Tag Archives: landscape

The New Horizon

12×12 oil on canvas

2021 has come to a close with this last plein air study. Here I now stand, after following the rules of classical form for five years of painting, at the precipice of knowing that what lies ahead is toward the abstract. In order to avoid painting another ho-hum landscape, albeit ones with sound harmony and sensibilities, I’ve realized, from recent in-depth studies of the principles of Cezanne, that true art comes from the corruption and violation of nature. One is otherwise making a replica or a copy of her. The picture is the thing. It is its own thing. A two dimensional thing that must be created in its own right. I’m setting out. Wish me luck.

4240

11×14 oil on canvas – private collection

This is, most likely, my last signed painting of 2021. A little 11×14 house commission. Next year, I intend to turn a corner, instilling some new painting direction into my work. Stay tuned and Happy New Year!

Keo Way @ 12th St. – DSM

The north view looking out of my studio in downtown Des Moines at approximately 4:00 PM on a misty Friday night. I had been reading Erle Loran’s book on Cezanne, and it has influenced me. The color planes, the open palette, the lines, and the means, which were his own, by which he created depth.

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The Golden Gate

20×24 oil on gallery wrap canvas

I lived in California for five years in the early 90’s. As a school age kid, I was a California dreamer. Volkswagen beetles and flower power seemed very alluring to me. The entire west did. I eventually discovered it all and, the west and its beauty became my inspiration to paint. The Golden Gate Bridge represented the entire promise of what the west had to offer. Today, it is a vastly different cultural and political climate but, the beauty remains. This painting will most assuredly find a home.

Air Show

11×14 oil paint on canvas

I started this air show painting last week, from a reference photo of a Colorado friend who attended the show earlier this month. Though the scale was a bit daunting at only 11×14, I finally got around to finishing.

Racoon River in Water Works

12×16 oil on aluminum panel

This is the result of a two-hour plein air excursion in Des Moines. Though it is not finished, I am hesitant to paint on it again to guard against altering its freshness.

128 Corn

4 Replies

12×12 oil on wood – private collection

I have just a few adjustments to make, and then I’ll sign this one. Edit: you are now looking at the updated and final version. Thx!

R16 and 270th. Dallas County Sunrise.

20×24 oil on gallery wrap canvas

I’ve been driving around the surrounding farmlands this summer and fall, taking photos of future paintings. I just got around to facing, and finishing this one, after starting it a month ago, and being intimidated by the light in it.

12 Sheep

24×36 oil on cradled wood panel

It’s rewarding to knock off a small painting of, say, 12×16 but, I’d like to increase my production of larger paintings such as this one. This is still a work in progress and I’ll only fix a few small details.

Flock B

Farm life subject matter is something not to be overlooked in Iowa. In fact, it’s a challenge not to consider when looking for striking compositions here in the prairie.

South of Odebolt

1 Reply

10×20 oil on panel

Took a nice trip to Odebolt, Iowa to see some farming friends, play some golf, do some grilling, with a side trip to Boyer. Breaking trail with that one.

Dallas Country Grain

1 Reply

12×16 oil on wood- private collection

To quote, and borrow a phrase from baseball, “I’m seeing the ball really well right now,” I’ve got 10,000 hours invested in getting to where I can execute this sky and palette. If you go out early in the morning and look, meditate, on the color in the atmosphere, you will soon see that, starting at the horizon, all six colors (the three primary, the three secondary) are there. Follow me: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet. From bottom to top. So fun to paint. Enjoy.

East of Adel

1 Reply

12×12 oil on cradled wood – sold

I am beginning to drive around the state of Iowa more often, scouting for those special places that may be painted in the early or late light of day. This was a barn just east of Adel, Iowa that I found interesting enough to sketch out. The light, however, is the thing I am after.

“F¥CK, Turn Around.” More appropriately, “Proceed with Caution.”

12×12 oil on wood panel

Trying to build a remuda of skies. This is a rather precarious one we often see here in Iowa.

Iowa Fields

24×24 oil on canvas

The fields of Iowa have been in the news as of late. For us Iowans, we live, every day, with the idea that, if you build it, they will come.

Gray’s Lake Plein Air sketch

12×12 oil on wood

This year, in many ways, is a moving year. One major change in my orbit is to get outside and paint more plein air. Here is a little one hour sketch, in order to begin to stretch the plein air muscles.

River Walk Center Street

9×12 oil paint on wood – SOLD

Three night paint out in Des Moines, in association with Mainframe Studios, Salmagundi, and the Polk County Conservation, began at the Lauridsen Skate Park downtown. This was my Friday night entry.

