Deep Purple Sky

"Deep Purple Sky" 20"w x 10"h

Today's post is titled Deep Purple Sky, and is 20"w x 10"h, acrylic on canvas. This painting was originally going to be included in the book I illustrated this past year titled Christmas Here in Northern Lands, but ended up not making the final cut. A lot of that had to do with how to fit words onto the image ... do you stagger them between the birch trees? Well, I learned a lot from that project, and while I love landscapes, birch trees, and color ... these elements don't necessarily translate well into type and image, and that's just something to remember the next time I illustrate a book. Will there be a next time? We'll just have to see. For now, I'm enjoying painting landscapes and enjoying the winter season and the blues and purples of the shadows on the snow. 

Please contact Siiviis Gallery for more information on this piece.

Frosty Forest Cardinals

"Frosty Forest Cardinals"
6"w x 18"h

Why not kick off a new month with a cardinal painting? Well that's what I'm doing anyway, and this cool blue new painting is titled Frost Forest Cardinals. The cardinals are tiny in this piece, perhaps tricking you into thinking the painting is larger than it's 6"w x 18"h size. This painting to me is kinda like making a favorite meal. You pick your favorite ingredients and don't have to worry about how it will turn out, you know you've made it many times and it's always good. And there's no leftovers. Well, this composition with a bright central moon radiating light across cobalt blue skies, forests, and snowy foreground is a favorite of mine. And cardinals, who can go wrong with them? They're like the cherry on top of the sundae, the finishing touch. The cardinal has been elusive this winter though, appearing only on my canvases as I've searched and not found them. They've probably found a better feeder somewhere else but that's ok, I'll keep painting them, at least for another year. We'll see what 2016 brings, hopefully lots of delicious meals both literally and figuratively.

Please contact Siiviis Gallery for more information on this piece.

A Midwinter's Night

"A Midwinter's Night"  18"w x 6"h, Siiviis Gallery, Duluth MN

After taking a blogging break for a few weeks, I'm back with a pretty purple painting titled A Midwinter's Night. This 18"w x 6"h piece features the silver moon casting it's bright light across the frozen birch landscape. The sky is a deep rich purple color, and the undertones of the painting are the same purple. In the deep winter you can find beauty, especially in the colors of the shadows on the snowy landscape. Winter is a time for me to reflect on my accomplishments and plan for a new year. What will 2016 bring? We'll just have to wait and see ... but I have a good feeling about this next year. I've been in a good rhythm lately, painting many large commissions and also a nice selection of small canvases like this one currently at Siiviis Gallery in Duluth, MN. Please stop back soon, and enjoy that midwinter night moonlight.

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

Where The Moon Dances on the Water - commissioned painting

"Where The Moon Dances on the Water"  60"w x 48"h, Jan. 2016

"We've Been Old Friends All Through
The Years," Feb. 2014

What a joy it is to share a new painting today titled Where The Moon Dances on the Water which is 60"w x 48"h, acrylic on canvas. This piece was commissioned for a special place in a new home being built in the area. The clients looked at several options and decided on a piece was inspired by a canvas I had painting a couple years ago titled We've Been Old Friends All Through The Years. That painting found a home north of Grand Marais, MN, and it's fun to know that this painting will light up a new home with the warmth of a glowing moon and autumn birches at a lake. One additional challenge with this painting was that the clients desired copper colors in the piece. I tried copper colored metallic paint, and to be honest, the copper paint clashed with the golds I wanted to add in and I took a different approach. What I did was take several copper objects and view them by night to see what kind of tonal range the copper had, and used those rich dark copper colors to as a base to build upon. So the underbrush, the distant and foreground birches all have a rich rust color, with the bright coppers painted over that, with the golds increasing in brightness adding the icing on the cake ... or the sparkle on the lake. Have a wonderful weekend!
All my best, — A.Kloss

P.S. Prints of this and hundreds of my paintings are available, as well as special ordered originals to meet space and color choices, please email me if you'd like more information.

When Maples Turn Red

"When Maples Turn Red"  

This piece, along with the one from yesterday's post, were painted together and were both based off red maples in memory of a loved one of the person who commissioned the paintings. The blazing red maple forests were a joy to paint, providing an exciting challenge ... and who doesn't just love a red maple forest? In this piece, titled When Maples Turn Red, complementary blue skies pop the reds off the canvas, and perhaps I'll return to this subject soon, but for now I'm painting other commissioned work and so I'm off to the easel on a snowy day in northern Minnesota.

This piece corresponds to a book I'm reading titled 'When Maples Turn Red,' written by Richard King, here's a link to the book: http://outskirtspress.com/bookstore/details/9781478712282

Red Maples in Memory of Dick

I'm baaaaaack! I just wanted to start the first blog post of 2016 with something cool and I'm baaaaaack! is it. :)  I've taken a blog break as I've been focusing on finishing a list of commissioned paintings the likes of which I haven't ever seen. It's exciting and lots of work all at once, but it's also challenging and has me thinking outside my normal box of artistic inspiration and that's great. Normally this time of year sales are slow and I find myself wallowing in despair wondering if I'll ever paint again until temps warm up and gallery business picks up ... so commissioned work fits well into this time of the year.

Featured today is a painting that was commissioned at the end of 2015, titled Red Maples in Memory of Dick. This piece corresponds to a book I'm reading titled When Maples Turn Red, written by Richard King, here's a link to the book: http://outskirtspress.com/bookstore/details/9781478712282
I enjoyed the reds of this piece as much as I'm enjoying the book. Tomorrow I'll post a corresponding piece to this one ... here's to a new year full of color, inspiration and life.

