An Autumn Hike

Today's painting is titled Autumn Hike, 36x24, and is a take on a favorite theme of mine, which is birch trees with colorful ridges behind them. What I also love is the space between the subject/foreground captures the eye ... essentially becoming the part of the piece that grabs the eye. We had a wonderful autumn season this year, and it looks like it's going to be another great week to spend time outdoors with temps approaching 60 by the end of the week ... which is a heat wave in this northern part of the world.  This painting was recently delivered to Siiviis Gallery in Duluth, MN.

An Autumn Day in Grand Marais

"An Autumn Day in Grand Marais"

I'm happy to share a new large original today titled An Autumn Day in Grand Marais, 40"w x 30"h. This painting is available at Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais, MN. This painting is a continuation of my reflections series, where the reflection of the trees in the water is the subject of the painting, representing rich memories we all have, yet the memories are often hard to articulate, yet reflect the actual event that formed the memory. This is different for every person, so I leave it up to the viewer to decide how to process the image. For me, the memories are important, but for many, this painting could just be a rich golden autumn birch forest on a bright, crisp autumn day at a lake in northern Minnesota, and that's just fine with me. To purchase prints of this piece please visit my online store: http://www.aaronkloss.com/store/p115/An_Autumn_Day_in_Grand_Marais.html

Spring Morning

"Spring Morning"

Today's piece is titled Spring Morning, acrylic on 8"w x 10"h canvas, and features a spring forest with green foliage, birches, and rocks. The birches cast shadows from the rich blue spring sky which backlights the distant green ridge. I've been working in a spring series lately, and using a lot of green and blue paint, but I'm not complaining as the bright color really brightens up the studio, just like a landscape on a beautiful spring morning.

This piece is part of my ongoing art show titled Landscapes at Amity Coffee, located at 
4429 E Superior St, Duluth, MN 55804.

Please email me ... aaronklossartwork [at symbol] gmail.com ... if you're interested in this piece or to commission me for a custom painting, and please visit my website for more examples of my work and to purchase prints.

Spring Arrival

"Spring Arrival"

What could possibly be better than a spring painting in honor of the first day of spring? Well spring temps and greens would be good ... it will be a few weeks before we see any of that here in Duluth MN, but it won't be long and I can't wait. Here is a new piece titled Spring Arrival, which is 6"w x 18"h, acrylic on canvas. This vertical piece is a simple spring forest, the likes of which can be found all around Duluth MN ... in a few weeks.

This piece is part of my ongoing art show titled Landscapes at Amity Coffee, located at 
4429 E Superior St, Duluth, MN 55804.

Please email me ... aaronklossartwork [at symbol] gmail.com ... if you're interested in this piece or to commission me for a custom painting, and please visit my website for more examples of my work and to purchase prints.

Ice Crystals

Just a cool blue winter landscape painting for you today. This one features the moon radiating across the sky and sparkling off the distant ridge. The piece is anchored by rich cobalt blue, my favorite color, and is typical of the landscape around lake Superior with the stones and birch. This piece is titled Ice Crystals, and is 12"w x 6"h, currently available at Siiviis Gallery in Duluth.

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. 

Autumn Encore

"Autumn Encore"  48"w x 24"h, acrylic on canvas

Today's painting, titled Autumn Encore, is a new 48"w x 24"h acrylic on canvas which is part of my show at St. Luke's Hospital in Duluth. This large painting anchors the show right in the center of the wall where the 25 paintings and prints are hung. This piece features birches and rocks, which is what I see everywhere I go along the north shore of lake Superior where I live ... but the subject of this painting is really the background which is filled with the blazing colors of fall. Layer upon layer of color rises, giving way to distant cool blue ridges before meeting the bright blue sky. I wish this view was what I looked at in the window year round, but alas the colors of the changing leaves are only around a couple weeks, so I just have to capture it on canvas.

