2 Paintings SOLD!

I hope that everyone had a wonderful Christmas! These 3 paintings all SOLD last week. More new paintings will be posted soon.

Study for Autumn Maple, oil on linen panel, 8"x16"

Study for Big Sky, oil on linen panel, 11"x14"

Autumn Maple, oil on linen panel, 8"x16"

This last autumn I went up to Northern Pennsylvania near Ricketts Glen to paint the autumn colors. I ventured to the top of the mountain to see what I could find. Sadly I was too late as most of the trees were already gone, but this one Maple stood out displaying all of its colorful glory. I spent a couple hours doing a field study of this beautiful tree. Back in the studio I recomposed the scene and added a pond in front to show a bit of reflection. This is actually a studio study for a larger painting I intend to create soon. But I'm very pleased at how the study turned out.

Autumn Maple
Oil on linen panel, 8"x16"
$1,000 framed. SOLD!

Sold!

SOLD! My painting, "Where the Buffalo Roam", 24"x30", oil on linen, sold this past week for $3,600!

Just in case you didn't see my last posting, I will be raising the prices of my paintings sometime after January 1st, 2013. My prices have been consistent for the past few years, and everyone from gallery owners to artists, and even collectors keep telling me my paintings are underpriced. The national awards I have won and magazine editorials on my work also lead to this conclusion. If you have had your eye on a painting, now is the time to buy. There is still time to ship before Christmas. Go to my website www.jasontako.com to see what is available.

2 Seats Left and Price Increases!

Evening Sheep, oil on linen panel, 11"x14" contact Bucks County Gallery of Fine Art 215-862-5272

I hope that all is well and that everyone is enjoying the approaching of the Christmas and Hannukah season. Collectors and fans of my work will be interested in knowing that I will be raising the prices of my paintings sometime after January 1st, 2013. While my prices have been consistent for a number of years now, I have been told over and over again by artists, gallery owners and collectors that my work is more valuable than what I'm pricing it for. I have also won numerous national awards over the past couple years and had editorials in several national art publications. If you would like to add one of my paintings to your collection, there is still time before the price increase happens. You can go to my website www.jasontako.com, or to my blog www.weeklyoilpainting.blogspot.com/ to see the paintings that are available. My infant son was in the hospital for the last eight months, but now that we are all home again, I will be working on fresh body of new paintings that I'm very excited about creating.

I just got the news yesterday that there are only 2 spaces left for my Wildlife Painting Workshop at the York Art Association which starts January 9th and runs every Wednesday 9am-Noon through March 6th. More information is available at this link: http://yorkartassociation.org/YAA/classes/winter-2013-adult-classes/

Landscape Painting Workshop at Art & Soul

I will be doing another landscape painting workshop this coming spring at Art & Soul Gallery in Lemoyne, PA. The details still need to be worked out, but it will most likely be the third week of March. The workshop I taught at Art & Soul last spring went over really well, and all the students walked away very pleased, with a good amount of knowledge to help them improve and become better painters. The only complain I heard was that they wished the workshop would have been longer. This workshop will be longer and more intense. Keep posted for more details or contact Lyn at Art & Soul 717-761-1270. Space will be limited so call soon.

Wildlife Art Classes by Jason Tako

Wildlife Art Classes by Jason Tako I will be teaching Wildlife Art Classes at the York Art Association, in York, PA, starting January, 2013. Classes will be every Wednesday morning starting January 9th and will run for 7 weeks. The York Art Association still has not posted it on their website yet, but I wanted you, my loyal blog followers, to be in the loop. If you are interested, please contact me for details or call the York Art Association at 717-755-0028. Hope to see you there!

Landscape Painting Workshop

Landscape Painting Workshop at the Prestigious Easton Studio and School. Are you looking to sharpen your painting skills be it in the studio or en plein air? After reading a lot of books and hearing numerous theories, are you still confused as to how to apply these concepts to create beautiful paintings? Then join me this coming April 26-28, 2013 for an intense three day landscape painting workshop at the Easton Studio and School in beautiful Easton, Maryland. I'll help you cut through all the clutter and confusion and show you the fundamentals of solid landscape painting and how these concepts can help you develop your own style. There will be lectures, demonstrations of the concepts, critiques, tips on how to continue to grow as an artist, and you will create your own painting using the concepts you have learned. The cost is $400.00 per student. We will meet each day from 9am-4pm with a lunch break. Space is limited so hurry and sign up. Go to http://www.eastonstudioandschool.com/Workshops.html or contact me at luke_tako@yahoo.com for more information.

Waterfowl Festival this November 9-11

I will be exhibiting some of my latest work at the Waterfowl Festival in Easton, Maryland this November 9-11. If you are a lover of wildlife and landscape art, or an outdoor enthusiast, then the Waterfowl Festival is the place for you. Some of the top wildlife and landscape artists will be exhibiting their work there. Please mark your calendars for this great event. http://www.waterfowlfestival.org/

Evening Sheep, oil on linen panel, 11"x14"

During a plein air event in Vermont, I saw this barn and had to paint it. It was not yet sunset but the mountain behind me had long since blocked the sun from this scene. Given this limitation, I decided to leave out any livestock and focus in getting the barn and the hills in. I was fairly happy with the painting and decided to exhibit it during the competition. While it received good reviews I felt it still needed something else to make it an even better painting.

I brought the painting home and showed it to my wife Becky and expressed my thoughts. She looked at it, and after some contemplation said it needed some sheep. I then remembered how I had thought of putting sheep in but let go of the idea due to the rapidly diminishing light. Within a few minutes I had carefully blocked in the sheep and was very pleased with the results. My beautiful wife has saved more than a few paintings over the years.

