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.

Birch Forest Bounty

"Birch Forest Bounty" 18"w x 18"h

This piece was painted in a theme I'm quite fond of which I collectively call Through The Birches. Last year I thought it would be fun to work on a painting that completely featured the negative space between the trees, and I was so happy with the result that I've continued in the theme over the past year or so. I'm constantly making subtle changes with each piece in this theme, adding more color, working on the composition, working on the size of the birch tree trunks in the foreground. With this piece I ratcheted up the value of the color in the distant maple ridges in all their autumn crimson, gold and orange glory. I worked quite a bit on this piece, trying to get it just perfect before I brought it in to the show. It's that chase of the perfect painting every artist seems to aspire to yet can't quite grasp. The joy of the chase has to be the forefront of your thought process, otherwise you can fall into the pitfall of dissatisfaction with the result. I try to strike a good balance between critiquing my work and enjoying it. Playing with my kids and periodically painting alongside them helps in this chase, they remind me frequently that it's the joy that is most important. Life is short, enjoy the chase, and don't forget to smile. :)
 
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 Colors

"Golden Forest Colors" 18"w x 18"h

 This painting features maple trees in the foreground and the distance. I worked on the orange leaves on the maples a little more, layering the color to give the leaves that fluttering almost transparent quality that they have, especially when the sun shines on them. I also added some more color to the trunks, working on the dappled light that you would find as the sun shines through leaves. The colorful maples in the distance have the same value of color, but the object in this piece is clearly the five maples in the foreground. The cobalt blue sky complements the fall colors in this piece, the composition begs the viewer to look up ... something I often do as I walk through the forest, gazing up at the interesting branches and enjoying the sun working it's way through the thick leaves.

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. 

Maple Forest Birches

"Maple Forest Birches" 20"w x 16"h

This piece titled Maple Forest Birches continues a series of works I've collectively titled Through The Birches. It's a very simple theme, really. The negative space between the foreground birch trees becomes the subject of the painting. So what I end up with is a vibrant, colorful background which contrasts with the crisp black and white birch trees. In today's piece, the background has several gold maples, a rich brown and red underbrush and a complementary gray blue sky which brightens toward the distant horizon. Many times people have mentioned that they don't really even notice the birch trees at first. I have yet to produce a major work in the this theme, but the time is coming ... I just picked up a few 60"w x 48"h canvases and I just can't wait to work large again. :)

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.

Fall Forest

 

"Fall Forest" Acrylic on 16"w x 20"h canvas

I gave my show the name Fall Forests based on the general theme of the works themselves, and also from today's painting which is titled Fall Forest.  This piece features a river theme, something I've been working on quite a bit as of late. I just love Amity Creek which runs close by my house in Duluth. The creek is full of stones that you can jump across when the creek is low. So this element of the landscape finds it's way into my work, along with the stones scattered about. I've enjoyed working different shades of blue and gray into the stones, adding little bits of light to them so that they have depth. There are also the ever present birches in this piece, along with a distant crimson ridge. Perhaps what I enjoy most about this painting is the space between the trees, and the trees themselves have a nice range of sizes. There's just something about a fall forest.

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.

Copper Leaves and Copper Birchland

"Copper Birchland" Acrylic on 8:w x 10"h canvas

"Copper Leaves" 10"w x 8"h

Last week I had finished all the framing, wiring, labeling, etc that my work required for the Fall Forests show ahead of schedule. So I took some extra time to work on a couple small 8"w x 10"h canvases and I was pleasantly surprised by what happened. There are subtle differences in these two pieces featured here today as opposed to the rest of the work. There's just a bit more of the different ground colors exposed, and because of that, there's more contrast which causes the birches to really pop on these paintings. I gave them the names they have based on the copper tonal quality of the burnt sienna color as I mixed other paints, changing the value.

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

Fall Forests Show

My latest show titled 'Fall Forests' is at First Lutheran Church in Duluth, MN in their fellowship hall. The show may be viewed anytime the church is open now through mid December 2013. Works from the show may also be viewed online on my website. :)
http://www.aaronkloss.com/fall-forests-show.html

Sunrise Birches

"Sunrise Birches", 24"w x 30"h

Wow, it's been a while since I posted a painting! I've been working hard, just not doing a good job of posting work here. There's a reason for that ... I've been working out of a space that doesn't have internet, funny how integral my website and blog have been to me in terms of chronicling my work and helping me keep track of things. I've been working on a body of work for an art exhibition coming soon ... more on that next week.

For now, here's a painting I'm submitting for Artistic Duluth which is a fine art auction benefiting the Duluth Art Institute. This piece titled Sunrise Birches features a bright sunrise rising through a brightening cobalt blue sky. The birches are in their golden autumn glow and the sun reflects off the distant golden ridges. The foreground also sparkles with the golds and the birches cast long shadows across the burnt sienna landscape.

Back to the Duluth Art Institute ... my family takes advantage of the free art instructional days the DAI provides once a month. It's a joy to watch my kids express themselves in clay, sculpture, color and texture. So it's a good feeling to support the DAI with this piece which will be on auction at the event. More information here. I promise to put down the paintbrush and blog more often .. so much to do .. so little time! -A

Pine River

"Pine River" 18"wx18"h, Sivertson Gallery, Grand Marais, MN

I titled this painting Pine River after it was complete due to the distant pine ridge in the background. The title is a bit ironic as I had some fancy birch river type of title in my head as I was working, yet the background becomes the subject and title as it so often happens in my work. The rocks in the piece have some variation of color hue, size and shape, and the river sparkles in ultramarine blue tones. The light source is a bit on the subtle side, with the evergreen shadows on the different parts of the riverbank give a glimpse of distant ambient light. My work has been becoming more intricate as of late as well, something new for me ... but I enjoy the challenge of new subjects and styles. But running thoughout this piece and others of mine as well is the concept of minimalism. How do I paint this subject as simply and clearly as possible? That's a question I often ask myself as I work. I endeavor to answer that question with a singular brush and limited color palette. Please contact Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais, MN for more information on this piece.

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. :)

Light The Night

"Light The Night"

While visiting the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, MN last week, I had the opportunity to get up close and personal with many of my favorite artists from the impressionism and post-impressionism movements. One artist whose work really caught my attention at the gallery was Monet. I had viewed his works many times in books over the years, but while viewing it in person, I noticed things that photos don't reveal. The brushstrokes and color were so fascinating to me, almost as if viewing the work for the first time. One of Monet's habits was to work in series. For example, his haystack paintings, while famous, were to him a lesson in lighting. He painted the same haystack over and over in different lighting throughout the day. For him, it helped him understand color and light, but for his career, it launched him and his life changed. While I'm not one to copy anyone else, I do learn from their habits and working in series for me is great way to explore light, color, technique and subject matter. It takes the pressure off of what to paint, and focuses it on the series and you end up with a body of work that's cohesive and that helps to establish your artistic voice. This piece today titled Light Up The Night features a simple autumn ridge with a dark ultramarine blue sky, but the subject is the moon. It's so large that it's partly concealed by the ridges of crimson and burnt sienna. This is a first for me, and I like the outcome. I envision many works in this theme focusing on light.
For more information on this piece please contact Siiviis Gallery in Duluth, MN

In The Limelight

"In The Limelight" 8"w x 8"h

I loved this little fella so much I just couldn't part with him. :) The soft blue moon surrounding him, along with the deep cobalt sky just brought a smile to my face after the title popped in my head, as it often does right as I'm completing a canvas. I haven't kept a painting in quite some time, this one now hangs in the kitchen, in the limelight.
-A