Lavender Lake

This new painting, titled Lavender Lake, is 12"w x 12"h, acrylic on canvas. I recently brought this one in to Siiviis Gallery in Duluth along with other bird themed paintings. The cardinals have been requested by every gallery that represents my work, and their customers love the red birds. I've been painting cardinals for several years now, often wondering if they will ever 'go out of style'. I'll stray from them as a subject matter, only to get pulled back by requests from people who love them. I've been told it has to do with the bright red and crisp birch .. along with complementary colors. While I don't mind painting cardinals, I don't want to duplicate a previous painting and so I often think about how to present the birds in a new way. I've used color, composition, perspective, style, repetition ... many different design aspects to portray the subject matter over the years. In this case, I've brought in some color close to blue on the color wheel ... lavender. When you add red to blue you get purple, and when you add purple to a red and blue landscape you get ... cardinals at a lake. And not just any lake ... a Lavender Lake. :)

Birchscapes

Today's painting diary post features four birchscape paintings (blue, brown, gold, green) that were brought in to Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais in July. These may be small at 6"w x 6"h, but pack a visual punch nonetheless. Minimalism has always appealed to me as an artist, and so I often simplify my work if possible to drive home a point or speak more loudly visually. I had a bit of light reflecting off the canvases when I took the photos, but that's ok, as painting is more of expression than perfection, at least from my view. Please contact Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais for more information on these, and other birchscapes.

 

Tiny Summer Triptych

"Tiny Summer Triptych"  12"w x 4"

It always amazes me that I enjoy working small after working exclusively on large canvases when I first started showing work publicly. There's a certain challenge that makes working small intriguing ... the constraint of the canvas giving every brush stroke more significance and the speed of completion makes for quick decisions. When I work large, I often wait a week or longer to begin to get a feel for how the final piece will look, but there isn't that waiting period with small canvases, and that's what compels me to continue painting them. Some artists call the studies, I don't like referring to my work as a study. Unless a piece absolutely speaks to me and I can't part with it, I offer all my work in all sizes for sale. The little paintings usually sell fast, you have to enjoy them while you can ... just like summer. Ahhhhh summer.
This piece is part of my show at The Art of Hair on First through September 2015.

Golden Season

"Golden Season"  12"w x 9"h

Here is a piece titled Golden Season which is 12"w x 9"h ... acrylic on canvas. When you're overly busy such as I've been as of late, you often return to familiar themes, colors, and compositions. Golden birches on a rocky shoreline is a warm, friendly theme that I can paint that gives me the feeling of drinking coffee with old friends. I'm totally relaxed, free to share anything, knowing the time spent will bring a smile to my face. And the end result is always comforting, just like ... golden birches along a rocky shoreline, all decked out in brilliant autumn gold against a crisp blue sky. This piece is part of my show at the Art of Hair in Duluth now through September 2015.

Forest Kaleidoscope

"Forest Kaleidoscope"  40"w x 16"h

Just like a hike through a familiar wood, this piece, titled Forest Kaleidoscope, is a familiar walk through a favorite subject matter. Crisp golden maples against a rich cobalt blue sky, framed by foreground birch trees and ancient gray stones. Watching my kids skip across large stones as we explore the woods is a treat, reminding me of trips I took through familiar forests as a kid. This painting is part of show titled 'Birch Forests' at Vanilla Bean Restaurant in Two Harbors MN, now through the end of July 2015.

Aurora On The Lake

"Aurora On The Lake"  20"w x 16"h, Sivertson Gallery

Today's painting, titled Aurora On The Lake, is 20"w x 16"h, acrylic on canvas, and available at Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais, MN. Wow, there was a lot of commas in that last sentence. Anyways, this painting is a playful take on the aurora borealis, otherwise known as the northern lights that are frequently visible here in northern Minnesota. In this piece, the distant rocky shoreline breaks the plane of the sky and water, causing a mirror image of bright green against a ultramarine night sky which is framed by the birches and rocks in the foreground. Who knew the night could be so colorful and full of life? What an amazing subject to paint, the aurora. Please contact Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais for more information on this piece.

Summer Morning & Birch Forests Show at The Vanilla Bean

"Summer Morning"  20"w x 10"h

Getting back in the swing of things is tough after being on vacation especially considering the flurry of activity prior to vacation. New work was delivered to galleries, new shows were hung, and commissions completed. The studio is a mess, there are half a dozen canvases being prepped for new paintings and I'm sitting at the computer sifting through emails and images of paintings created during the last couple weeks of June and early July.

This painting featured today, titled Summer Morning, is 20"w x 10"h and is part of a show titled Birch Forests at The Vanilla Bean Restaurant in Two Harbors, MN. The show is titled appropriately, as there are 21 originals and framed prints available for purchase that feature the birch forests in all their seasonal splendor. Summer Morning is such a calm, peaceful painting, and considering the humid weather this piece really reflects the spirit of the season. Beautiful blue skies and green leaves greet you in the forest, along with the songbirds and the wish that this season could go on forever. Please stop back soon as I'll be posting new works daily ... and enjoying the summer mornings too.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.