Sing For The Spring

"Sing For The Spring"  24"w x 18"h

I heard a cardinal for the first time this season while on an evening walk. Imagine what these 27 cardinals would sound like! This colorful new piece is part of a new group of work at Lizzards Gallery in Duluth, MN.

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.

After The Rain

"After The Rain" 40"w x 30"h, Siiviis Gallery Duluth, MN

Spring arrives later here in northern Minnesota than the rest of the U.S., and so while I'm patiently waiting for warm temps and the greens of spring, I'm painting the season in all it's colorful splendor. New paintings are arriving at my galleries on a weekly basis that are guaranteed to get you thinking spring. :) The particular piece, titled After The Rain, is 40"w x 30"h and is at Siiviis Gallery in Duluth, MN. This painting continues my latest series of water reflections. The sky and water are a rich deep blue and contrast the bright greens of the budding birches. Hints of gold on the leaves and foreground hint towards a warm spring sun. So much spring scenes to paint ... so little time. Please contact Siiviis Gallery in Duluth, MN for more information on this piece.

The Music on the Lake

"The Music on the Lake"  36"w x 36"h

This painting, titled The Music on the Lake, is the first reflective composition painting I finished with this new group of spring themed landscapes. This piece features a deep blue water and tree reflection, and trees leafed out in many shades of bright green. I find myself comparing the treeline on the top with the reflection below, looking for similarities yet noting the differences. I've mentioned it before here, but I can't help but think the reflective water speaks about our memories. There are distinct memories, and then vague memories where try as you might, you just can't quite place an event or person in the past. So the reflective trees are a bit distorted and broken. But they are also bright and cheerful, perhaps noting the memories of the past one reflects on that bring a smile to the face, that ease the worry and concern of the present day and hearken to a better place. The title of this piece is from a childhood song in my memory, and the lyric goes: 'listen to the mandolin rain ... listen to the music on the lake ...' it was a beautiful song about a childhood memory, one I relate to. And I love to listen to the music on the lake. This painting can be heard at Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais, MN. Please contact the gallery for more information.

Springscape

"Springscape" 48"w x 30"h

Featured today is a new favorite of mine titled Springscape which is 48"w x 30"h. This piece continues the concept of water reflections and spring birches that is new to my work this year. The bright colors in the horizontal landscape with the large foreground birches and distant trees is very compelling. Perhaps this painting represents a place I long to be, or a feeling of growth and life. I know I've felt a renewed sense of purpose in my work as of late, almost as if a wave of ideas hit me and I can't wait to capture these ideas on canvas. Whatever it is, it's an exciting ride that draws me to paint, and I can't wait to get to the studio once every day to see what happens next. For more information on Springscape, please contact Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais, MN.

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.

Changing Seasons art show at Red Mug in Superior

If you're in the area on Tuesday, March 3, 2015, please feel free to stop by the opening reception of my newest art show titled Changing Seasons. The show will be available for viewing during the month of March 2015 at Red Mug Coffee in Superior, WI. The show features over thirty pieces of art for sale. From originals in many sizes to framed prints and giclees, this show is sure to melt away those spring fevers and fill the space with the vibrant blues, greens, and golds of the season.

Changing Seasons

"Changing Seasons" 24"w x 18"h

Featured today is a piece, titled Changing Seasons, from my upcoming solo show at The Red Mug in Superior, WI during March 2015. This piece, like all work in the show, is full of bright spring color. This particular piece is very compelling with it's long foreground shadows, and bright yellows in the sky, distant lake and foreground. Just when you think winter will never end, spring comes, and the seasons change. This show will feature several new mid sized paintings, along with framed prints, and will fill the space with color, and hopefully soon the landscape will be filled with the colors of spring.

This piece is part of my 'Changing Seasons' show which may be viewed during business hours at The Red Mug in Superior, WI.

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

2014: A Year In Review

2014 was quite a year. Looking back and reflecting on what was accomplished is always fun and challenging all at once. It's great to reminisce, but then again, it's challenging to think about how I'll improve or surpass all that was accomplished in the past year. Perhaps it isn't about painting more, earning more, achieving more ... but more about enjoying the journey and looking back and forward to all that the good Lord has in store. For now, I'm in reflection mode, and here's a brief synopsis of 2014:

January:

While my home in Duluth was being blasted by north winds and sub zero weather that just wouldn't quit, I was hibernating in my studio and producing several works that would define and shape my work in the coming year. Massive paintings such as this one, titled Ladies Night Out (72"wx36"h) were painted every month, and to date many have sold, which is amazing in of itself to me. I've always been known for my tiny affordable paintings, but now that's changing as people have been interested in my large works, and I find painting large scale works to be a great challenge to undertake.

