New Work: Air through the Forest, oil on canvas, 40 x 40 inches

Air through the Forest, oil on canvas, 40 x 40 inches $6650 framed

For this painting I developed it in a different way, putting in the foliage first and with a lot of paint on the brush. The leaves set up a delicate, lacy effect and added movement.

The vertical trunk patterns create the horizontal and vertical aspects of this painting. As the tree trunks recede, they are surrounded by the yellow tones and it gives off the illusion of atmosphere. The placement of the tree trunks from left to right complete the composition, filling the space, adding more movement and interest.

The atmospheric effects weren't something I was striving for, but once I saw what the yellow tones were doing, I let the painting develop that way, continuing with thick strokes, layer after layer and it was fascinating to use so much paint and still give the illusion of tinted air. 

Grateful Notices: Red Wall at the Lake Pastel on paper, 17 5/8 x 23 3/8 inches

Red Wall at the Lake
Pastel on paper, 17 5/8 x 23 3/8  Sold, private collection
Exhibited,: Madelyn Jordan Fine Art, Scarsdale, NY
Also available as a limited edition giclee print

The trees are an excuse to make a red pattern and the pattern is a device for the yellow trees and blues of the lake to to emerge from the background. All the colors and compositional elements work together toward a common goal - to make the reds as bright as possible.

The plan was a simple one, to set up the depth like screens in a stage play and to have horizontal bands of colors dancing across. It was a straightforward enough idea but it took hundreds of pastel strokes to make it come to life. I had a lot of joy in the creation of it and hopefully it comes through in the work.

My thanks to the collector and Madelyn Jordan Fine Art!

New Work: Brilliant Forest, oil on canvas, 40 x 40 inches

Brilliant Forest,  oil on canvas, 40 x 40 inches    $6650 framed
Gallery 89, Steamboat Springs, CO

Working on this canvas was like being in a candy store. There is a lot of color and form packed into this scene, like a big bowl of bright candy wrappers bursting with color and concealing the bright flavors hidden inside.

The bright trees in the back intensify the composition and care was taken to make the darks interesting as well. The shadows are also an important design element and their presence became a happy excuse for the application of even more color at the bottom of the canvas.

It was very satisfying to finish this oil since it was started about 4 years earlier. There were numerous changes and improvements along the way, and each alteration moved the work closer to the goal of creating this expressive forest.

Grateful Notices:Yellows Across the Lake oil on canvas, 40 x 40 inches

Yellows Across the Lake  oil on canvas, 40 x 40 inches
Private collection, Seattle

Many thanks to the person that purchased this oil. 

I put the pressure on myself by filming myself painting it. As I mentioned in the video, this idea sprang from a teeny pastel sketch I did years before. I remember staying up very late at night with that pastel, struggling very hard with it. In desperation, I scratched it all out with a razor blade and quickly reconstructed it. Out of the ashes came a very nice pastel. 

Years later, it became this oil that that is now hanging in a private collection, a great honor.

View the 13 min. video of Ken creating a 40 x 40 inch oil on canvas from start to finish

Narrating as he paints, Ken describes his methods as the painting develops.

Video credit:
Marianne Pestana Media Services


 

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.

Grateful Notices: Saccades IV oil on panel, 24 x 24 inches

Ken Elliott  Saccades IV  oil on panel, 24 x 24 inches
Exhibited Sorelle Gallery, New Cannan, CT   private collection

It is a pleasure to paint this series of forest scenes. I was thinking of something a bit more abstracted and then I came across the name Saccades. It gave me the idea of making a painting without a focal point, a departure from what landscapes usually do.

I liked the challenge of it and there will certainly be more variations in the future.

My thanks to the buyer of this oil and the encouragement it gave me!


About the Saccades Series:

"Since the late 19th century, researchers have been aware of the phenomenon of saccades, the rapid movement of the eye as we shift our attention from one thing to another. As a result, vision itself is discontinuous. We construct a “map of reality” from saccades much as a film editor puts together a scene from individual camera takes."  From an article by the film maker Errol Morris, NY Times

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

Summer Sunset, oil on canvas, 36 X 36 inches   $5100 framed

Sunsets create fascinating opportunities for artists and I never tire of them. I use them to play out different color combinations and shapes without the worry of trying to represent a realistic scene.

To start the painting, I first set up the bright orange sky and set them again the darks at the bottom. Instantly, the painting had power, at least in 1/2 of the oil. The upper part needed to be compelling on its own, but instead of continuing with more warm colors, I opted instead to use a much lighter, almost white sky.

