Small springscapes

Spring Lake Greens

Spring Lake Sky

Spring Lake Reflections

Featured today are three pieces from my last shipment to Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais. These works all featured reflective water, blues and greens, and birch trees for the most part. I had fun with an expressive brush stroke in these works, and intentionally ratcheted up the color and these works really popped off the canvas when finished. I'm caught up posting new works to my blog, and I'm anxiously waiting to post my new work created in April. As a working artist, I find that there are flurries of activity with canvases in progress piling up in the studio, then the paintings are finished and off to the gallery and the studio and easel are empty. The feeling is similar to having a large gathering at your house and all the noise and activity associated with that, then the calmness experienced when everyone leaves and you're left to pick up the pieces left behind. I'm waxing a bit poetic this morning for some reason. Well, I'm off to the easel to work on a large group of new paintings ... please stop back soon as I'll be posting new work soon. All my best, Aaron
Please contact Sivertson Gallery for more information on these, and similar works.

The Edge of the Water

"The Edge of the Water"  6"w x 12"h

This recent painting, titled The Edge of the Water, may be small in size but it packs quite a visual punch. The birches and shoreline reflect in the water and sky sparkles with cobalt blue color. The foliage has it's bright green spring color splendor, and I can't help but think about casting a top water lure onto that glassy water surface to see if there's a largemouth bass lurking near those rocks. This painting was intercepted by my wife as I was preparing to send it to a gallery, and the painting now hangs on our wall and reminds me of how happy I was with this recent spring work and fills me with hope that the days will warm and the leaves will soon appear. Prints of this piece, and many others are available, please email me for more information. And if you need me, you'll know where to find me ... at the edge of the water. -Aaron

Rising Greens

"Rising Greens"  9"w x 12"h, Sivertson Gallery, Grand Marais, MN

Here is a fun painting which continues my spring water reflections theme. This piece uses a bright green ascending from the rocky shoreline up into the blue sky, which also reflects in the water. One thing I like to do with these paintings when they are finished is turn them upside down and view the reflection as the top and the top as the bottom. The distorted water reflections turn into a fun visual of an abstracted landscape. You could stand on your head to view the work in this way, or turn your smartphone around, which would be easier, but less entertaining. :) Please contact Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais, MN for more information on this piece ... and please don't stand on your head.

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.

The Land of the Loon

"The Land of the Loon", 36"w x 24"

Here's a new piece titled The Land of the Loon. This one is 36"w x 24"h. A simple color palette of cobalt, crimson and gold that complements each other and sets off the foreground birches really well. The repetition of the elements in this piece also really bounce the eye around. At first, I was lamenting the subtle darker quality this piece has, but as I've been viewing it, it has really grown on me, and I bet it has something to do with the glazing of the paint and brushwork. The black canvas is visible through much of the painting, which gives the color an underlying gray quality. Just one of those happy accidents when you just let the painting happen, as I often endeavor to do. I have quite a few little paintings to upload now as I've been taking a break from the computer as of late. Not sure why, perhaps it's this weather ... making me feel a bit ... loony. Stop back soon to the land of the loon ... northern Minnesota.
This piece is part of my upcoming show at Your Art's Desire Gallery, Minnetonka, MN. The show is available for viewing May 24 - June 30, 2014.

Autumn Forest Lake

"Autumn Forest Lake" 18"w x 18"h

This past summer I went fishing a few times on lakes north of my home and was outsmarted by the fish as usual. I did manage to catch a few sunnies and pumpkinseeds though, which was fun as they remind me of childhood fishing adventures. While I was in the boat, I was enjoying the shorelines of the lakes as they offered a nice selection of rocks, trees, shrubs and sky to gaze at. I took many photos and a couple friends gave me a hard time about it, but that's ok, I like the reference photos even if I don't work directly from them, as the photos will trigger ideas and give me inspiration when I'm staring at a blank canvas. Today's piece is one of many that is inspired from those fishing trips. This one, titled Autumn Forest Lake, features thin bright birch trees on a deep cobalt blue background. Autumn is in the air as the shrubs along the rocky shoreline are decked out in blazing color. The color divides the painting in thirds, and the sky and water sparkle as if trying to catch your attention. If only I could catch those fish ....

