Daisies

"Daisies"  6"w x 8"h

Here's a fun little floral piece to go with today's bright sunny weather. This new acrylic on canvas is 6"w x 8"h. Please contact Sivertson Gallery for more information.

Black Eyed Susans

This self explanatory titled new 6"w x 8"h acrylic on canvas features black eyed susans, which happens to be one of my wife's favorite flowers. I'm more into marigolds and roses myself ... although I've been favoring irises too recently. I basically like anything that is colorful I guess. :)
Please contact Sivertson Gallery for more information on this piece.

Blooming Iris paintings

What better way than to end the month of July with some beautiful Iris paintings? These are all 4"w x 4"h, acrylic on deep profile canvas, and are available at Lizzards Gallery in downtown Duluth, and at Siiviis Gallery in Duluth's Canal Park. 

What a month it's been! Vacations, biking, swimming, fishing, hiking, parades, amusement parks ... and oh yes, painting. :) It's hard to say goodbye to July. But I look forward to what's ahead during the next several months, where I'll work towards stocking galleries as the busiest time of year for me in painting continues through the end of the year. 

Happy Friday! -Aaron

"Iris Bloom No. 1" 4"w x 4"h

"Summer Iris No. 1"  4"w x 4"h

"Iris Bloom No. 2" 4"w x 4"h

"Summer Iris No. 2"  4"w x 4"h

"Iris Bloom No. 3" 4"w x 4"h

Lavender Sky Iris

"Lavender Sky Iris"  12"w x 12"h

Lavender Sky Iris is a new piece at Siiviis Gallery in Duluth, MN. Continuing on my recent theme in purple iris, this painting uses the color of the iris for the sky, ratcheting up the value of the color until white sparkles finish the negative spaces between the plants. While at first I struggled with this painting to distinguish the flowers from the background, I kept working on it, brightening the sky until it made me smile. :) Please contact Siiviis Gallery in Duluth, MN for more information.

Golden Land Iris

"Golden Land Iris"  24"w x 12"h

The iris is such a fascinating subject. The shape of the flower is so expressive, it moves and changes color minute by minute. With such a fascinating subject, my endeavor isn't to recreate a masterpiece, but to share my impression of the subject via paint on canvas. In this case, it's purple iris on a radiant gold background. The colors complement each other and intensify each other's hues. Perhaps a subject can do that to an artist ... the subject and the artist intensify each other's strengths and passions bringing a combination that achieves a visual spark. Well, that's all I have to offer on a sultry summer evening. Please contact Lizzards Gallery for more information on this spark titled Golden Land Iris, 24"w x 12"h, acrylic on canvas.

Blooming Iris

"Blooming Iris"  36"w x 24"h, Lizzards Gallery Duluth MN

The iris have been blooming around my home in Duluth MN recently, and I couldn't help but find myself drawn to their color, form, and beauty. Capturing them on canvas is a challenge as the flowers I chose were solid purple with little distinguishing features where the petals overlapped. So I made sure to paint them open so that the negative space around the flowers could be filled with color. I had quite a fun time in this series, and will post new works in an iris theme for the next several days. Please stop back soon .. and take a minute to stop and smell the iris. :) Please contact Lizzards Gallery for more information.

April Snow Tulips

"April Snow Tulips" 6"w x 6"h

I felt this piece was appropriate for a cold gray April day. The snow is softly falling in large flakes and melting on the soggy ground as the birds that were so full of song yesterday are quietly waiting for sunnier skies. This time of year is called by many as the theater of seasons with snow one day, warm sun the next, rain, then sleet etc... but it is also a time of eager expectation and preparation for the summer season. Everything will soon be lush and green outside and I'll face a bigger challenge than that of trying to paint with low gray light and that is distraction. Hard to stay in the studio with warm summer days outside ... these tulips that are covered with snow in this painting can't wait for summer and neither can I. Until then we patiently wait out the April snow...
Please contact Siiviis Gallery in Duluth, MN for more information on this piece.

Snowy April Tulips

I'm at a loss for words at the moment ... not sure why. Here's a new piece featuring tulips and snow falling on a deep cobalt blue background titled Snowy April Tulips which is 8"w x 10"h and available at Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais, MN.

Gold Ridge Crocus

"Gold Ridge Crocus" 6"w x 6"h

Another piece in a spring flower series featuring flowers in the snow. This one has a warm gold ridge in the background to complement the blue sky and deep purple blooms of the crocus. I haven't painted flowers for a couple years ... it does feel a bit strange to be blogging about my flower paintings, but oh well, Vincent Van Gogh painted flowers so I can too! lol. Check back soon and happy spring.
Please contact Siiviis Gallery in Duluth, MN for more information on this piece.

Lavender Crocus

"Lavender Crocus" 10"wx8"h

April showers bring May flowers. Except here in northern Minnesota, where the landscape is still covered by a thick blanket of snow in April. The sunny 50 degree temps may do something about that snow this week, however. I painted a series of flowers pushing up through the snow last week, as we were getting hit by a couple snowstorms and spring seemed like a fleeting dream, and this is one of the new works titled Lavender Crocus, 10"w x 8"h. Crocus and tulips seem to be resilient flowers, often found pushing through snow, and thriving amongst the cold weather. And I don't blame them ... after this record setting cold and snowy winter I join these flowers in saying enough is enough. Time to start growing again.