The dark and light areas were made more interesting by adding a variety of colors to create depth and  patterns. This is essentially an image of land and sky made with strips of color but to make it more engaging, care was taken to vary the edges on the shapes and all the colors as they move across the canvas. The options were unlimited, and it made for a delightful puzzle.

Grateful Notices: Contrasts at the Creek, oil on canvas 47.5 x 47.5 inches

Contrasts at the Creek, oil on canvas 47.5 x 47.5 inches

It is always a pleasure to hear that a sale has come through, and in this case from an esteemed art consultant in the Boston area. This is a favorite work I did some years ago using a strip landscape as a backdrop for the overall tree patterns. 

There is plenty of bright color coming through the darks and everything is further accentuated by the band of sky and even brighter glow from the creek. 

I was very happy to hear that the oil went into a private collection and they sent me a photo of the installation. Thank you!

Grateful Notices: Gathering Light II, oil on canvas, 48 x 48 inches

Gathering Light II, oil on canvas, 48 x 48 inches Private collection
Exhibited: Dominique Boisjoli Fine Art, Santa Fe, NM

How far can you push red and orange in a landscape? As it turns out, quite a bit. The wall of colors in this background pushed the whole painting into a hot and surreal scene that demanded more bold moves to make it work - high contrast darks and bright yellows. 

it is always a pleasure to do a high-key oil like this but in order to do so, the real world has to be abandoned and given over to this new world of delicious brights in a red atmosphere. The real-world subtleties of greys and soft tones are burned out, leaving the a chord of bright, clear notes. Sometimes you just wanna shout!

My thanks to the collectors that purchased this oil from Dominique Boisjoli Fine Art, Santa Fe, NM.

Grateful Notices: Color at the Edge of the Lake, oil on canvas, 30 x 48 inches

Color at the Edge of the Lake, oil on canvas, 30 x 48 inches
Private collection
Exhibited: Dominique Boisjoli Fine Art, Santa Fe, NM

It was a nice surprise to get a call from Dominique with the news that one of her clients had just purchased this painting for their home. I was in the Colorado mountains at the time with views of a snowy paradise all around and the gallery call just capped an already perfect day. Thank you!

Here are the earlier blog notes describing this painting:

I was visiting a friend in the Baltimore area some years ago and came across a photo from that trip, a small stand of trees at the edge of a lake. The photograph was very different, with even lighting and all green foliage.

Regardless, I liked the composition and began the painting with a somewhat subdued palette. After a few sessions, the painting evolved into scene with the light coming in from the back, accentuating the dark trunks in the foreground,

There is a lot of color involved, each with its own part of the tapestry. Earlier, the foreground was darker with more blues but I later opted for a soft carpet of jewel tones spaced among the slightly glowing greens. 

At this point, the subdued palette idea went out the window once I added the more powerful colors to the wall of trees beyond the lake. It was a delight to push the color back there and now I'll pass it onto you.

New Work: Bright Conversation, oil on panel, 24 x 24 inches

Bright Conversation, oil on panel, 24 x 24 inches  $2150 unframed
Sorelle Gallery, New Canaan, CT

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.

...looks like a good idea for a much larger oil. 

New Work: Color at the Edge of the Lake, oil on canvas, 48 x 30 inches

Color at the Edge of the Lake
Oil on canvas, 48 x 30 inches  $6400 framed
Dominique Boisjoli Fine Art, Santa Fe, NM

I was visiting a friend in the Baltimore area some years ago and came across a photo from that trip, a small stand of trees at the edge of a lake. The photograph was very different, with even lighting and all green foliage.

Regardless, I liked the composition and began the painting with a somewhat subdued palette. After a few sessions, the painting evolved into scene with the light coming in from the back, accentuating the dark trunks in the foreground,

There is a lot of color involved, each with its own part of the tapestry. Earlier, the foreground was darker with more blues but I later opted for a soft carpet of jewel tones spaced among the slightly glowing greens. 

At this point the subdued palette idea went out the window once I added the more powerful colors to the wall of trees beyond the lake. It was a delight to push the color back there and now I'll pass it onto you.

Grateful Notices: Edge of the Woods, Autumn, oil on canvas, 36 x 36 inches

Edge of the Woods, Autumn, oil on canvas, 36 x 36 inches
Private collection
Exhibited: Dominique Boisjoli Fine Art, Santa Fe, NM

This is a canvas demonstration from a workshop I did in Kansas City. I wanted to do a simple, red line of trees, somewhat abstracted and with varying degrees of complexity to make it convincing.

