples. The texture in the golden leaves on the trees and foreground is always a joy to paint. :)

For more information about this painting, please contact Stone's Throw Gallery in Bayfield, WI.

Fab Five

"Fab Five" 10"w x 10"h $100

The title says it all. :) ... oh, and TGIF! -A

Please contact Siiviis Gallery for more information about this painting.