February:

New work was produced for all galleries in February, and I enjoyed a subject matter which featured the golden moon and golden birches .. with as much blue as I could gorge onto the canvas to complement the golds. Working in this color scheme produced several meaningful works, such as this one titled We've Been Old Friends All Through The Years (60"wx48"h)


March:

In March I scheduled an art show that was really last minute to fill a slot at Bixby's Cafe in Duluth. The show was titled Lights, and featured a selection of originals and framed prints. I was a bit nervous with the prints as they represented a significant investment for the frames, but I was happy when many sold, along with several originals. I had planned to include this piece, titled Why Can't This Night Go On Forever? (60"wx48"h), but I was contacted by Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais, MN and notified that they wanted some new work, so I sent this painting up there and it sold almost right away. Wow, once again I was spurred on to work large and thankful for so many who have supported me and collected my work.

April:

Something should be said about the weather once again, for I was working with cold fingers and toes for much of early 2014 as Minnesota set a record for the coldest winter ever. There were painfully long stretches that the temp never broke zero during the day and dropped over 20 degrees below zero at night. I was inspired to paint flowers and snow as the weather finally started to break and spring approached. This piece, titled Pushing Through The Snow, summarizes my struggle with the cold and elation at the new spring season that was occurring at that time. Also of note is that I had another show, this one titled Songbirds, at The Vanilla Bean in Two Harbors, MN, where I sold several sweet songbird paintings and prints.

May:

May was a quiet month of producing work, daily working towards filling the walls at Your Art's Desire Gallery in Minnetonka, where I was scheduled to have my largest art show ever. I painted two dozen paintings in May, many large pieces such as this one titled Suncatchers (36"wx24"h) for the show which was titled Northland Kaleidoscope.

June:

June saw the arrival of a new bird for me, the chickadee. I've painted many chickadee themed works this past year, and was also asked to paint four commissions featuring this friendly little feathered fella. I've enjoyed watching the chickadees eating at my feeders this winter, with the thistle and suet feeders being visited by thankful chickadees during this winter. This piece is titled Feathered Friends 10"wx10") and sold at Lizzards Gallery in Duluth, MN.

July:

With the snow finally gone and summer in full bloom, I couldn't resist painting a scene that spoke to the joy I had when summer finally arrived and melted away the ice and snow. This piece was a favorite, titled Ahhhh Summer (36"wx24"h) and sold at Siiviis Gallery in Duluth. I painted several pieces in this theme on a smaller scale which were well received and collected by locals and those traveling through the area and wanting to take a souvenir home.

August:

I completed my largest major work ever attempted in August titled Placid Lake Triptych (120"wx40"h). This piece is still for sale as I'm typing this year in review, and this one is available at Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais, MN. This painting was a lesson in perserveance for me, and took many long hours to complete, not to mention the logistical issue of dealing with such large panels. I took several swimming breaks with the kiddos which may have cut into my painting time just a bit, but was a much needed distraction. :)

September:

In September several noteworthy things happened. My Landscapes show opened at Lizzards Gallery in Duluth and it was a special event and I was so thrilled to see so many landscapes I had labored countless hours over displayed on the gallery walls. This piece, titled Golden Autumn Sunbeams (36'wx36"h) is a personal favorite of mine from the show. Another accomplishment in September was a painting titled The Tavern On The Lake (36"wx24"h) which was a donation to the Duluth Art Institute's annual fundraiser auction. What a fun painting this was, with the night scene, warm colors and reflections of the light on the rainy pavement. This is a painting that gave me the feeling of wanting to stay there in the warm glow of the restaurant and listen to the music of the acoustic guitars, fiddles, mandolins and banjos echoing across lake Superior.

 

October:

We took the most ambitious vacation ever in October, flying to Washington DC, staying with friends and touring the DC area before driving all the way up to New Hampshire. We stopped at several historic sites in Baltimore, Philadelphia, Boston, New York and other cities and states as we made our way up the east coast. What a whirlwind of a week with many fond memories of adventures along the way. I painted a couple gifts for the folks we stayed with, one of northern Minnesota, and another of a state I hadn't ever seen before, New Hampshire. I looked at some photos prior to leaving on the vacation and was happy to see similar trees and topography as found here in Northern Minnesota, as I was painting this piece, titled Autumn In New Hampshire (8"wx24"h)  I also painted many canvases in October in fall themes which is hands down my favorite season to paint. 

