Birch Tree Vertical Textile •SOLD

 The title of this painting is: Birch Tree Vertical Textile. I hope to turn the design into a woven textile this spring. The dimensions were chosen for that reason. 14"x47" is the standard size of a Swedish table runner. 

I bonded with this piece and was thinking about keeping it. One of my favorite customers asked me what I was working on. When I described the piece she said that might be exactly what they were looking for, for their new house. I said I would let her know when it was finished and it was what she was looking for. Knowing the painting is going to a happy home, where it will be appreciated, makes it easier to part with. 

I don't have a photo of the final framed piece because I sold it unframed. The photos above show: Top - the final finished painting. 2nd down - Me holding the painting with a print on steel hanging on the wall behind me. 3rd down - Painting in progress. 4th down - Finished painting taped to painting board. Last Photo: Print on Steel hanging. Print size is 8"x32" and $118.00

I am working on converting the painting to a vector based illustration which I will have a textile sample made to see how it looks. I kept the colors simple and elegant for this piece hoping that the textile version will go well against many neutral colors. This is a brushed acrylic ink painting on 140 lb. Arches cold press paper. Size is approximately 14"x47"

Birch View - Evening Reflections *SOLD

Birch View - Evening Reflections is a piece meant to capture the warmth of a Minnesota evening. Imagine watching the sun setting - the sky darkening just enough to see the twinkle of lights across the lake. Your view is framed by a pair of birch trees - their leaves starting to turn. You have a blanket over your shoulders and a warm mug of tea in your hands. That's where I want your thoughts to go with this painting.

Birch View - Evening Reflections is a 36" x 36" acrylic painting on stretched canvas with 1.5" thick stretch bars, painted edges and center bars. I painted it with a mantel setting in mind - bold lights and darks and warms tones throughout. I wanted it to have sweeping branches and a centerpiece feel. This piece is available at Peculiar Painter in Walker, MN  | 218-547-3729

Layers of Light *SOLD

Is there anything as inspiring for a painter as the fall color combinations? My palette for this pieces was one of the brightest I have mixed. As I look through my resent paintings I see a pattern of intense cobalts, teals and Phthalo blues. With this piece I mixed yellow ochre with many of my colors to give the painting an overall feel of warmth. I wanted it to feel like a warm early fall day - where the colors are turning but the lake is still warm and inviting. 

Layers of Life is a 48" x 30" acrylic painting on professional grade stretched canvas with cross braces and 1.5" thick stretcher bars - painted edges. It is available at Peculiar Painter in Walker, MN | 218-547-3729

Birch Lake View *SOLD

My intention with this painting was to create a feeling of dappled light through a forest - framing a lake view. I used a lot of overpainting to give it a stained glass or quilted texture.

Birch Lake View is a 8"x10" acrylic painting on stretched canvas with 3/4" stretcher bars and painted edges. It is available at Peculiar Painter in Walker, MN for $155.00 | 218-547-3729

Tree Hugger *SOLD

The combination of teals, ochres, cobalt and pops of orange make for a cheerful painting. I wanted these birch trees to feel like a perfect walk in the woods on a 72" day with the sun shining down. 

Tree Hugger is a watercolor painting on 140 lb. watercolor paper. It is professionally framed and matted with conservation glass. Framed size is 11"x9". Available at Peculiar Painter in Walker, MN for $95.00 | 218-547-3729

Birch Behavior *SOLD

I used my favorite ink combination of earth red and cool grey for this birch tree painting. Something about this color combination just feels complete. I found the frame before starting the piece. I enjoy working with the frame in mind. When the piece is done it says - I'm home!

Birch Behavior is a brushed ink painting on 140 lb arches watercolor paper. Final size is 11"x17". It is available at Peculiar Painter in Walker, MN for $185.00. Professionally framed with conservation glass. 

Dawn of the First Snowfall -SOLD

If you get a little flutter in your heart when you smell the first snow on it's way - you might be partial to this piece. I thought about making this a middle of winter piece with minimal colors but decided it would be the first snow of late autumn. The fall colors are still dancing in the background. We are just getting excited to break out the winter hats, mittens and layers. The tea kettle is on more often and snow is in the air!

