Baltimore Orioles

"Baltimore Orioles"  24"w x 12"h

Wow, it's been a busy spring and I've realized I haven't been posting as much as I'd like to! This piece is titled 'Baltimore Orioles' and is 24"w x 12"h, recently brought in to Lizzards Gallery in Duluth, MN. Bright orange birds on crisp white birch with a rich windsor blue sky to complement the orange orioles really make this piece pop.

Please visit my website for more examples of my work, and feel free to contact me regarding commissioning a custom painting for your home or office space.

Nesting 'Dee

"Nesting 'Dee"

I was watching a pair of chickadees yesterday at the feeders, standing just a couple feet away and they didn't seem to bothered by my presence. They were having a hard time deciding between the thistle, suet, and seed feeders and were eating off of all. They strike me as hardly little birds, always playful and fearless. Hopefully I can be more like them. :) Today's painting is titled 'Nesting 'Dee' and was recently delivered to Your Art's Desire Gallery in Minnetonka, MN. TGIF!

Prints of this painting are available on my online store: 
http://www.aaronkloss.com/store/c5/Spring_Bird_Prints.html

Many other painting options are always being added to my website: http://www.aaronkloss.com

Feel free to contact me for more information ... and I'm also available for commissions if you'd like a special size or subject. 

Goldfinch Nest

"Goldfinch Nest"

Continuing my spring nest series today I'm featuring a piece titled Goldfinch Nest which is 8"w x 8"h, acrylic on canvas, recently delivered to Your Art's Desire Gallery in Minnetonka, MN. These delightful little birds have brown plumage during the winter but their feathers make a transition to a vibrant gold as the colors of the spring and summer season fill the landscape. The females remain a bit muted in color, as with most songbirds, to help conceal them from predators as they guard the nests. It was fun last year to watch some goldfinches nesting by my house, hopefully this year I'll see some more, so far it's mainly chickadees and crows.

Prints of this painting are available on my online store: 
http://www.aaronkloss.com/store/c5/Spring_Bird_Prints.html

Many other painting options are always being added to my website: http://www.aaronkloss.com

Feel free to contact me for more information ... and I'm also available for commissions if you'd like a special size or subject. 

Warm Autumn Moon 1 & 2

"Warm Autumn Moon No. 1"

"Warm Autumn Moon No. 2"

Warm Autumn Moon No. 1 is the title of this autumn cardinal themed acrylic on canvas painting which is part of my current show at Siiviis Gallery in Duluth, MN now through Oct. 25, 2015. Color is the word I'd use to describe the works from this show, with a special emphasis on the season of autumn, and the birch tree as a recurring theme that runs through the work. Also featured here is a bookend piece titled Warm Autumn Moon No. 2. The moon has been bright lately, shining in the window at night and making it difficult to fall asleep. :) So many ideas, inspirations, tasks to complete ... so little time. If you happen to have some extra time, please stop in at Siiviis to view the show. All my best, Aaron

Autumn Lake Reflection

"Autumn Lake Reflection"  36"w x 24"h

Autumn Lake Reflection is a new 36"w x 24"h canvas which is part of my show at Siiviis Gallery in Duluth, MN.

The show is titled Birds, Birch & Bicycles. The show may be viewed now through Oct. 25 2015. The show features work by colleague Adam Swanson and yours truly, and please stop by Siiviis Gallery soon to view the work.

I'll be posting new pieces from the show periodically ... and have a great weekend!
All my best, Aaron

Chickadee Blues

Today's paintings are titled Chickadee Blues Nos. 1-3 and is 6"w x 6"h, acrylic on canvas. I've been working in series lately, creating painting similar in theme, composition and color. It's always a fun exercise to work repetitively in a subject matter, exploring the different subtleties only found in more in depth study.

These colorful little blue gems are currently available at Lizzards Gallery in Duluth, MN. Happy Friday!

Frosty Morning Cardinals

"Frosty Morning Cardinals"  12"w x 4"h

The weather has been unusually cold here in Duluth, MN as of late, with some early morning frost warnings and highs in the 50's. But that doesn't seem to phase the cardinals in today's painting which features ten tiny cardinals on birch with a rich evergreen treeline in the distance, and an icy cold pale green spring sky lighting up the sky. The birds have been active around my house in spite of the weather, I need to follow their example and think about getting lots of work done! But then there's the comfortable chair next to the warm hearth, a hot cup of coffee and warm blanket that pulls me like a magnet. :) Yet it's off to the easel I go ....

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. :)

The Middle Man

"The Middle Man"

In the midst of holiday shopping season, I thought I'd poke a little fun at the distributors and suppliers of big box stores with a cardinal painting titled The Middle Man. This 6"w x 6"h piece also speaks of summer with it's green leaves, but the red and green combo also use the colors of the holiday season. I think the cardinal in the middle of this group of three is either trying to listen to two conversations at once, or thinking about a quieter birch branch to perch on. This painting can be found in Grand Marais at Sivertson Gallery.

