New Work: Yellows Beyond the Water, oil on canvas, 40 x 40 inches

Exhibiting: Dominique Boisjoli Fine Art, Santa Fe, NM

$6650 framed
To purchase
 
It’s a common occurrence among artists that someone will ask you, “How long did it take to make that painting?” It’s a good way to start a conversation since the person doing the asking can’t be expected to ask technical questions that are outside their experience. The best answer is that it varies.
 
In this case, my answer would be that it took me 3 years to the month to complete this one. There are other works in the studio that have been around for a similar length of time, but I’m not bothered by the slow progress. At any time in the studio I have over a dozen works in progress with each one moving at their own speed and path toward completion. Fortunately, most of the oils finish in 1-3 months.
 
Walking into the studio is like going to school every day where there are lots of problems to be solved and this painting certainly had it's share. I keep a photo record how these works evolve and for this oil there were 6 different variations before this 7th idea provided a good solution.
 
As I worked on it, the yellows began to take over and became the main color. This shift helped reveal the shapes and patterns within the painting, making them glow beautifully. The years- long process allowed me to discover and refine the artwork in ways I hadn’t anticipated.

Grateful Notices: Tangerine Evening I, oil on canvas, 36 x 36 inches

Tangerine Evening I, oil on canvas, 36 x 36 inches Exhibited: Dominique Boisjoli Fine Art, Santa Fe, NM

Private collection
 
My thanks to the collector of this oil.

About this oil:
This is a composition I was immediately attracted to. It was from a photograph that I came across and a canvas was begun the next morning. The challenge was to use those three strip elements and create something interesting without losing the original simplicity.
 
It’s another one of those sunset challenges – make something compelling without the full orchestra fully going at it. So, subtle it will be and I decided on soft tangerine hues.
 
I began blocking in the canvas with loose, open strokes and allowing the green and tangerine variations to show without blending. Once the land mass was added, it became very clear that a minimum of detail would be necessary. That was a nice surprise – there was enough texture in the brushwork elsewhere to create a uniform but quiet complexity. The land mass is important, but only to serve as a break in the composition in order to set up the illusion of weight and distance.
 
After blocking it all in, I left it for the day and when I returned to the studio the next morning, the oil declared itself done. There was nothing left to add except a signature…a very satisfying outcome!

Happy Holidays!!!

 

Ken Elliott Fine Art Newsletter, November 2024

Ken Elliott Fine Art Newsletter, November 2024 View this email in your browser

November News: René Magritte has been on my mind a lot lately and there has been some recent news. I had the privilege and honor of being introduced to and welcomed into a private home with a remarkable art collection that includes 4 Magritte oils. The wonderful couple with the collection befriended Magritte decades ago and purchased pieces directly from him. Here is a wonderful Magritte website and store. There is piece of information about Magritte that rings with me. "The German occupation of Belgium marked a turning point in his art. "Before the war, my paintings expressed anxiety, but the experiences of war have taught me that what matters in art is to express charm,’ he stated. ‘I live in a very disagreeable world, and my work is meant as a counter-offensive.’ Magritte                                                                     Photo: Le Fils de L'Homme  (The Son of Man) By the way, Paul McCartney owns a small Magritte oil of an apple and it influenced the Beatles recording company's Apple logo and album labels. And just in from the Christie's auction house:"November 19, 2024 will be remembered as a key date in the history of art and the international influence of René Magritte. That evening, at Rockefeller Center in New York, his emblematic painting The Empire of Light  was sold for the astronomical sum of $121.16 million in a highly anticipated auction." I love Magritte's "counter offensive," it is is very affirming to the work I do. That inspiration will flow right into the studio where the oils are patiently (or not) waiting to be finished. Some take MUCH longer than others like Yellows Beyond the Water, which was three years in the making!  My sincere thanks to the collectors that purchased 2 of my works from Saks Galleries last month and the owners Mikkel and Catherine.   The 3-Day Intensive Workshops will soon be announced beginning in the spring of next year for Cincinnati and the Denver Metro but in the meantime, I do day-long 'paint alongs' for $50 where we are both painting separately and we huddle for problem solving. Send me an email if you are interested... It's very informative, casual and great fun. email Ken   Wishing you all a beautiful and loving Thanksgiving! Ken

