Grateful Notices: Lake Sunset, Color Dialog and Cloudswept in Blue, two oils on 24 x 24 panels

Lake Sunset, Color Dialog
Oil on panel, 24 x 24  Private collection
Exhibited: Saks Galleries, Denver

For this painting I wanted to do an evening scene without using the typical sunset colors. So rather than resorting to the use of bright, warmer colors, everything is shifted downward. The light is not intense and the palette is predominately blues and greens. A lot of color is in play here but in a subdued way.

In the last painting session I added the glowing highlights to the water in the foreground. The painting was doing well overall but the water was lacking something. Once the lighter accents were added the water began to glow and I was actually surprised at how much stronger it made the painting overall.… A very satisfying conclusion.

Cloudswept in Blue
Oil on panel, 24 x 24  Private collection
Exhibited: Saks Galleries, Denver

As it was the previous oil, I wanted to do another sunset effect without the usual warm tones. The colors here are severely limited to a number of blues and a couple of purple hues.

The upper part of the painting it is intentionally more opaque and dark. The snow field at the bottom is reflecting the light but it still has just enough density to allow the atmosphere in the center section to retreat backward and set up a glow the permeates the entire scene.

It’s a quiet piece, reminiscent of those silent, snow-covered fields, but if you look carefully, there’s always something a little unexpected and electric in the scene.

My sincere thanks to the collector who purchased these two oils.

Grateful Notices: Gold Progressions and Far Blue Hill, oils on canvas

Gold Progression I
oil on canvas, 48 x 48   private collection, IL

My deepest thanks to the purchasers of these two oils, Gold Progression I and Far Blue Hill. Each of these landscapes are straightforward compositions where the color is the prime element.

With both oils, the color becomes a part of the complexity and experience, weaving in and out, creating glow and motion.

Here is a bit more about Gold Progression I on my blog.

Far Blue Hill
oil on canvas, 30 x 40  private collection, CO

Grateful Notices: View through the Orange and Red Woods, oil on canvas, 40 x 40 inches

View through the Orange and Red Woods, oil on canvas, 40 x 40 inches
Private collection

This is a simple concept really, bands of trees with a small foreground and glowing background. At least that is what I thought when I began this work. The foreground was kept simple but a number of decisions had to be made as the painting progressed. The tree trunks are not smooth but the ones in the background are. The foreground and background glow but the middle trees do not.

A number of color combinations were tried. I was insisting on the orange / reds, but I couldn't get the primary trees to work to that idea. After many sessions in the studio, I allowed the greens and suddenly, it all began to come together. The dark blues went in, giving interest to the dark areas. That being done, I could finally tune up the yellows and add the rose reds for additional interest.

Finally, I was back working with the original idea of the light coming in behind the trees, adjusting the color and brightness until everything came together as one complex, appealing chord.

My many thanks to the couple that purchased the painting and to Mirada Gallery, CO for your kind help.