Dawn of the First Snowfall is a heavily layered painting with rich color and movement. This piece is acrylic on stretched canvas with 1.5" thick stretcher bars and painted edges. Size is 30"x10". Available at Peculiar Painter in Walker, MN for $489.00 | 218-547-3729

Forest Decor - SOLD

Sometimes a piece starts with a frame - this was the case with Forest Decor. While in Appleton, WI - over my birthday - my husband and I planned on visiting inspiring places. We looked up galleries, shops and cafes that we had never been to and set out to see what they were all about. One of these places was Avenue Art. I was pleasantly surprised to see they had a nice frame shop that included several unique pre-cut frames that were made in house. This little beauty was one of my birth-day outing purchases.

When creating a brushed ink piece I like to limit my colors to give the piece a woodblock print feel. I wanted the birch trees to be crisp and clean. Since the frame was deep I was able to raise the artwork off of the background watercolor paper to give it a floating feel.

Forest Decor is 16" square framed. It is created with brushed ink on 140 lb. arches watercolor paper and available at Peculiar Painter in Walker, MN for $160.00 | 218-547-3729

Under the Bright Blue Sky *SOLD

The power went out at our house last night which changed our evening plans from kicking back and watching a movie to building a bonfire and enjoying the perfect calm evening as the sun went down. As we watched the fireflies appear and stars get brighter - I thought about what a blessing the beauty of the north woods is What does all this have to do with this painting.... the title of course.

The actual painting is inspired by the reaching branches of a birch tree as it overlooks the lake. I used an overpainting technique to give the branches more movement and bring out the color in the water, sky and bark.

Under the Bright Blue Sky is a 12"x36" acrylic painting on stretched canvas with painted edges and 1.5" thick stretcher bars. It will be available soon at Peculiar Painter in Walker, MN 

4 Five inch paintings

Sometimes a painting wants to be painted in a mini format...who says a painting has to be big to make an impact? These four paintings were all inspired by nature - from my back yard to autumn images captured along the Heartland trail. 

From front to back (in the group photo): Birch Branches (*SOLD), Summer Sky, Barberry Branch, and Leaf N Seed (*SOLD). Prices range from $62 - $76 for these original 5" acrylic paintings on stretched canvas.

Forest Tonic *SOLD

Forest Tonic was inspired by the feeling of renewal a walk in the woods can bring to it's visitors. I selected a canvas that is 4 feet wide in order to stretch out the branches like they are reaching out in the tree's long graceful pose. 

I'll admit that I often confuse a birch and a poplar tree. My husband, a tree expert, has given me some tips to identify the difference from a distance. One of these differences, he pointed out, is the dark reddish hue of the branches. Once he described this - I could picture the limbs and their lovely deep tone. In this piece, I over-exaggerated  the color making it very bright and bold. 

Forest Tonic is a 24" x 48" acrylic painting on stretched canvas with 1.5" thick stretcher bars and painted edges. It is available at Peculiar Painter in Walker, MN  | 218-547-3729

First Light Amidst the Birch - original by Jessie Townsdin *SOLD

First Light Amidst the Birch is made up of many layers to give it a feel of being nestled amongst the rich trees of Northern Minnesota. With the leaves colored from green to red - I wanted it to feel like early Fall and plenty of time to enjoy the colorful palette of the season. As with many of my paintings, I exaggerated the colors, I added deep blues where you would normally see grey and browns. This is a colorful piece - a blanket of color to lift spirits and remind the viewer of the happiness being in the forest brings.

First Light Amidst the Birch is a large 30"x40" acrylic painting on stretched canvas with 1.5" thick stretcher bars and painted edges. It is available at Peculiar Painter in Walker, MN for $875.00 | 218-547-3729

Dappled Forest *SOLD

This tiny little canvas packs a bold - naples yellow and teal punch. It is hard to see all the texture  on this canvas - from the photo - but you will see it in person. I used a modeled plaster - applied with palette knife - before adding the color. Because of this - light will hit the surface different from every angle - giving it a unique effect. 

Dappled Light is a 5" square acrylic painting on stretched canvas. It is available at Peculiar Painter in Walker, MN for $65.00 | 218-547-3729

Turning Point *SOLD

I don't know about you - but I'm excited for the fall colors and cooler temperatures. I've always been a lover of layers - both in clothing and paint. As we get ready for hats, scarves and jackets - my painting palette is moving to rich oranges, cobalt turquoise and yellow.

