Merry Christmas!!! Happy Holidays!!

"Winter Song"

20x30 Oil On Board

This is not my latest painting, however it seems very appropriate considering the season. This is one of my favorite pieces I've done. A very emotional and quiet painting. I loved the large tree and all it's wisdom and character, and appreciated the small little bush living along the old fallen fence line. I love painting winter in all it's harmony and subtleties. There's so much poetry out in this world.

We just finished up our holiday show in Marine on the St Croix. It was a great success! Thank you to everyone that made it out to see our work. It was an absolute pleasure to meet new faces and to see old friends! I hope everyone enjoys this holiday season.

Hanging Our Show!!

Yesterday we hung our show that opens at Art's In General in Marine on the St Croix this Thursday, the 10th! We are all ecstatic at how beautiful the work looks and how stunning the space came together! The show is open to the public with extended hours on Friday the 11th from noon - 5:00 and Saturday the 12th from noon - 5:00. Stop by to see work, say hello and enjoy some holiday spirits! :)

The beautiful space!

"Oh Boy . . . . ."

I love this quiet little corner of the show

Marc hanging work

My fruit still life pieces all framed up and lookin' pretty in gold! :)

Me, Marc, and Tom in the middle of hanging the show, feeling good, it's getting there!

Some up, Some painting still to go. . . .

Fruit Still Life Studies

"Oranges" 6x8

Oil On Linen Panel

" Lemon and Lime" 6x8

Oil On Linen Panel

"A Pair Of Pears" 6x8

Oil On Linen Panel

These three little paintings were a joy to paint! They are part of the result of my weekly studio classes I teach at my studio. The semester is now coming to an end, bitter sweet really. Exciting for a new session to start up in February, looking forward to some projects I'll be painting the next couple of months, but also sad it's already flown by. It was an incredible few months full of growth and inspiration for all, very rewarding!

So, about these little paintings. We started the semester off by studying form using the still life to understand plane changes, light, dark, half tone, and where the core of the shadow is. Fruit is an excellent subject to study from. We began by working in only value (black and white), painting from a bunch of fruit we (Marc) made with flat planes on them to help students understand how to see a plane more obvious. (I'll take a photo of these and post tomorrow) After mastering and understanding plane changes in black and white and looking at 'fake' fruit, they moved to color and real fruit.
The lemon and lime piece was a class demo I did, the pears were 'my' assignment. Each week I give the classes an assignment to work on at home and bring back to class, to set a good example I did the assignment as well. :) It's a fun excuse to paint some pears! :) The oranges I just painted this past week because my kids had a late start at school and I knew I would only have a short window to paint but needed to paint anyway! :) So, there you have it, fruit! Fun to paint, great to learn from.

Holiday Show!!!

"Winter Light Boom Site"

16x20 Oil On Linen Panel

Holiday Show!

Featuring the art work of

Kami Polzin, Marc Hanson, Tom Maakestad, and Anna Maakestad

Thursday December 10th, 5-8 pm

Friday December 11th, 10-5

Saturday December 12th, 10-5

We'll be having a first time ever Christmas Show at our friend and wonderful painter, Tom Maakestad's studio in Marine on the St Croix MN. Marine is just 7 miles north of Stillwater, where I live and have my studio. It's a charming little river town along the St Croix river and where I grew up. I'm so excited to be there having a show with such amazing artists at my side. I hope you all can join us for this gathering of painters and Anna, who is a potter.