Lost Creek

9×12 oil on canvas – private collection

I’ve lived in the State of Colorado twice in my lifetime. Loveland Co. for one year in 1975, before returning to Iowa to attend University. (ISU.) Then again for six years throughout the late 1980’s in Colorado Springs Co. I knew the state well and, often miss the open range feel of the West.

Morning Walk revisited

5 Replies

I painted this very view only a week ago at 12×12. Here is a larger version. I enjoyed the sky and clouds from this vantage point during an early morning rain shower skirting by to the east.

Morning walk

This is a work in progress of the walking bridge that spans Grays’ Lake in Des Moines, Iowa. Currently tacking up a bit so I can add the rest of the bridge structure and railing. Stay tuned for final.

Iowa Summer Storm

12×12 oil on canvas

Clouds have inspired me lately and, there is every color in the sky. Ultramarine, Cerulean, Viridian, Yellow Ochre, and Alizarin are all used, though very highly tinted, with Titanium White. This, excluding Burnt Umber, is my entire palette.

Born Yesterday

12×12 oil on wood panel

Something about this little calf I can’t let go of. My attempt, however, was to capture the ethereal quality of the summer Iowa air and landscape.

Gunderson Calf

12×12 oil on canvas – sold

I loved the photo of this little newborn calf I captured a few weeks ago and, had done a little study in oil previously. Here it is again, in a 12×12, painted for a second time and, a precursor to a large format piece.

Little Calf

12×12 oil on panel – sold

Just outside of Odebolt, Iowa where a newborn calf made his debut to life.

Field Check

8×16 oil on panel

This is a field study for a larger painting but, fun to do quickly with a palette knife.

Mars Landscape Perseverance #2

9×12 oil on birch panel

I am fascinated with the fact that there is now life on Mars and, it is us. Can you imagine one day inhabitants of earth going there? The stuff old star trekking TV shoes were made of.

Starr Pass

12×24 oil on canvas

In and around the Tucson area, there are many photo and painting opportunities. Sometimes, one has to change things around a bit for composition purposes but, the hues, the atmosphere, and the saguaros remain.

First Ever Mars Landscape Painting

9×12 oil on birch

Frozen Pond

12 x 12 oil on canvas

Pastel Pond

12 x 12 oil on canvas

Guardian

guardian

12×24 oil on panel. Sold

Feat. Barry Flanagan’s “Thinker on a Rock.”

Duality

Duality

9×12 oil on canvas – Sold

Sculpture “Back of a Snowman” by Gary Hume in the Des Moines Pappajohn Sculpture Park,

Lazily Grazing

Lazilygrazing.jeffklisares

24×24 oil paint on mounted wood panel.

This too was painted in its entirety with a little piece of hard plastic. Almost akin to a little trowel. It’s rather exciting and allows one to go extremely short (thick) with the paint.

Lakeside Calm

Lakesidecalm.jeffklisares

12×16 oil paint on wood panel

Don’t Look Back

Dontlookback.jeffklisares

12×24 oil paint on wood panel.

This was painted entirely with a little piece of plastic.

River Bend

riverbend.jeffklisares

18 x 24 oil on canvas – Sold

Exalted

exalted.jeffklisares

8 x 24 oil on panel

Duluth from Park Point 02

pleinairDLTH02

9×18 oil paint on panel –Sold

done “en plein air” from our home on Park Point, Duluth Mn. July 12th, 2017

Duluth from Park Point 01

2 Replies

pleinairDLTH01

8×12 oil paint – Sold

done “en plein air” from our home on Park Point, Duluth. July 7th 2017

Des Moines Sculpture Park

sculpturepark.jeffklisares

9×12 oil on panel – plein air

Six Cows

sixcows.jeffklisares (2)

6×12 oil on wood panel

Pony

pony.jeffklisares

11×14 oil on canvas

Countryside 111

2 Replies

countryside111.jeffklisares

12×24 oil on panel – Sold

Hildreth’s Pond

hildrethspond.jeffklisares

9×12 oil on wood panel – plein air 05/04/2017

Monarch

monarch.jeffklisares

11×14 oil on canvas – private collection

Egret Landing II

2 Replies

egret12x24.jeffklisares

12 x 24 oil on panel

Great Blue 01

greatbluefinal.jeffklisares

8×10 oil on panel – Sold

“The Hub”

thehub.jeffklisares

20×24 oil on panel