Robin Song ... and Future Robins

Robin Song

Future Robins

I've been enjoying the activity of the birds this spring, as we have had an early spring in terms of snow melt, so that the robins have been busy yanking worms out of the ground and singing their pretty songs throughout the day. I was watching a robin hop from branch to branch today, looking for the perfect spot to build her nest. I wonder what goes into the final decision ... especially since there are no leaves on the trees as yet, how do they know where to build? Last year the robin's nest I was watching was raided by blackbirds, perhaps starlings, but not before the robin layed her eggs and spent quite a lot of time keeping them safe and warm. Today's painting features a colorful robin on a colorful background, titled Robin Song ... and I even added a small painting of a nest with three robins eggs titled Future Robins. These paintings are at Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais, MN. 

Spring Chickadees

"Colorful Dee No. 1"

"Colorful Dee No. 2"

 Here are three small chickadee paintings that are part of a new group of work at Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais MN. All in all, there are 18 new small songbird paintings available, which can be viewed on my website here. More sweet little songbird paintings will be posted from this group on this blog in the coming days.... and who doesn't just love chickadees? These delightful little fellas are perched on birches, the backgrounds with multiple shades of blue set the birds off, and as a whole, these canvases pack a colorful punch. Please contact Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais for more information on these paintings.

"Colorful Dee No. 3"

The Great Northland (Commission)

"The Great Northland"  48"w x 30"h

Today's painting is a commissioned painting for a special customer. This piece, titled The Great Northland, is based off a painting from July 2013 titled Somewhere North of Here. I adjusted the size of this new piece to fit the space the painting was going to be displayed in, and even included a photo of the finished piece installed at left. What I enjoyed about this painting, and the first one, is the colorful trees and mysterious feeling you get from the bright moonlight reflecting off the lake. Compositionally, the foreground and the bottom and birch leaves at the top keep the eye moving around the piece, and the intensity of the color keeps the whole painting as the subject, vs. having only one object as the subject. The land I live in draws people from around the world annually, and it's not to visit one location, but to take in all the sights, sounds, and experiences this part of the world has to offer. This is the great northland. My work can be found in the fine galleries that represent me, and I'm also available for commissions, shoot me an email for more information. -Aaron

The Song of Spring

Today's painting is titled The Song of Spring and features a bright red male cardinal amongst the greens of spring birches and bright blue skies. On my morning walk I heard a mourning dove, starling, goldfinch, crow, and robin. I also watched a pigeon in the yard whom I think has taken up residence in my roofline somewhere, and doesn't appear to have an inclination on paying rent. Haven't seen a cardinal yet, though. I have the feeder stocked with safflower seeds, suet, and thistle for the finches and chickadees. You can't always see the birds, but you sure can hear them in the morning. In stark contrast to the violence, upheaval and uncertainty in the world there's one thing that's guaranteed to bring a smile to your face .. it's the song of spring. Please contact Your Art's Desire Gallery in Minnetonka, MN for more information on this piece.

Spring at Lake Minnetonka

"Spring at Lake Minnetonka" 48"w x 30"h

Today's painting is titled Spring at Lake Minnetonka, 48"w x 30"h. This piece continues my recent series of spring works that feature vibrant blues, greens, golds, and water reflections. Lake Minnetonka is filled with islands and is quite an interesting lake with all it's bays and towns surrounding the lake. I have many childhood memories of this lake, from YMCA summer camp to driving around the lake and swimming, boating, and fishing. My memories of this lake are warm and colorful, and I really wanted this painting to reflect those memories with a bright gold sun in the center of the piece and light reflections off the water and surrounding landscape and foliage. I imagine the maples are leafing out now around the lake, and it won't be long before other children are making summer memories of this lake. Let the children's laughter remind us how we used to be. -Whitney Houston. Please contact Your Art's Desire Gallery in Minnetonka for more information on this piece.

Pinterest!

"Moonlight Chickadee" 6"w x 6"h

Lately I've noticed a few of my pieces tagged on Pinterest, which is described by the website as  'a visual discovery tool that you can use to find ideas for all your projects and interests.' I've started a Pinterest page, aaronklossart, which can be found here. I've started pinning a few recent works, and found some older works that others had pinned previously. Very interesting concept this Pinterest, it's almost like an interior designer art board, where you have samples of colors and fabrics, etc. for a specific theme or space. I can see why people spend so much time on such an interesting site. We'll see where it goes, but for now, feel free to pin my paintings to pinterest ... I've even added an easy pin to each image on my blog if you hover over the image to pin it. I noticed it doesn't always work in the mobile version of my blog, you may have to switch to the desktop or standard view if you're on a smartphone. My profile picture on Pinterest is this new little gem, titled Moonlight Chickadee, which is 6"w x 6"h, and featured on dailypaintworks.com Happy pinning! -Aaron