Sixty Cardinals Triptych

"Sixty Cardinals Triptych"  36"w x 36"h

While the end of the year always brings hustle and bustle to my life, I thought I'd try to end the blogging efforts of 2015 with a favorite subject of mine: birds. So I plan to publish a new bird painting here on this blog frequently as we approach 2016 ... and I'll be sure to write my year in review which is a perennial favorite. Sometimes you have to stop and take a look at where you've been to appreciate where you're going. And with commissioned paintings to do and many other things, it's great to publish works here to give me a moment to pause and reflect. This particular painting was so fun to paint, and the simple evergreen forest in December is anchored by a rocky foreground, but stealing the spotlight are sixty cardinals perched in the birches. Go ahead and count them, I'll wait. ;) They are talking to each other about how warm this winter has been, about what surprises and blessings 2016 holds, about how to avoid those loud blue jays and ravens, about why some guy in Duluth MN insists on painting them ... What does 2016 hold? Wait and see. And for now, enjoy Sixty Cardinals, a new piece that's 36"w x 36"h and available at Lizzards Gallery in Duluth, MN.

Christmas Sky and book signing at Zeitgeist

"Christmas Sky"  Acrylic on 20"w x 16"h canvas

This is a painting titled Christmas Sky which is 20"w x 16"h, acrylic on canvas. This piece is featured in the book I collaborated with author Chuck Haavik to create and this evening I'm pleased to announce that I will be signing books at the Zeitgeist Arts center in downtown Duluth. Joining me is the author of the book I illustrated titled Christmas Here in Northern Lands. We will be signing books from 7 - 9:00 p.m., please stop by and say hi if you're in the area. There will be live music, treats, and the original paintings from the book will be displayed. Be there or be square! ;)
The book may be purchased online at the following link: http://www.chuckhaavikauthor.com/

Christmas Here in Northern Lands

Cover of the book 'Christmas here in Northern Lands'

I'm happy to announce that my artwork has been published! Local author Chuck Haavik has written a beautiful poem about Christmas Here in Northern Lands, and I've painted 12 works to correspond with the poem. The result is a 24 page hardcover book printed in full color. 

The book has been a labor of love for both the author and myself. When Chuck first approached me with the idea of collaborating on a book, my heart skipped a beat as illustrating a book is something I've always wanted to do ... and why not as I have fond memories of reading children's books as a child, so there was already a strong desire on my part to do this project. We worked on this book for the past four months and are excited to be distributing the book at over 30 retailers and galleries. 

I will be publishing images from the book on this book over the next several days, so please stop back soon, and if you'd like to purchase the book online, please visit the following link

All my best, Aaron

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.

It's Fun to Stay at the B.W.C.A.

"It's Fun To Stay At The B.W.C.A."  48"w x 24"h

Today's painting is a colorful take on a beautiful place to paddle your canoe ... the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness of Minnesota (B.W.C.A.) The BWCA consists of hundreds of lakes connected by portages. I made several trips to the BWCA as a youngster in Boy Scouts, and I'll never forget the landscapes there in which the shorelines were covered with large boulders, there was wilderness as far as the horizon, the fish were plentiful and we drank water right out of the lake. Bears, moose, deer, eagles and more could be found ... along with the quiet solitude of a paddle slipping in and out of a lake as the canoe glided through glassy waters. I've always wanted to go back to the BWCA, maybe some day I will, but for now the lakes and woods there will live on in my dreams and memories ... and make their way onto canvases such as this one titled It's Fun To Stay At The B.W.C.A. which is a new 48"w x 24"h acrylic on canvas I brought in to Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais.

Colors of the Wind

"Colors of the Wind"  15"w x 30"h

Colors of the Wind is the title of this new 15"w x 30"h acrylic on canvas, part of some new work brought in to Lizzards Gallery in Duluth today. I love the calm color in this piece, the large areas of rich deep blues really pop the fall colors off the canvas. And then there's that irresistible moon glowing in the center, radiating across the sky while the distant stars sparkle. It's a place I'd like to call home, a quiet place full of color and light. Please contact Lizzards Gallery for more information.

Autumn Reprise Nos. 1-3

Featured this Friday are three sweet cardinal landscapes from my St. Luke's show which is displayed in the A building. The show is titled Autumn Encore, and will be up now through the end of 2015. These fun paintings are full of color and playfulness, the cardinals sprinkled throughout, adding their color and intrigue to the compositions. These new acrylics on canvas are titled Autumn Reprise 1 - 3 and measure 5"w x 7"h each. Please contact me for purchase information.

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.

Baltimore Oriole

"Baltimore Oriole"  8"w x 8"h

Ahhhhhhh the colors of fall. That's what this little fella is thinking. Who doesn't just love the warm colors of the leaves and the bright blue skies? Not to mention the cool temps, no bugs, ripe apples, crackling fires ... don't get me started. :) Today's painting is titled Baltimore Oriole and is a new acrylic on canvas, 8"w x 8"h. This little fella thinks he's hiding in the orange maple leaves, but he can't fool us. When I see a baltimore oriole, it's always a treat, and I stop to watch them. They're a quiet, colorful bird with striking features. And he's available at Siiviis Gallery in Duluth today, please contact the gallery for more information. Ahhhhhh fall .....