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.

Pine Forest Sunset

"Pine Forest Sunset" 18"w x 18"h

This painting titled Pine Forest Sunset stands apart from the rest of the work in the show. This one features majestic white pines and sunset over the sparkling water. The multi-colored rock formations along the water suggest this could be somewhere in the boundary waters (bwca) of northern minnesota. I took a couple trips to the bwca when I was a boy scout and remember the rocks and pines and camping right along the shore. I also remember throwing rocks at a black bear that was trying to steal our food that was suspended from a pack between two trees about 20 feet off the ground. The bear was trying to cut the rope with his claws ... something tells me he had some experience stealing food this way. He didn't get our food that night but it's a one of many fond memories of moose, bear, eagles, fish and campfires along the lake. Funny how a painting can bring back so many powerful memories. I guess a picture can say a thousand words.

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.

Golden Forest Birches

"Golden Forest Birches" 16"w x 16"h

Today's painting, titled Golden Forest Birches, is another in a series featuring water and stones. I spent a little more time and effort trying to get the shadows and dappled light just right. Every painting seems to have a portion that attracted more attention during it's creation, and this one the attention was clearly on the foreground. It carries a nice range of contrast, from the deep ultramarine blue water on up to the crisp white birch bark on the trees. The golds of distant birch trees, along with the sparkling gold leaves on the trees in the foreground complement the blues of the waters and stones while the bright blue sky gives reminiscence of many a fall day spent hiking through the woods on a sunny day.

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.

Colorful Forest Jewels

"Colorful Forest Jewels" 20"w x 16"h

How can you improve upon a subject such as a northern Minnesota maple tree in all it's fall color? Well ... you can't, really. But what you can do is add in elements that complement and or contrast with the vibrant subject matter. Elements such as other warm colored trees and shrubs, and complementary colored stones and waters. This piece featured today is titled Colorful Forest Jewels and features maples at a lakeshore reflecting their crimson red leaves in the water which fills the foreground. There's a sense of space behind the maples as the negative space between the trees is filled with a bright cobalt blue sky. Interest is added with the colorful fall shrubs and stones which divide the foreground and background. What I like most about this piece is, as usual, the background which leaves one wondering 'what's back there?' where does that lead? Asking questions and wondering is often what makes painting so fun, you never quite know how a painting will turn out, and you always wonder what you can accomplish next.

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.

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.

Sparkling Rocks

"Sparkling Rocks" 24"w x 24"h

Today's painting titled Sparkling Rocks, along with yesterday's titled Autumn River, both feature a subtle change I've noticed in my newer work. I'm focusing more on capturing the dappled light that filters it's way through the trees in many shades of color. The rocks in the paintings also have a lot of thought and pondering put into them as I've worked on them. The subject of many of landscapes has always been the trees and skies ... yet in these pieces the subject is clearly the foreground waters and rocks. It was quite a struggle to work on these paintings initially, then it was a joy at the end, and I found myself sad to see them go, almost like saying goodbye to a friend and finishing a good book. I know there are more chapters to write though, more thoughts and words to be shared in the coming future as I explore this theme more in depth. You can't judge a book by it's cover, yet I like what I see so far, and I hope my collectors do as well. :)

Please contact Lizzards Gallery in Duluth, MN for more information on this piece.

Autumn River

That colorful season called Autumn is just around the corner as the record heat we've had here in Northern Minnesota gradually subsides this week. The cool weather, bright blue skies and warm color of changing leaves inspired this piece which is available at Lizzards Gallery in Duluth, MN. The rocks in the river are an assortment of cobalt blues and warm grays that I've been wanting to experiment with for some time. My many hikes along Amity Creek by my house have given me some fresh ideas and I can't wait to work them onto the canvas. I have one more new piece with these types of rocks that I'll post tomorrow. In any landscape painting, there is a subject. Sometimes the artist places the subject intentionally, such as a bird or deer, but in this case, the subject rocked. :)