Art for Earth Day Gallery Hop & Spring Colors

Spring Colors

It's that time of year again! The Art for Earth Day Gallery Hop is an annual treat where folks can do something I love ... gallery hopping! You can go to a few or all of the galleries listed here and enjoy works of art from many local and regional artists between 11am and 5 pm. My work is on display at Siiviis Gallery in Duluth, and at Lizzards Gallery in Duluth you'll find spring paintings and a fresh batch of small chickadee paintings brought in just yesterday. The image today, titled Spring Colors, is one of many new works at Lizzards Gallery in Duluth .... and you just may bump into me at the gallery hop if you go. I promise not to eat all the treats at each gallery this year. :)

Spring Cardinal Song

"Spring Cardinal Song"  6"w x 6"h

Here's a sweet little something titled Spring Cardinal Song, which is 6"w x 6"h. I've heard about cardinals singing a particular song when spring is arriving, and by looks of the budding trees and migratory birds in the forest, spring has sprung! We've had some rain here in northern Minnesota, now with the warmer temps next week, we'll finally get some greens in the landscape. And hopefully some spring songs from the cardinals. Please contact Your Art's Desire Gallery for more information on this piece.

Colors of the Night

"Colors of the Night"  40"w x 16"h

Today is a new nightscape titled Colors of the Night, 40"w x 16"h. I enjoyed saturating the canvas with cobalt and ultramarine blue brushstrokes with this landscape. The gold moon in the center reflects off the water and sky. When you keep the background color dark, the birch trees and foreground rocks really pop. While everyone has been enjoying the northern lights recently, the moon is saying 'hey, don't forget about me!' Who knew the night could be so colorful? Perhaps that's why I love nightscapes, the rich blues and complementary golds are personal favorite colors. 

"Night time is really the best time to work. All the ideas are there to be yours because everyone else is asleep." ~Catherine O'Hara.  

Please contact Your Art's Desire Gallery in Minnetonka, MN for more information on this new nightscape.

Reflecting Spring

"Reflecting Spring"

This new small work on canvas, titled Reflecting Spring, continues my series on water reflections. I opted for some symmetry with this piece, with the water line down the center horizontally and the three spring birches on either side forming a vertical line. I'd never get away with a symmetrical work when I was in art school, but now I enjoy the challenge of making a piece interesting and symmetrical at the same time. Plus I love lakes, rocks, birch trees and anything blue. How bout you?

Please contact Your Arts Desire Gallery in Minnetonka, MN for more information on this piece.

Glowing Birches

"Glowing Birches"  6"w x 6"h

Glowing Birches is a new 6"w x 6"h landscape featuring .... well, glowing birches, of course. The moon in the center is shining and sparkling off the birches and waters. While I've used my favorite color in this piece, cobalt blue, I've also used something that you'll be reading a lot about on this blog if you're a regular reader. That something is my goal for this year, which is to accentuate my singular brush stroke by using color. To say it another way, I'm intentionally leaving the black canvas ground that I paint on exposed around my brush strokes to give more visual texture and interest to my work. In order to keep growing as an artist, I assign myself new tasks every year, and that's my task. So you'll be seeing new colors, brighter colors, and more contrast, texture, and distinctive brush strokes. I find that setting an annual goal gives me time to explore that goal and stay consistent, because I'd be more prone to try new landscapes, colors, compositions, sizes, etc. on a weekly if not daily basis. While that may be exciting, as an artist, I do have to take into consideration those who collect my work or are viewing it for the first time. I endeavor to have consistency throughout my work in terms of style, color palette, subject, size, etc. And that consistency has helped me stay on track when I'm compelled to explore every deer trail I encounter while on the road. That road is leading me towards more color and expression, more interest and continuity, and in this case, glowing birches. Please contact Your Art's Desire Gallery in Minnetonka for more information on this piece.

The Song of the Season

"The Song of the Season"  36"w x 36"h

This piece, titled The Song of the Season (36"w x 36"h) is one of many new pieces available at Your Art's Desire Gallery in Minnetonka, MN. The gallery is gearing up to celebrate it's tenth anniversary May 2, and I'm thankful to be amongst such great art company at the gallery. This particular painting is about as bright as I've ever painted in terms of the color green. The bright red cardinals complement the color and jump right off the canvas with the reds and greens playing off each other. The rocks and distant evergreen ridges anchor the piece, and provide a deep color punch to highlight the bright background and birch trees. The cardinals steal the show, though, as they always do ... you can never miss a cardinal in their bright red feathers and beautiful song of the season. Please contact Your Art's Desire Gallery in Minnetonka, MN for more information on this piece.

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.

Spring Ahead

"Spring Ahead"  30"w x 15"h

Today's painting, titled Spring Ahead, 30"w x 15"h, may have been influenced by a certain time change that leaves groggy people wishing they had an hour of sleep back, but to me the time change signifies a new season. I often paint seasonally, modifying my color palette to reflect the color of the landscape while I'm working. But this spring has influenced me in a profound way to paint with green in such a way as I never have before. I've enjoyed exploring this color in all it's hues and saturations. This piece features many greens and golds. The birch forest offers you a colorful glimpse into the spring color that is marching across the land and casting bright green shadows on the forest floor. And the sky mimics the blues I'm currently viewing out the studio window as I type this post. Spring. The season of green, the season of new life, the season of songbirds, leaves and leaves. I don't know about you but I'd trade an hour of sleep for warmth, color and life any day of the week. Please contact Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais, MN for more information on this piece. 