November:

The holiday season was on my mind as I finished more canvases in November as I had ever accomplished. The flurry of activity in my studio filled gallery walls with color for the shoppers and left me with a huge burn out feeling at the end of the month. I've gone through this before, and the only way through it is to step away from the easel for a season and get back to the roots of what drives me to create. Hiking through forests and observing nature in all it's wonder gives me the drive to create, and after some restful time I was able to get back to the canvas and brushes once more. One painting of note is here, titled Evergreen Cardinal Playland (36"wx36"h) at Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais. I really loved the tiny cardinals in this piece which features complementary color with the evergreen ridges and sky and bright red birds. One other event was I opened a show at Amity Coffee in Duluth, just a few blocks down from my home. The coffee shop was just opening, and had asked me to display my work, and I honestly didn't have much to choose from, so I ended up hanging all my personal favorites that I've held onto over the years and having a retrospective show. Intermingled with the paintings are framed prints and some new originals, and the show has stayed there even through January. I've been stopping in weekly, filling spots where framed prints have found new homes. It's a show that I wish could go on forever ... and it's almost like a studio away from home, filled with warmth, light, color, great coffee, and also very relaxing. 

 

December:

In December I completed several commissioned paintings that were for gifts, so I had to be efficient. But I also painted some more meaningful pieces, this one here was a blast to paint, and is titled Get Your Kicks on Scenic 61 (16"wx40"h). My dad has many stories to tell of his adventures traveling up 61 in his younger days to stay with family in the Ely and Grand Marais areas, and to go skiing at Lutsen. He also worked for the MN Dept. of Transportation in the sign dept. for many years, so I couldn't help but think of his adventures as I was reminiscing of my own excursion up this amazing road. The painting features the new sign, with the cardinal perched on the top of the sign, and warm color below with cool blues above. If you've never been on Scenic 61, it winds from Duluth to Grand Marais .. over 100 miles all the way ... get your kicks on Scenic 61.

Well that's it! I could go on and on about all that has happened this past year. I can't possibly imagine having a more successful year, it was a year to remember, and wow, what a ride. What does 2015 have in store? I'm not sure at this point, but I do have several canvases in mind, a couple commissions to paint, and some new products in the works as well. I'm working on having some giclee prints made on canvas of my favorites from the past several years, and hope to have them ready soon. Please check my website and this blog in the future for more information on new works and affordable paper and canvas prints.

I'm off to the easel ....

-A.Kloss

Gold Moon Rising

"Gold Moon Rising"  6"w x 6"h

This cardinal may have a rich gold moon behind him lighting up the night sky, but the cardinal knows he doesn't need no rich gold moon to light up the forest with his brilliant red color and song that will soon hearken the return of spring. But for now, the snow quietly falls in the forests surrounding my home in Duluth, MN.

Cobalt Winter Birches

"Cobalt Winter Birches"  6"w x 6"h

This 6x6 inch piece, titled Cobalt Winter Birches, is part of a series of paintings I began several years ago. My intent with this series was to feature rocks and birch trees, with the emphasis on the birch trees growing amongst the rocks, almost as if anchored in and supported by the stones. The rich blues of the rocks, ridges, and winter sky all play against eachother to keep your eye moving, and while I don't quite remember the reasoning for this series, the series has pulled me back to itself many times over the years. Perhaps it's times like these when I'm fighting a nasty flu virus during the darkest week of the year that the significance of the birch trees and their stone anchors becomes apparent. -Aaron

Silver Moon

"Silver Moon"  6"w x 6"h

Painting the moon as a subject is so relaxing and intriguing all at once. A round object in the night sky with tiny stars sparkling and the reflection of the moon over the water and rocks is a subject I could paint for quite some time without tiring of it. Perhaps this has to do with my interest in minimalism, or how to communicate what I'm trying to say visually with the least amount of distraction. An analogy would be listening to someone speak to you in a quiet cafe, or trying to listen to someone speak with crowd noise distracting and distorting the message. So the soothing cool blues of the night speak volumes to me in a calm, quiet voice.

Singing Cardinals

"Singing Cardinals"  6"w x 6"h

On a cold rainy December day with a sore throat and fever of 102 degrees, I needed something to cheer me up and this piece is just the ticket. Singing Cardinals, acrylic on 6"w x 6"h canvas, features a familiar theme of mine that makes me smile ... evergreen forests, birch trees and tiny singing cardinals. OK, I'm headed back to bed with a cup of hot tea and lemon. :)

Colorful Sparkles

"Colorful Sparkles"  6"w x 6"h

This 6"w x 6"h painting, titled Colorful Sparkles, features a lake with several jewel toned autumn ridges. The color of the ridges reflects in the water in the foreground, giving that fun mirror image effect to this piece. The rocks on the water break up the plane and add some character to a painting which otherwise pushes the edges of abstract. -Aaron