Moon Sparkle

"Moon Sparkle" 6"wx6"h

When winter was on the doorstep I was going through a 'painter's block' and couldn't figure out what to paint. I went for a few weeks just struggling to find some spark, some creative drive and felt like a listless sailboat on Lake Superior with no wind to get me going in a direction. I spoke with one of the owners of a gallery that represents my work and they gave me some ideas. Not what to paint specifically, but more general direction and some of the words were like 'snowscapes', 'moonlight' and 'night magic'. I took these to thoughtful consideration and a wide range of compositions have resulted, today's post titled Moon Sparkle just one of many. From a listless boat to a passionate painter ... can't wait to get back to the easel and get to work. I wish I always had this creative spark, this passionate flame to sustain me ... but life isn't about riding the winds on a warm sunny day, it's about enjoying the journey through the calm times, the waves, the sun and the night. Peace. -A
 
Please contact Lizzards Gallery for more information about today's painting.

Bluestone Winterland, Blue Ice & Winter Blues

"Bluestone Winterland" 12" x 12"

"Blue Ice" 4" x 4"

"Winter Blues" 4" x 4"

If you love cobalt blues (like me), you'll love today's post which features three new originals currently available at Siiviis Gallery in Duluth, MN. These were painted in a familiar theme of mine, that being birch trees amongst a twilight blue sky and blue stones. I decided to feature them together as they were painted simultaneously. I have a large scale work in mind featuring this theme in the future as I'm drawn to this color and subject matter. It also fits this time of year when the days aren't quite as long, and the forest floor resembles the blue ice that I used to title one of the smaller works. I'm off to work on some new canvases that feature a new theme I've never tried before, but it will be a challenge and will be posted next week. Have a great day! -A

Please contact Siiviis Gallery for more information about these paintings

Gold Guys & Golden Sky Guy

Gold Guys, Acrylic on 6"w x 6"h canvas

Golden Sky Guy, 8"w x 8"h

Today's cardinals have a background color that I've never used before. The gold is more of an ochre color and less of a yellow color. The result is a warmer, more calming feel. I really like how it plays with the reds of the cardinals, and disguises their beaks, as if they don't want you to know what they're saying. :) I've also been thinking about the edge of the canvas. In the past, I've worked to the edge and cropped the photos of the works to the edge with a crisp, straight line. Lately, I've been stopping my brushstrokes before the edge of the canvas, and I'm working to capture that with the camera as well. It brings a more uniform feel to the works, and so far I'm enjoying the effect, especially where the birch trees meet the edge of the canvas, such as in these pieces available at Siiviis Gallery in Duluth, MN.

Please contact Siiviis Gallery for more information about these paintings.

January Maples and Maple Snow

"January Maples" 4"w x 4"h

"Maple Snow" 4"w x 4"h

Here are a couple of fun little winterscapes. I started with the maples and fully intended to add more color and texture to the trees, but after I painted the snow I realized that they should stay dark to give the snow contrast. This is the end of the spectrum so to speak ... white and black. I can't increase the contrast any more than that, and the snowflakes are titanium white by Golden straight out of the tube. I love to glaze my paints in multiple shades that are thin and semi-transparent, but not the snow. I also had some fun with the shadows, adding in some cobalt blue over burnt sienna ... basically giving the impression that the snow is falling over the forest floor.

Please contact Lizzards Gallery for more information about these paintings.

Red Winter Ridge

"Red Winter Ridge", 8"w x 8"h

I stopped into Lizzards Gallery yesterday to drop off 13 new works on canvas. There is nice selection in the gallery already of larger works on canvas, and the holiday season had depleted the selection of smaller works, so I focused on the smaller sized canvases. I just love the square sized canvases, so if you visit the gallery you'll get to see the bright new work featuring snowy landscapes and cardinals. All the new work is also on my website if you'd like to view it there. My daughter is asking to go ice skating ... gotta get outside and enjoy this beautiful winter weather this weekend! Stop back soon. :)

Please contact Lizzards Gallery for more information about today's painting.