The Season of Green

"The Season of Green"

Another piece from my ongoing spring series titled The Season of Green is 9"w x 12"h. This painting feels appropriate today as we had some lively thunderstorms roll through northern Minnesota yesterday, bringing some much needed rain. It's ironic living by lake Superior, viewing so much water and yet needing rain, but we've been dry this spring. Hopefully it won't be too long before the landscape resembles the one featured here today with the abundance of rich blues and lush greens.
Please contact Siiviis Gallery in Duluth, MN for more information on this piece.

Fields of Spring

"Fields of Spring" 24"w x 18"h, Lizzards Gallery Duluth MN

Just for fun I thought I'd paint fields as opposed to lakes and trees. This is the painting I came up with, titled Fields of Spring which is 24"w x 18"h. This piece features repetition of form and color as design elements with the many shades of green in the fields and distant spring ridges. Large white puffy clouds form a break between the foreground and cobalt blue sky. It was fun to paint these fields ... it would be even more fun to run through them like a child without a care in the world. Please contact Lizzards Gallery for more information.

Spring In The Forest

"Spring In The Forest"  24"w x 18"h

This piece, titled Spring In The Forest, 24"w x 18"h, features a birch forest with rich green leaves on the trees, and a selection of green and gold foliage beneath on the forest floor. Looking through the birch trees, a bright blue spring sky beckons you to stay and enjoy the spring vista. I think I'll hang a hammock between a couple of these trees and take a nap. :) Please contact Lizzards Gallery in Duluth, MN for more information on this painting.

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

Aerial Lift Bridge: Cobalt Sky

"Aerial Lift Bridge: Cobalt Sky" Acrylic on 24"w x 36"h canvas

I love to hike and travel the trails around Duluth and the north shore of Lake Superior, where I find my inspiration to paint. And as much as I love the woods and waters of the area, there is an element in the landscape that cannot be dismissed: the aerial lift bridge. It welcomes visitors to the area. It raises to let 1,000 ft. ore boats pass beneath ... and also small sailboats. It bridges Duluth and park point. It draws visitors and is visible from the hilltop as you enter Duluth. It's one of the most visually interesting structures I have ever seen. So it's only natural to get asked to paint the bridge if you live and work in Duluth. I've been asked to paint the bridge so many times I've just stopped counting. It's a challenge, that's for sure ... and for an artist that wants to paint the woods, it's a challenge to just depart from nature to paint a structure. But I've always been one that wanted/needed a challenge, and so here's the result of my latest effort. This piece is titled Aerial Lift Bridge: Cobalt Sky, and is 24"w x 36"h. This is actually my second attempt at this subject matter. My first attempt was back in July of 2012 with a painting titled Aerial Lift Bridge Number 1, which is included in this blog post in a smaller format. I remember this first attempt well. I worked so long on this piece that I was happy to have it finished and thought I'd never return to this subject ever again. But after many requests, I've painted the bridge once again. The bridge. What would Duluth be without it? Just another port city, I suppose. But with the local economy booming, jobs plentiful, people moving in town causing a tight housing market, the landscape bountiful with recreational opportunities, and a bright future, Duluth is poised for growth. It's a beautiful place to live and work. And it's home the aerial lift bridge. Please contact Siiviis Gallery in Duluth, MN for more information on this piece.

Gold Spring Sky

"Gold Spring Sky"  12"w x 9"h, Siiviis Gallery, Duluth MN

Ahhh the sun. There's something about this time of year where I long for the warm sunny days of later spring and summer but I know I'll have to patiently wait. Today we may hit 60 degrees, and after that we return to winter weather for a week before getting back to warmer temps. When you paint landscapes for a living, this type of weather can really wreck havok with your work. I find the need to assign myself tasks and goals for paintings produced until the landscape offers up it's visual treats of the season. This painting, titled Gold Spring Sky, is part of group of new work at Siiviis Gallery in Duluth, MN. This piece offers up a warm golden sky and mixes in birches, rocks, and green spring ridges. Also, there's an event at the gallery tomorrow called First Fridays where the businesses in the Canal Park area of Duluth stay open later and encourage shopping in the local establishments. I'll be stopping by, can't wait to see the new work lighting up the gallery .. and hopefully it won't be too long before the landscape reflects the spring greens I've been painting lately.

Lake of the Woods

"Lake of the Woods" 60"w x 48"h

Featured today is a major work titled Lake of the Woods, 60"w x 48"h. This scale is quite awesome, there's so much to enjoy while working on the painting that there's always an emptiness when the painting is gone from the studio. Also, working in this scale I'm moving the canvas up and down quite a bit. Even at my 6 ft. height, I reach up quite a bit, and paint on my knees too to reach the edges. It's all for a good cause, though, as this piece captures the mood and season I'm longing for ... the warm sunny days of spring where you don't need a jacket and the leaves are popping open. With this piece I also used a deep ultramarine blue for the lake and I'm glad I did as it anchors the composition and gives the contrast for the reflections and sky to really sparkle. Please contact Lizzards Gallery in Duluth, MN for more information on this piece.