July 2016 Newsletter

July News: It was a delight to travel to Houston and attend my group show last week at the Arden's Gallery - a big thank you to all that came by. Did I mention that Houston has the best Mexican food? I indulged. Today a large canvas is being crated for shipping to a private client in Illinois and happily,  more commissions are in the works. Coming up, I am honored to be the juror for the Pikes Peak Pastel Society exhibition in September as well as putting on a workshop sponsored by the group. Also in August through October of this year, I will be offering more Making it Fine Art Workshops in Colorado and Massachusetts. workshop info Let's make the most of this remarkable summer! Ken Currently Exhibiting: Opening night at Arden's Gallery last week Arden's Gallery, Houston Ken Elliott and Karen Dollahon, Two-Person show. view the exhibit Through August 31 Workshops / Private Sessions: Take your work to new heights. These workshops and private sessions will focus on strategies for making better paintings, going to new places in your work and making fine art. Please inquire   all workshop info Location of last months Workshop in Steamboat Springs, CO Making it Fine Art Workshop in Boulder, CO March 2016 Castle Rock, CO (Denver metro) Making it Fine Art Workshop  filled Sat and Sun, August 20-21  9:30 - 5pm Another Castle Rock Workshop has just been announced for October 15-16 Massachusetts Marshfield, Spring 2017 Making it Fine Art Workshops / Advanced Strategies  2 1/2-Day Sponsored by the North River Arts Society Register by contacting Peggy Bruno 781-837-8091  Open to artists in all media. This is a new, advanced version of Ken's Making it Fine Art Workshop. We will be going deeper into making better and more appealing artworks with a variety of strategies. I will also show you Photoshop techniques for taking your works to the next level and creating better pathways for finishing your artworks.    Making it Fine Art / Pastel Colorado Springs, Colorado September 23 and 24, 2016 9:45 am - 4:30 pm Sponsored by the Pikes Peak Pastel Society Complete info / flyer   registration form Castle Rock, CO (Denver metro) Making it Fine Art Workshop  three spaces left Sat and Sun, October 15-16  9:30 - 5pm Open to artists at all skill levels and media. An indoor, two-day workshop limited to 6 participants. $390 per person. Let me know if you need help with transportation and accommodations. Flyer and complete info    register online here Great things happen in these Fine Art Classes with information that will last for a lifetime. New Works: Gathering Light oil on canvas 36 X 36    $5100 framed Sunset in Orange and Pink study Oil on canvas, 16 x 16 inches Exhibiting: Arden's Gallery, Houston $1550 framed Grateful Notices: Saccades V Oil on canvas, 48 x 60 inches Private collection, Illinois Ken's work the Denver International Airport Should you find yourself at the Denver Airport, take the time to view my work and those of my gifted Expand artists / colleagues reproduced in the Main Terminal. You will see the images between the baggage claim areas and behind the car rental counters. This “Here to There” themed display was curated by the DIA Art and Culture Program. The airport desired more color in the main terminal spaces and happily, we were allowed to use it as our playground. Many thanks to my fellow artists and everyone that made this possible! Our EXPAND artist group is comprised of five artists from the Denver metro area: Victoria Eubanks, Janice McDonald, Carol Ann Waugh, Mary Williams and myself. 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 Contact Ken 303-995-1611 email website Art Blog: For the Color Sign up for this monthly newsletter  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: I have really enjoyed giving private lessons over the years. It is casual, focused and fun. There will be a big result in your approach to making fine art and clarity on your career strategies. Give me a call and we'll discuss what works best for you. Lodging and transportation can be provided for the Castle Rock Workshops. What they are Saying: "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

Copyright © 2016 Ken Elliott Fine Art, All rights reserved.

Grateful Notices:

Forest Light

Oil on canvas 40 X 30 inches
Steamboat Springs Center for Visual Arts

A big thank you to the Steamboat Springs CVA!

I had blogged about this oil last year and discussed how it took awhile to bring it to completion. Here's the first part of that blog:

Over the years I have attempted a lot of oils and not all of them ended up as finished works. This piece was begun about three years ago and put aside.

Had I made a better start at the time, this painting might have essentially finished itself By offering a clearer path to resolution. Instead, the canvas was a muddy muddle without clear areas of focus. It was unappealing and I didn't have any ready solutions to take it forward.

This oil was in a stack of orphan canvases that needed help. My plan was to add three things the canvas lacked: contrast, drama and clarity. Thanks and gratitude to my teacher Wolf Kahn for those insightful tools.

Read the rest of the post here

Grateful Notices: Fall Imposing, Sunset in Pinks and Orange and Field with the Orange Tree, oils on canvas

Fall Imposing

oil canvas, 36 x 60 inches

Private collection, Texas

Sunset in Pinks and Orange

oil canvas, 36 x 60 inches

Private collection, Texas

Field with the Orange Tree

oil on canvas, 36 x 60 inches

Private collection, Texas

It's a great pleasure to meet new people and this Texas couple was a delight! My good friend here in Colorado is the daughter of the woman that visited. We had a lively time before they left and three works were selected for their home. 

I couldn't be more happy to have met them and I was honored that they took a number of oils back to Texas.

Thank you!

Ken