All the Colors of Autumn

All the Colors of Autumn is the title of this colorful new 36x24 acrylic on canvas recently brought in to Lizzards Gallery in Duluth. I painted the lake in the foreground a deep blue to make the colorful tree reflections pop off the canvas. This continues my series of reflections which focus on memories and how can be fuzzy and bit distorted, but the memories are also a reflection of who we are. Deep thoughts for an artist who isn't quite awake yet today. Have a great weekend! All my best, Aaron

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.

Placid Lake Triptych

"Placid Lake Triptych" 90"w x 40"h, Sivertson Gallery, Grand Marais, MN

Today's piece is titled Placid Lake Triptych and is available at Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais, MN. This painting is the largest I've ever attempted at 90"w x 40"h. I worked on this painting over a two week period and I've excited to share it and so happy it's finished all at the same time. :) I've been working in a recent compositional theme of birches in the foreground, and smaller birches across a lake, with the two blues of the skies and waters complementing the warm golds of the birches. I found myself staring at this painting quite a bit as it was nearing completion, feeling the effect of the thousands of brushstrokes and wondering at what it all means ... so I looked up placid in the dictionary and in closing, I'll share some meanings of this word with you ...

Placid:
calm and peaceful, with little movement or activity.

"the placid waters of a small lake"

synonyms:

quiet, calm, tranquil, still, peaceful, undisturbed, restful, sleepy "a placid village"

Somewhere North of Here

"Somewhere North of Here" 48"w x 30"h Siiviis Gallery, Duluth, MN

Nice to be back to blogging after taking a mandatory self prescribed blog break. :) This is a new piece at Siiviis Gallery in Duluth, MN that I've titled Somewhere North of Here. When I finished this one, I felt as though this painting is one to be remembered. It was a concept I carried for a long time and it's a good feeling to finally realize the concept on the canvas.

Please contact Siiviis Gallery in Duluth, MN for more information on this piece.