Three Part Harmony

"Three Part Harmony" 12"w x 12"h

Who doesn't just love harmony in music? There's rhythm and harmony in painting. When you have it, you feel like you can paint forever and every brush stroke sings and dances across the canvas like the sun on a sparkling lake. When you lose it, you pace around the studio wondering if you'll ever be able to lift a brush again. The ups and downs of being an artist ... at least I have these little guys to cheer me up. :)

Please contact Siiviis Gallery for more information about this painting.

By the Bright Moonlight

"By the Bright Moonlight" Acrylic on 12"w x 12"h canvas

Here's a cool blue winterscape titled By the Bright Moonlight, which is 12"w x 12"h and currently available at Siiviis Gallery in Duluth, MN. Siiviis now has a Facebook page, here's the link.

All my new work at Siiviis can also be found here.

Please contact Siiviis Gallery for more information about this painting.

January Cardinals

"January Cardinals" Acrylic on 3-6"w x 18"h canvases totaling 18"w x 18"h

My blog may have been a little quiet as of late but there's been a flurry of activity in the studio. Over  a dozen new works have been created for a gallery called Siiviis in Duluth, MN. I'd have been posting beforehand, but then, I wanted to start posting as the works are available at the gallery, hence the lag in blog posts. Tomorrow, I'll be braving the sub zero weather yet again in Duluth to bring in a selection of cardinals and other winterscapes in a large range of sizes and prices. I can't wait to see them all hung in the gallery ... the cardinals in this group are painted in such a vibrant red they literally grab your attention and say 'look at me!' ... but isn't that what cardinals do? Please stop back soon as new work will be posted daily. Gotta fly. -A

Riverwood Gallery display wall

Riverwood Gallery display, Eau Claire, Wisconsin

Riverwood Gallery in Eau Claire, Wisconsin is now featuring a nice collection of my work. Any blog readers in the area may want to stop over there and check out the beautiful display the gallery made. A freshly cut Aspen is mounted to the wall and the artwork is creatively spaced and features many colorful cardinals and other landscapes in multiple sizes. I've posted all the work on my website along with the gallery contact information here. If you see something you like please give the gallery a call or email as they offer shipping.
Here's the contact info:

Riverwood Gallery
3402 Mall Drive, Eau Claire, WI
Phone: (715) 833-2111
Email
Website

Riverwood Gallery

My work is now featured at Riverwood Gallery in Eau Claire, Wisconsin! I'm so excited to see how people from a new area respond to my work and it connects with them. I've just sent a shipment of works to the gallery, and uploaded the new work to my website as well, click here to view it in a new window.

Please check it out and stop back soon ... lots of new work will be featured in January ... gotta get back at it, there are twelve works in progress waiting for me. :)

2012: A Year in Review

"Twilight Birch Triptych"

2012 was such a rollercoaster ride for me artistically that I don't know quite where to begin or end. I began the year with a painting in the Duluth Art Institute's Annual Membership Show titled Twilight Birch Triptych which was purchased by a collector from the twin cities. It was a great way to kick off the year, and I began some serious artistic soul searching through the winter months of 2012, producing several paintings which would refine my style and set the course for the work to be produced throughout the year.

Early in 2012 I began working with Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais, MN. I originally sent up five works on canvas, each approx. 12"x16" in size or so ... to see how my work would fit within their gallery. Long story short, those five canvases were sold there within the first couple months of 2012 and so began the adventure that is too detailed to describe in a short paragraph. Throughout the year, I sent up box after box of canvases only to be asked for more. My strategy of working small and fast seemed to jive with what people were collecting and looking for. While I'm thankful for the many comments and sales, I do know that 2013 will be even more exciting and I have a nice supply of canvases ready to go as I will be working with Siiviis Gallery in Duluth as well as Sivertson in Grand Marais, and I can't wait to see what will become. While I do endeavor to chart my own course artistically, I'm also inspired by collectors and people who appreciate my work and who help give me direction and clarity.

Throughout 2012 I continued to work with Lizzards Art Gallery in Duluth, and many pieces have been sold there and the owner, Jeff, is a great advocate for the arts in the community and also a great person to work with. Because Jeff opened his gallery to me early on in my career, he has a nice retrospective of work, from my early landscapes to my latest work, I love to go there to see how things have changed and progressed over the past year. In December, four pieces were sold, and I'd love to know who received them as gifts and how they feel about them. I may never know, but hearing from people on how my work impacts them is often my favorite part about being an artist.