Gabby Gathering

"Gabby Gathering"

Recipe for Gabby Gathering:
Acrylic on 12"w x 4"h canvas

Ingredients:
Red cardinals
Evergreens
Birch trees

Directions:
Combine ingredients until composition has reached completion. Repeat if you like the result.
Nutritional information is not available for this recipe.

Please contact Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais, MN for this and many other tasty visual treats.

Icy Forest Cardinals"

"Icy Forest Cardinals"  6"w x 6"h

I love complementary colors. Green and red, blue and gold, orange and blue, and in this case red and blue. In this 6"w x 6"h painting titled Icy Forest Cardinals, these bright red cardinals are probably oblivious to their beautiful icy blue background, because they are busy talking about rising property taxes. Ha ha, I often place elements into compositions as if they are relating to each other, perhaps it's the human emotion that I'm always wanting to address in the landscape ... that powerful emotion that a certain landscape can bring out. Not everyone is as visual, many people have a favorite song or food that will trigger a strong memory. For me, the cardinal will always trigger the response I had when I first observed a cardinal in the woods. The vibrant red color and song of the cardinal is second to no bird in my opinion, and their vibrant color speaks volumes to me in terms of being who you're supposed to be in contrast to a culture that wants you to conform. Perhaps that's what these guys are gabbing about today, it's for you to decide. Please contact Your Art's Desire Gallery in Minnetonka, MN for more information on this piece.

Evergreen Cardinal Playland

"Evergreen Cardinal Playland"  36"w x 36"h, Sivertson Gallery, Grand Marais, MN

Fresh off the easel is a new major work titled Evergreen Cardinal Playland which is 36"w x 36"h and just made it's way up the Scenic 61 to Grand Marais, MN this morning. My vision for this piece included cardinals and the color green. That was it, and from that vision, a painting filled with birches, cardinals, and layers of green amongst a bright green sky emerged. The composition is anchored by soft stones, of which you'd find in the forest anywhere in northern Minnesota ... except now you'd have to dig through the snow to find them. :) There is some symbolism to this painting as well, and that is out of the stones grow birches filled with tiny cardinals. I found myself laboring to get them positioned just right, but then thought of the playground at the elementary school filled with kids at recess. There's just something right about a playground filled with laughing children, and something desolate and wrong about an empty playground. So I filled the birch trees with the creatures that bring song and color to the forest ... the cardinal. I even included myself amongst this jovial group of guys .. I'm on the far left, at the bottom, gazing at the brilliant sky while listening to the friendly chatter of the bird that complements the forest and brings complementary color to this composition ... the cardinal. Let the children's laughter remind us how we used to be. - Whitney Houston
Please contact Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais, MN for more information on this piece.

Evergreen Cardinal Symmetry

"Evergreen Cardinal Symmetry" 24"w x 12"h

Here is a fun cardinal painting titled Evergreen Cardinal Symmetry whose title came to me as I was working on it and noticed there was a natural symmetry to the piece. Symmetry is a no no for artists, as symmetry is boring, or at least that's what I was taught in art school. But I didn't care much for the rules in art school, which didn't always bode well for my GPA, but in the end you have to be true to yourself, and I love symmetry ... and apparently, so do cardinals. These little fellas have no doubt arranged themselves in two groups of three to the left and right of center, with the two cardinals in the middle perhaps giving instructions to their friends as they are probably going to play a friendly game of baseball, but only one team can be the Cardinals ...
Please contact Siiviis Gallery in Duluth, MN for more information on this piece.

Cedar Waxwing on Gold 1 & 2

Cedar Waxwing on Gold No. 1

Cedar Waxwing on Gold No. 2

Here is a pair of 6"w x 6"h cedar waxwings that complement a larger piece titled Cedar Waxwings that I shared last week. I departed from my usual minimalistic brushwork to layer the golds on thick in the background. There's something to the color of these birds that compelled me to focus on the background. I know it was the gold bellies of the birds which are full of mountain as berries, no doubt. :) The mountain ashes are in full bloom now, boasting big white bunches of tiny petals. Last year, I was sitting on the deck drinking my coffee when a gentle breeze hit the trees and the little petals all fell down like snow. It was a neat experience, I happened to be at the right place at the right time, and I had to get a new cup of coffee as mine was full of petals. I suppose it's about time to go fill my palette with color and listen to the singing of the songbirds outside, and the soft sound of the brush against the canvas ...
Please contact Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais, MN for more information on these pieces.

Pileated Woodpecker

"Pileated Woodpecker" 10"w x 10"h

Here is a new piece titled Pileated Woodpecker that is based on memory. One cold morning I was walking back from the bus stop with my dog and there was a large bird on a tree up ahead. As I approached I assumed it was a large crow or black bird until it took off from the tree and came inches from mowing me down. The white stripes and bright red cap on the head of the bird are the last thing I remember seeing as I hit the deck. I haven't seen one of these birds since, but wow, I was wide awake after that brisk winter morning walk. If you're having trouble getting going in the morning, you don't need coffee, all you need is a pileated woodpecker. Please contact Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais, MN for more information on this piece.