New Works: Yellows Beyond the Water Oil on canvas, 40 x 40 inches $6650 framed In the studio About this oil Colored Veils Oil on panel, 24 x 24 inches $2,450 framed Exhibiting: Dominique Boisjoli Fine Art, Santa Fe, NM. About this oil Snow Running Uphill Oil on panel, 24 x 24 inches $2450 framed Exhibiting: Dominique Boisjoli Fine Art, Santa Fe, NM. About this oil Grateful Notices: Backlit Forest Oil on canvas, 40 x 60 inches Exhibited: Saks Galleries, Denver Private collection About this oil Red and Yellow Stand Oil on canvas, 40 x 60 inches Exhibited: Saks Galleries, Denver Private collection About this oil Available Works: Dusk Approaching Oil on canvas, 48 x 30 inches In the studio About this oil Sunset in Orange and Pink $1850 unframed In the studio About this oil Blue Wish Oil on canvas, 36" x 36" Exhibiting: Sorelle Gallery, Westport, Connecticut $4700 framed About this oil Workshops and Mentoring Sessions: Take your work to new heights. My Workshops and Mentoring 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 and in some sessions, there will be time for Photoshop insights made easy. all workshop info Here's a video about what happens in the Group and Private Workshops Ken Elliott American Landscapes coffee table book: This large coffee table book reprises over 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: $160 or just order the book for $129. eBook versions available for Amazon Kindle Fire®, Apple iOS devices, and macOS computers for $14.99.You can preview the complete book and how to order your electronic or hardback versions from my website. View my newest artworks sign up for this newsletter here Into the Green Forest Exhibiting: Sorelle Gallery, Westport, Connecticut $10500 framed About this oil 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. To view the total of my works in all media and in all my galleries, go to www.kenelliott.com. Please pass this onto a friend and they can sign up for this newsletter here. Thank you, Ken Contact Ken 303-995-1611 email website Sign up for Ken's blog Sign up for this newsletter Image top: (cropped here) Yellows Beyond the Water Oil on canvas, 40 x 40 inches $6650 framed In the studio About this oil 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. What they are saying: One of the best artists and teachers I know. S. "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 work shop was so inspirational for me. My mind is still spinning in a good way!!" D.  "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 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!" K. "Thanks SO VERY MUCH, Ken, for such a fun, informative, and energetic workshop. Your enthusiasm is contagious. What a wonderful weekend!!" C. "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." "Love the class, you are a great teacher!" B. 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Grateful Notices: Yellow and Red Forest, oil on canvas, 36 x 36 inches

 

Yellow and Red Forest, oil on canvas, 36 x 36 inches

Exhibited: Dominique Boisjoli Fine Art, Santa Fe, NM

My thanks to the collectors of this oil.

 
This piece expands on my earlier 24 x 24-inch work, Colored Veils. Every time I start a new canvas, it quickly takes on a life of its own and that was definitely what occurred here.
 
While I initially set out to retain many of the elements I liked in the smaller painting, this larger canvas evolved in another way. As I worked, the composition shifted, evolving into a more abstracted interpretation of the original forest scene.
 
The bold split between the yellows and reds in the composition divides the canvas almost in half, creating a striking contrast without additional tree trunks interrupting the central area. I enjoy the sharp, modern effect of this division—it feels fresh and dynamic. Although I’d like to say this was entirely intentional, in truth I was simply responding to the canvas, finding the best solutions in the moment.

Lynn’s Sky, oil on canvas, 36 x 36 inches

Exhibiting: Saks Galleries, Denver, CO.

$5700 framed
 
My friend Lynn had her photo taken with this sunset in the background. The glowing orange and blue clouds made an intriguing combination, inspiring me to paint them.
 
There was a subtle glow in that sky and in translating it to the canvas, I made a conscious effort to illuminate every part of this work. Making that happen involves numerous variations of each color, an intriguing puzzle.
 
Another important aspect to this work is how everything flows from side to side, the light flowing upward and the descending diagonals at the top. 
 
The dark, radiant strip at the bottom wasn’t originally planned but my experiment with the radiant blues set off all of those warmer colors nicely.
 
This is a painting full of nuance and it was a pleasure to explore them all.