Tree to Tree opened their gallery to me as well in 2012, selling several cardinal themed canvases and offering a unique place to display my work along the scenic north shore in Two Harbors, MN.

Finally, Blue Lake Gallery asked me to have a show for their annual Art for Earth Day Gallery Hop. I titled the show 'Tremendous Trees' and it was tremendous indeed, I painted at a feverish pace to create over 30 canvases for the show. I continued to work with Blue Lake over the course of 2012, and they are a wonderful gallery with an awesome assortment of 2D and 3D art. I've been thankful for their partnership and assistance and wish them all the best into 2013 and beyond.

I suppose I couldn't end this post without mentioning the summer shows I had the opportunity and to be a part of. Jitters was the first stop on a coffee shop tour. The show at Jitters was titled Urban Oasis and for the first time I set out to paint buildings. While the work was well received, it was difficult to produce and I found myself struggling for the first time through difficult subject matter. A few images from the show can be seen here. The show also featured several landscapes that were deep in color and collected by people from Duluth and Grand Marais. After that show, I hung 25 new works at The Vanilla Bean in Two Harbors for my next show Intimate Landscapes. Again, the work was well received and it was the most successful show I've ever had. The best part about that show was talking to people about the work via email, phone, and in person, several asking for works they had seen and vividly described. I shipped several works and wished the show could go on, but all good things must come to and end, and so after that show I worked feverishly once again to produce several large scale pieces for a show at Beaner's Central Coffeehouse in Duluth titled Awesome Autumn. The show was so captivating, as the walls were painted in warm orange and yellow tones, and the work looked so much like it was supposed to be there.

...and all I can say is a heartfelt thank you to all who have collected my work and encouraged my with kind words, ideas and inspiration. Ed Newman's piece on my work was so much fun to read, The Playlists's feature on my work was so fun to view, the North Shore Art Scene's help in publishing my work online ... along with all the gallery and collector help has made 2012 a year I will never forget.

Happy New Year and all my best!
God bless :)
-A

Red Birch

"Red Birch" Acrylic on 4"wx4"h canvas

Here's a nice little birch painting that screams 'look at me!' lol. The photo doesn't do it justice, the reds really do grab your attention. I thought about a composition with the reds and birches on a large scale, that would really be something. Perhaps I'll add it to the to do list ...

Please contact Sivertson Gallery for more information on this painting.

First Snow Triptych

"First Snow Triptych", Acrylic on 12"w x 4"h canvas

As I shoveled snow yesterday I couldn't help but think about this painting and some ideas I have for other works that will no doubt soon be painted. Snow is white, and white is a tricky color to paint with. There has to be 10,00000000 shades of white, and when you paint on black canvas, it just adds several more zeros to that number. :) While I can't just paint white on black as I'm not going that effect, getting the underpainting just right is a challenge. I'm going to be working with snow for a while ... hopefully more with my brush and less with my shovel, but in Duluth, MN you better know how to run a shovel. Now that I mention it, it's snowing again. Gotta go ... paint.

Please contact Sivertson Gallery for more information on this painting.

The Playlist features my work

Please click on the following link to view the video that The Playlist made that features my work. :)

Stargazers 1-3

Here's three new cardinal paintings available at Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais. I've enjoyed working in series as of late, and these three are part of a series of six cardinals on a deep ultramarine blue background. The depth of color makes the white birch bark jump off the canvas, almost like the paint was backlit. The stars have the same effect. I was unsure about winter themed paintings, but with  painting the snow landscapes that will be featured here in the coming weeks, along with night landscapes, I'm having a blast! Maybe I won't hibernate after all this winter! lol.

ps-I'm having a little fun with Photoshop collages and thinking about presenting multiple works in prints that would be collectible and affordable, and fun. :)

Cardinals

A nice selection of new original cardinal paintings will be available this weekend at Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais, including the six featured on this collage. The gallery also has a selection of my paintings available to purchase online on their website .. check it out. :)
 Please stop back as there will be several new cardinal paintings posted here daily.
-A