New Work: Summer Sunset, oil on canvas, 36 x 36 inches

Summer Sunset, oil on canvas, 36 x 36 inches

The plan was to paint this sunset in an uncommon way, forget the realist aspects and use colors as I wished. It seemed easy enough and the painting did come together quickly, but I wasn't quite satisfied after I had declared it finished.

As it turned out, this oil was 'finished' two more times. I was a bit too timid the second time, so lesson learned, the third attempt began with colors pushed further and additional attention given to the edges everywhere. Last, I added more subtleties to the dark foreground and that small amount of tweaking created a surprising amount of depth.

Finally, the painting hit the mark with the high-contrasts at the bottom giving way to the paler atmosphere at the top. The effect sets up the horizontal bands with their various colors nicely...it almost sings at times.

May Newsletter: New Exhibits, New Works

Ken Elliott's Fine Art Newsletter May, 2019 View this email in your browser

May News: I am happy to announce that I will be included in two shows this summer and grateful for new gallery representation in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. All of this new activity is an incentive to create new works and try out new ideas in the process, so back to the studio! Also, my thanks to the many that have collected and placed my works this year and for all the artists that have invited me to work with them in workshops and private sessions. It is an honor and a delightful challenge. Following below are some new oils and other works presently exhibiting. All available works are fully listed on my website. Thanks! Ken Openings: Saks Galleries, Denver Group Show, Saturday, June 15, 11am- 5pm Friday, August 16 Dominique Boisjoli Fine Art, Santa Fe Opening reception, 4-7pm with refreshments Through Aug 31 New Representation: Gallery 89, Steamboat Springs, CO New works: Summer Sunset Oil on canvas, 36 X 36 inches   $5100 framed More about this oil on Ken's blog, For the Color Sun on Snow I Oil on panel, 24 x 24   $2450  framed Dominique Boisjoli Fine Art, Santa Fe, NM More about this oil on Ken's blog, For the Color In the Galleries: Turning Autumn Oil on canvas, 48 X 48   $8950 framed Gallery 89, Steamboat Springs, CO Saccade XII Oil on canvas, 48 x 60   $10950 framed Dominique Boisjoli Fine Art, Santa Fe, NM More about this on Ken's blog, For the Color Blue Skyscape Oil on canvas, 36 x 60   $8450 framed Madelyn Jordan Fine Art, Scarsdale, NY Video: Ken discusses this making of this oil Foothill Glow Oil on canvas, 40 x 40   $6650. framed Madelyn Jordan Fine Art, Scarsdale, NY Grateful Notices: Bright Conversation Oil on panel, 24 x 24  Private collection Exhibited: Sorelle Gallery, New Canaan, CT More about this oil on Ken's blog, For the Color Workshops / Private Sessions /Studio Visits: Here's a video about what happens in the Group and Private Workshops Contact Ken to arrange a studio visit or Workshop. It is always a pleasure to meet you. Take your work to new heights. These workshops and private sessions will focus on strategies for making better paintings, colorist tools, going to new places in your work and making fine art. We will be going deeper into making better and more appealing artworks with a variety of strategies including Photoshop insights made easy. all workshop info Publications: A Survey of Paintings and Prints at the PACE Center with works in oils, pastels and monotypes. This exhibition catalog can be purchased online here. 30 color pages and text by the artist. $10 plus $4 postage. Ken Elliott American Landscapes coffee table book: This large coffee table book reprises 25 years of my works in oil, pastel, monotype, etching and collage.Large, coffee table hardback version, 11 x 13 inches, 94 color pages with essays. Book and a signed giclee print of the cover image: $150 or just order the book for $115. Also available as an iBook / download on Apple devices for $9.99. You can preview the complete book and how to order your electronic or hardback versions from my website. My Blog, For the Color Want to follow along in my studio? Come across some interesting art bits and intriguing posts from elsewhere? Check out my artist's blog: For the Color and on the right of the blog under Followers, click Join this Site. Right now you can view vintage videos of Renoir, Degas, a Piet Mondrian video montage, comments about my works and observations about museum artworks from some recent trips. View my newest artworks: This monthly newsletter is the best way to stay up to date with my new works and events. You can also follow me on Facebook and go more in depth with my blog, For the Color. To view the total of my works in all media and in all my galleries, go to www.kenelliott.com Thank you, Ken SaveSave Copyright © 2019 Ken Elliott, All rights reserved. You are on Ken Elliott's art mailing list Our mailing address is: Ken Elliott 5282 Red Pass Way Castle Rock, Colorado  80108 Add us to your address book unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences  Contact Ken 303-995-1611 email website Art Blog: For the Color Sign up for this newsletter Image top, cropped: Summer Sunset Oil on canvas, 36 X 36 inches     $5100 framed More about this oil on Ken's blog, For the Color American Art Collector Magazine: "Elliott's canvases display the strikingly vivid modern hues in which he chooses to render his contemporary landscapes."  Southwest Art Magazine: Although his paintings loosely reference photographs and plein-air sketches, they refuse to exist within the confines of already-prescribed images. Rather, they stand independent of any specific place or time, the fulfilled pursuits of the artist’s visual and intellectual explorations. Elliott wields color boldly, creating sizzling, vibrant shapes that are at once kinetic and placid, grounded in unifying illumination, and focused compositions. He has a fascination with line structure as well, believing that “edges empower colors.”  Private Lessons and studio visits: I have really enjoyed giving private lessons individually or with groups over the years. It is casual, focused and fun. It is always a pleasure welcoming collectors into my studio, please email me a call to arrange a time. The workshops are very stimulating and you will see a big result in your approach to making fine art and clarity on your career strategies. Let's discuss what works best for you. Lodging and transportation can be provided for the Castle Rock Workshops. What they are saying: "I had a clue what might be in store for my friends, but it went WAY beyond. You have a real gift. What a FANTASTIC couple of days!!!’ L. "Your painting demonstrations and the information you gave us  was invaluable- no wonder your paintings are so moving. I so enjoyed meeting you. Thank you for coming to Virginia."   Sally "Thank you so much for the wonderful, thought compelling workshop. You rekindled my love for making art. Your enthusiasm is contagious and felt throughout the room. You set up a stimulating environment that provided continuous visual images and your generosity in sharing those photos was much appreciated. I found you to be humorous, supportive and kind. I would recommend you as an instructor to anyone who would like to take their art to the next level." "I can't thank you enough for coming to Boulder! Thank you for your clear eye, your hard work, your beautiful color and your careful feedback. I'm now a different Painter...maybe a different person? I loved the weekend. And I can't wait until we get to soak up your love for the work, for Wolf Kahn, for COLOR -- yet again (note that I'm greedy). You are an amazing addition to our lives." M. "Thank you so much for lighting up our lives and our paintings at this past weekend’s workshop! I loved hearing about your time with Wolf Kahn, your thoughts on painting, the beautiful demo, and of course the great feedback you provided us on our own paintings. You really reignited my desire to paint freely. Thanks also for your generosity in sharing the numerous links. "I hope to spend another weekend painting with you sometime soon." B.H. "Thank you for the workshop! It was a great two days. You are an amazing host and instructor, (two things that don’t always work together). "You pulled something from each of us and it was wonderful to be a part of it. Thanks to the moon and back," V. "Thank you Ken. It was a wonderment! I learned so much." Kathy "I so enjoyed meeting you and being part of the workshop. You got me on fire!!!!!" Ed "Wow! My weekend of private lessons was fabulous! While I was there I stepped into a whole new world that my soul was calling for. "Wonderful conversations, a beautiful time with great art everywhere and artistic success!" Kate "It was a fabulous workshop! I know we all had a lot of fun and really enjoyed having you here. We would love to have you come back again next year!" Donna "Just wanted to thank you again for a very inspiring, informative, and fun workshop. I worked LARGE today!" Maxene "Thank you for all your inspiration!" Deb "Thanks SO VERY MUCH, Ken, for such a fun, informative, and energetic workshop. Your enthusiasm is contagious. What a wonderful weekend!!" Christine "When I signed up for a painting workshop, who knew that it would be so much more.Thank you Ken. For your kindness, generosity of spirit, and sharing your knowledge and skill of painting with us. "Thank you to everyone for making our time together a magical weekend which will be cherished. Fortunately the universe provided me with what I needed, whether I knew it or not." Linda "Love the class, you are a great teacher!" Betsy "I feel so enriched and on fire to paint big and glowing colors. If you ever get a chance to study with Ken Elliott, I highly recommend him. If you need help getting to his workshops just read his book Manifesting 123" Francine Website Facebook Twitter Pinterest SHARE THIS EMAIL