This piece has several layers of texture and color - creating a patchwork feeling with depth and movement. I thought a simple - natural floater frame would finish the piece nicely - giving it a modern and clean feeling. Turning Point is a 11"x14" acrylic painting on stretched canvas. It is framed to 15.5"x12.5" and available at Peculiar Painter in Walker, MN for $215.00 - framed. | 218-547-3729

Northwood Beach *SOLD

Detail of Northwood Beach painting

Northwood Beach hanging

Until I was about 8 years old - my Grandparents owned and ran a little Motel called Northwood Beach in Walker, MN. I have happy memories here. I don't remember all the details but I do remember the view from their dining room of beautiful blue water - framed by 2 sweet birch trees. I believe the birch trees are gone now, and I know the skyline has more variation - but in the mind of an 8 year old - this is how I captured the view.

Northwood Beach is a 24" x 48" acrylic painting on stretched canvas with 1.5" thick stretcher bars and painted edges. To see the layers of color - click on the detail view or come in to Peculiar Painter in Walker, MN to see it in person. Northwood Beach is $865.00 | 218-547-3729

Sky View *SOLD

Sky View has been on my mind to paint for approximately 4 years. It is inspired by the view I would see,  on a daily basis, as I crossed the sky bridge from one building to the next, at work. The Aspen trees that dotted the landscape looked so happy to be where they stood. They changed dramatically from season to season but always seemed content to be planted right where they were - waving at the mountains in the background.  

Since I viewed these trees from above, the perspective is askew - making them more playful. In the past my tree paintings have had an emphasis on the leaves. With this piece - I put the emphasis on the bark and exaggerated the colors with bright pyrolle orange, rich yellows, cobalt blue and teal. 

This piece will add an intense breath of fresh air to any space. Not only are the colors intense but the texture is varied and almost sculptural. Come in to Peculiar Painter to see it in person. 

Sky View is 36" x 48" on stretched canvas with 1.5" thick stretcher bars and painted edges. It is available at Peculiar Painter in Walker, MN 

Forest Balance *SOLD

Forest Balance is the opposite of my last Birch Tree painting in style and color. With this piece, I used a palette of warm grey, ivory, yellow ochre, green grey and deep blue for a soft and calming piece with a soothing presence. 

This is a large 48" x 36" acrylic painting on stretched canvas with 1.5" stretcher bars, painted edges and cross braces. Forest Balance is available at Peculiar Painter in Walker, MN  | 218-547-3729

Light * Color * Air [SOLD]

The North woods of Minnesota are filled with inspiration right now.  I have taken enough photos, of the leaves and forests, to inspire paintings for years to come…and I'll keep taking more until the leaves are gone. This painting is a large 36" x 48" painting with lots of layers and tons of color. 

I used over 10 tubes of red paint pigments and mixed them for even more variety. There are hundreds of colors on this canvas. If you stand close to the canvas you will see the texture which is made up of both palette knife and brush strokes. The final details are the birch tree branches which are set apart from the maple tree blanket of color. 

Light * Color * Air  is a 36" x 48" acrylic painting, painted on stretched canvas with 1.5" stretcher bars. Available at Peculiar Painter in Walker, MN | 218-547-3729

additional photos: detail of the upper right corner of the painting 

Branching Out - SOLD

Branching Out is a small study of a larger painting I plan to create this fall.  This little 9"x12" painting was inspired by a row of healthy birch trees in northern Minnesota. 

I recently started using a Phthalo Blue as my painting sketch under layer. This, brighter blue, brings out my colors in a new way and I find myself using more oranges and greens to play off the brilliant blue. The large painting might have more greens and yellows in it but this little piece called for cooler blue tones.

Branching Out is framed in a natural floater frame and available at Peculiar Painter in Walker, MN for $86.00 | 218-547-3729

Patchwork Forest *SOLD

Patchwork Forest is a small 9" x 12" acrylic painting with a lot of layers and a lot of color. I used an impressionist style along with overpainting for this little forest birch tree painting. By layering color and alternating brush strokes the painting has a rich texture. This style, with all it's colors, is fun to hang in different environments and see what colors are highlighted by it's surrounding. 

I framed Patchwork Forest in a natural floater frame with black spacer to give it a simple modern finish.