Cedar Waxwings

"Cedar Waxwings" 10"w x 10"h

Just when I think I've seen every bird there is in northern Minnesota, a new bird flies into town. This spring I had the delightful experience of watching four cedar waxwing couples build nests and eat the remaining berries off the mountain ash in by backyard. I always wondered which bird ate the berries, and I can see why they liked my yard as my trees had many dried berries hanging on their branches. I suppose a full bird bath and multiple bird feeders didn't hurt either. The cedar waxwings have the most interesting feather coloring. On the tips of their wings and tail there is a bright red and yellow, and their bodies have a streamlined look to them, so I could resist painting them, and this piece is titled Cedar Waxwings and is 10"w x 10"h. They appeared to be very territorial, often chasing away robins, starlings, and any other bird that ventured too close.

They chose to build their nests in the gutters of my house along the upper roofline, and try as I might to change their minds, they just didn't listen to me. A couple weeks later I was treated to the cheep cheeps of baby birds as I drank my morning coffee, and frankly, it was a bit much at times as I'm sure I could also hear the starling and robin chicks squaking for morning breakfast to be delivered. Not every story has a happy ending, however, and after we received a weekend downpour of several inches of rain, the cheep cheeps of the chicks and colorful feathers and song of the cedar waxwings were never heard again. But it still doesn't diminish the wonderful experience I had watching these birds in the trees and lasting impression they made on me. Please contact Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais for more information on this piece.

Baby Chick No. 4

"Baby Chick No. 4"

With Spring on the horizon ... even as we received a fresh four inches of fluffy white snow this morning ... I'm posting a series of 'baby chickadee' paintings, this one titled Baby Chick No. 4. The baby in the name refers to the sizes of these pieces, a mere 4"wx4"h. I've never painted a nest of baby birds, but that would be a fun composition, especially a robin holding a big fat juicy nightcrawler over half a dozen open beaks. I observed a nest of baby birds once, and I noticed the beaks would pop out of the nest before the momma bird was in sight, and I thought that the babies could hear the familiar sound of mom's wings flapping in order to slow down prior to landing on the delicate nest. Anyways ... if you like this piece, this one is available on my dailypaintworks gallery, which is an online community of artists who paint, give eachother feedback and support, and occasionally sell a painting, which to an artist is equivalent to a hungry baby bird getting a big fat juicy nightcrawler.
Please visit my DailyPaintworks gallery page for more information on today's piece.

Two Birds on Birch

"Two Birds on Birch", 12"w x 4"h, Lizzards Gallery, Duluth, MN

Here is the last of this horizontal format chickadee works titled Two Birds on Birch. I had so much fun with this series that I could just keep painting them ... and I just may! But, alas, I only had three of these canvases ready to paint. I have several 4"wx4"h chickadee paintings from this series as well that I'll be posting in the coming days. On another note, I broke shovel number four yesterday. This winter has been the coldest and snowiest of my mere 39 years in Minnesota. It was a record setting season, and I'm ready for the next one. Yesterday, we had 50 degree temps and I was clearing several inches of ice off the sidewalks when the shovel said one last uff da and joined the stack of cracked shovels in the garage. I guess I'm going to buy shovel number five before the next snowfall forecasted for Wednesday. This time, I'm buying a wood handled steel shovel. We'll see how old man winter likes that. lol.
Please contact Lizzards Gallery in Duluth, MN for more information on this piece.

Love Birds

I just couldn't resist. I just had to paint a this one ... the female cardinal with an open beak talking the other male cardinal's feathers off. I had some fun with this 12"w x 9"h piece titled Love Birds, and while I put so much emphasis on the subject of this piece, the background ended up quite interesting as I felt as though I could have fun with it due to the strength of the foreground birds and birches. The moon in the center adds that third element and anchors this piece. I wonder what that female cardinal is saying ... we could ask the male cardinal, but I don't believe he'd be of much help, as he probably isn't even listening ... ;)

This painting is part of a small collection of paintings and framed prints collectively called "Lights" that can be viewed at Bixby's Cafe in Duluth at 1608 Woodland Ave now through the end of April, 2014. The works from the show can also be viewed online on my personal website here.

Tic Tac Toe

Here is a playful twist on a game I like to play with my kids called Tic Tac Toe. While I always let my kids win, it's fun to see their strategies for winning. Especially when they were younger, but now they always take the middle spot and know just how to beat me. The female cardinals in this tiny little painting measuring 4" square know how to play the game too. Painting a cardinal that's half an inch tall is quite a tall challenge for me, but fun nonetheless, just like that game. Please contact Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais, MN for more information on this piece.