Grateful Notices: Bright Conversation, oil on panel, 24 x 24 inches

Bright Conversation Oil on panel, 24 x 24

My thanks to the collectors that purchased this oil and to the the wonderful staff at the Sorelle Gallery in New Canaan, CT.

Here's a bit more about this oil:

This oil started with that bright yellow sky. Since this is a 24 x 24 image, things can happen really fast and they did! I was searching for a means to create the opposite of that bright sky, something dark, by using a line of colorful trees.

A number of tree patterns came and went until the present shape emerged with that dark reveal at the base of the trees. The foreground went through of permutations as well, with a number of complex to simple arrangements being tried out.

At one point during the creation of this I realized that despite the scale, the time involved was the same as a much larger oil. It was still a 500 piece puzzle, so to speak, but the pieces were just smaller.

The work finally started to come together with the addition of the hot pink and purple in the distant hill and a generous about of ochres and yellows everywhere.

I thought it was done and left it for a couple of days, but seeing it fresh in the studio again it came off just a bit too monochromatic, so the greens and blues were added just under the base of the trees and at the bit of standing water in the lower left.

It was very satisfying to pull all on the elements and unnatural colors together although it didn't come quickly.

Completed Art Workshop with Casey Klahn and Ken Elliott: April 2019

Here are photos from the April 2019 Workshop with Casey Klahn and me. Casey and I were honored to work with this remarkable group of artists. A number of new ideas were tried out, new pathways opened and breakthroughs were in abundance. Artists in this workshop were working in oils, pastels and watercolor. There was some serious fun thrown in as well.