As it turns out, this oil is much more than red trees because the reds are supported and amplified by a variety of other, non-red colors. The orange and pink notes at the base of the trees provide an unexpected light source and interest.

The white clouds on the upper right were accidental. When I was painting in the sky, I left that area open, leaving the white canvas. My intention was to add some kind of tree highlight into that space but the bit of white was much more interesting, so clouds it became with the white contrast helping the reds stand out even more. It was very helpful to have an interesting element on that side of the oil.

The black trunks on the bottom left boost the reds further and add a much needed contrast and definition to the composition. 

Again, this is a simple idea but as the painting progressed in class, it became apparent that it would take additional sessions in the studio back home where I continued my own painting lessons until it was complete.

Grateful Notices: Saccades VII, oil on canvas, 40 x 40 inches

Saccades VII, oil on canvas, 40 x 40 inches

What a surprise and thrill to have a dear friend purchase a large artwork for their home... I felt much honored. I really enjoy the freedom of these somewhat abstracted forest scenes.

The idea of this Saccades series is to create a more abstracted forest scene that works without a singular point of focus. This oil is pattern and color with equal interest everywhere. The greens and yellows are pushed but contained by the irregular verticals and the blues. I found that the more those colors were increased, the more attractive the oil became, creating a greater need for more powerful contrasts.

This cycle carried on for a month until a completed the painting emerged, a window into a forest that is alive with the yellows animating the scene and projecting everything forward in the space.

About the word Saccades:
"Since the late 19th century, researchers have been aware of the phenomenon of saccades, the rapid movement of the eye as we shift our attention from one thing to another. As a result, vision itself is discontinuous. We construct a “map of reality” from saccades much as a film editor puts together a scene from individual camera takes."

From an article by the film maker Earl Morris, NY Times

Grateful Notices: Red Progressions, oil on canvas, 48 x 72 inches

Red Progressions, oil on canvas, 48 x 72 inches
Purchased from Dominique Boisjoli Fine Art  Santa Fe, NMPrivate collection, Dallas, TX

3 minute video of this work with Ken narrating


I want to express my gratitude to the collector the purchased this work and to Dominique Boisjoli, my dealer and wonderful supporter in Santa Fe, NM.


About this oil:
My first desire when beginning this oil was to create a forest scene that didn't have a high finish. That is, the brushstrokes and even the physical surface of the oil would be rough. Forests are not even, polished places and I wanted this large oil to convey a bit of that experience.

In the first session when I applied all the variations of reds and oranges, it wasn't satisfactory to me. The plan was to put in a lot of complexity right away, creating variables in color but sticking to the idea of a single sweep of red trees and make it believable. I did that, and I was underwhelmed.

Peeking above the trees was an outline of far blue hills and it was lacking as well. I was too predictable. Everyday is not a happy one in the studio, but I did step up and block in a 4 x 6 foot oil, a worthy accomplishment, so I left it at that.

Looking back, what did I expect? That I would have created a really nice oil in one session?

In the second session I came back fresh and simply thought about what the painting needed: Contrast.

Once the dark tree trunks went in, the painting came to life. The background colors began to sing and suddenly the painting was calling out for improvements in a number of places. I drastically cut back the amount of the blue hill that was visible and in turn, it gave the trees more prominence.

Over the next few sessions, it was a pleasure to attend to those needs and take the oil to new places. A number of 'mistakes' were made - attempts that hit a dead end, but those moves opened up new opportunities for other, better solutions.

It all came down to making a good start and continuing forward in a way that would not diminish the power and spontaneity that existed at the beginning. I was committed to this single line of trees without gaps or interruptions. This idea created a series of  difficult problems across a 6 foot surface, so a lot of small strategies came into play.

A considerable number of changes were made along the way but always with the idea of creating a large and compelling forest presence that is interesting across the entire canvas.

New Work: Saccades XI, oil on canvas, 40 x 40 inches

Saccades XI, oil on canvas, 40 x 40 inches  $7550 framed
Exhibiting:  Dominique Boisjoli Fine Art

The Saccades Series is something I invented for myself. It is a way to use the randomness of the forest to create abstracted patterns and color combinations without limits. Each one presents a number of problems and opportunities that I haven't encounterd before and that's the point. Saccades is an optical term that describes a condition where the eye can't rest on a particular spot.

Here's an earlier blog about the Saccades Series

In this case, there is that obvious blue trunk in the foreground, but it's not enough to create a real  focus. The colors are arrayed in subtle ways and the light source is diffused, creating the overall effect of that soft yellow-green light enveloping everything in the background.

The color palette shifted on this one numerous times but I did want the blue to be somewhat predominant. The light changed as well, from a darker, grayer forest to one with a more intense light coming through, but that was discarded as well.

It is often said that the painting will tell you want it wants and over a series of painting sessions with this one, I was getting an earful. The oil and I opted for the soft poetry of a forest with the soft light nearby.

Video: Blue Skyscape, oil on canvas, 36 x 60 inches

Blue Skyscape, oil on canvas, 36 x 60 inches  $7500 framed
Exhibiting: Madelyn Jordan Fine Art, Scarsdale, NY

In this video Ken describes what makes this predominately blue sunset a success without the usual setting sun effects and offers a strategy to keep this large painting compelling in all directions.  2 minutes

New Work: Edge of the Forest, oil on canvas, 36 x 36 inches

Edge of the Forest, oil on canvas, 36 x 36 inches  $5100 framed

This canvas was finished three times. There are two previous oils painted over here, each version being very different from the others but all three were variations of this line of trees. Each time the work improved with complexity and color and I was happy with the process. In this final, final, final version I made larger, strategic moves to arrive at this point.

In the previous versions the trees stood as one band of color with the light coming in directly from the left. It was a fine look, but after a month in the studio, I wanted the painting to go further. More drama would be helpful, so I aggressively painted in those dark trees on the right. I had a friend watching at the time and after the initial shock of the sudden darks, we both agreed that that move had opened up some exciting and new possibilities.

Now the single band or trees was broken up and to my surprise, it dictated that the light source was now coming in from behind the trees. 

Well that changed things and it also created an opportunity to make the entire painting much brighter.  So straight away, very bright hues were added to the background trees, saturating with an iridescent light. Glowing mauves were added to the trees front / left and the ground below was worked in a way to respond to all of that light coming through.

This last version has set the stage for brighter works to come - an exciting prospect!

New Work: Red Progression, oil on canvas, 48 x 72 inches

Red Progressions, oil on canvas, 48 x 72 inches  Private collection, Dallas, TX
Purchased from Dominique Boisjoli Fine Art, Santa Fe, NM

3 minute video of this work with Ken narrating

My first desire when beginning this oil was to create a forest scene that didn't have a high finish. That is, the brushstrokes and even the physical surface of the oil would be rough. Forests are not even, polished places and I wanted this large oil to convey a bit of that experience.

In the first session when I applied all the variations of reds and oranges, it wasn't satisfactory to me. The plan was to put in a lot of complexity right away, creating variables in color but sticking to the idea of a single sweep of red trees and make it believable. I did that, and I was underwhelmed.

Peeking above the trees was an outline of far blue hills and it was lacking as well. I was too predictable. Everyday is not a happy one in the studio, but I did step up and block in a 4 x 6 foot oil, a worthy accomplishment, so I left it at that.

Looking back, what did I expect? That I would have created a really nice oil in one session?

In the second session I came back fresh and simply thought about what the painting needed: Contrast.

Once the dark tree trunks went in, the painting came to life. The background colors began to sing and suddenly the painting was calling out for improvements in a number of places. I drastically cut back the amount of the blue hill that was visible and in turn, it gave the trees more prominence.

Over the next few sessions, it was a pleasure to attend to those needs and take the oil to new places. A number of 'mistakes' were made - attempts that hit a dead end, but those moves opened up new opportunities for other, better solutions.

It all came down to making a good start and continuing forward in a way that would not diminish the power and spontaneity that existed at the beginning. I was committed to this single line of trees without gaps or interruptions. This idea created a series of  difficult problems across a 6 foot surface, so a lot of small strategies came into play.

A considerable number of changes were made along the way but always with the idea of creating a large and compelling forest presence that is interesting across the entire canvas.

To benefit the Breast Cancer Research Research Foundation

Corals Emerging
From an original pastel: Limited edition giclee in three sizes and prices:
17 x 12 5/8 inches $300. 23 x 17 $575. 27 1/2 x 20 1/2, $790.
Total edition of 195, plus 15 artist proofs.

The Artful Home online gallery is offering a large number of pink-themed artworks with 15% of proceeds going to benefit the Breast Cancer Research Research Foundation.

View the entire Pink with Purpose Collection
Purchase Corals Emerging

This is a wonderful opportunity to purchase artwords from a large number of artists and support breast cancer research. Thank you, Artful Home for making this possible.