Like most of my paintings, this one was painted with a limited palette of Cadmium Lemon, Cadmium Red, Ultramarine Blue and Titanium White, applied to Belgium Linen mounted on a laminated birch wood panel, materials of the highest museum-grade archival quality. The bulk of the painting was completed en plein air in about an hour and a half. Minor adjustments, as well as the sheep were added later in the studio. The hills of Vermont are filled with beauty and a feeling of simpler times long past, as this painting forever captures.

Evening Sheep
Oil on linen panel, 11"x14"
$890.00. Contact Bucks County Gallery of Fine Art to inquire 215-862-5272.

The Addition, oil on linen panel, 11"x14"

This is a plein air painting I did up in Vermont. I was driving toward a wetland area that I had spotted the previous day when I saw this barn in the distance. At first I snapped some photos with my telephoto lens with the intention of quickly moving on, but then decided to try to get closer. This can be a challenge since many times a barn like this may be deep inside the private property of owners who may not be home. But I lucked out on this one, the barn was right off a side road, so I set up to paint.

It was a mostly cloudy day which worked nice for this type of scene. You see, the barn faced north, and on a sunny day the face of the barn would have been silhouetted from the southern sun, and the painting would not have worked. I took about two hours to paint this, with some slight modifications made later. I used my typical palette of just four pigments, Cadmium Lemon, Cadmium Red, Ultramarine Blue and Titanium White to complete this painting.

I called this painting "The Addition" because of the interesting white siding on the lower right. I'm not sure if this was just a siding job or if they added on a another section to an already existing structure. Either way, I love old barns like this. They are a testament to a way of life that is rapidly disappearing, the family farm, the small, independent family business. I'm glad that some people still hold on to this spirit, as this beautiful plein air painting shows.

The Addition
Oil on linen panel, 11"x14"
$890

Hillside Hay Bales, oil on panel, 6"x8"

This was the first painting I did during Plein Air Vermont. The state of Vermont has so many areas of beauty that it can be challenging to finally settle on something. I painted this small because the clouds were moving in and out and I felt I had better paint fast. These sky condition created that very challenging change of light where you have thick clouds that completely block the sun, then perfectly clear skies that almost blind you because your pupils are wide open from the dark overcast. I did move a couple trees and hay bales around to make the composition work better. But just sitting on this hillside with a brush in hand was an incredible feeling that I wanted to share.

This painting will be displayed at the legendary Bennington Center for the Arts in Bennington, Vermont until mid-December. If you are interested in having this beautiful little painting in your collection, let me know and I'll put you in touch with "The Bennington."

Hillside Hay Bales,
oil on panel, 6"x8"
$390, framed. Contact Jason at luke_tako@yahoo.com or at 717-814-1391 to inquire

I'll be at Plein Air Vermont

This next week I will be participating in the 2nd Annual Plein Air Vermont Competition, from September 4th through September 9th. The event takes place in North Bennington, Vermont, and will include some fantastic artists and artwork. I hope to be able to see you there. http://pleinair-vermont.com/

Late Summer
9"x12" oil on linen panel
$790, contact Jason at luke_tako@yahoo.com to inquire.

A single window and a single door. After a couple thumbnail sketches this was the composition I settled on, a pattern of rectangles with the abstract shapes of the flowers creeping up to outdo the windows and doors. This painting won the People's Choice Award at Plein Air Camp Hill 2012.

The Blue Door
Oil on linen panel, 9"x12"
$690.00-SOLD

Carroll Creek Alley, oil on linen panel, 11"x14"

 A hot morning in Frederick, MD, an alley that most people would overlook, but through the eye of an artist it can become an image of beauty. The resident of the upstairs apartment steps outside for a smoke. A delivery truck makes a stop and the driver pounds on the back door, then leaves. Another woman complains that her parking spot was taken. Then a woman pulls in the alley with a small red pickup truck which adds a perfect splash of color to the scene. This painting won the Second Place Award at Easels in Frederick 2012.

Carroll Creek Alley
Oil on linen panel, 11"x14"
$790.00-SOLD

Ole Rusty, oil on line panel, 11"x14"

 

An old rusted barn just outside of town tells the story of simplicity, honesty, family, country, and endurance. Actually, it has many stories to tell, if people will listen. It's days are probably numbered, but it continues to speak to us about our past, and perhaps about our future. I had to paint it so it would continue to speak even after it's torn down. This painting received the Second Place Award at Mountain Maryland Plein Air 2012.

Ole Rusty

oil on linen panel, 11"x14"

$890.00, framed.

Award at Easels in Frederick

I saw this alley and had to paint it, even though it was going to be around 100 degrees that day. The event was Easels in Frederick 2012 and I took 2nd Place at the event with this painting.

View from the Alley

Greetings!! It has been a long time since I last posted. We have been dealing with a medical crises in our family which is still ongoing. I apologize to all who have been wanting to see current work from me.

This painting won 1st Place in the Quick Draw event at Plein Air Camp Hill last week. I normally don't paint alleys but I must say they have always held a certain charm for me. This large house intrigued me with its large simple shapes and play of light and shadows. Getting the values correct was a challenge at first and I almost gave up after the first half hour. But persistence paid off and I was pleased with the final results.

View from the Alley
oil on linen, 9"x12"
$690.00-SOLD

Just Before Sunset, oil on linen, 18"x24"

I have seen this barn many times, but I was very intrigued by the late afternoon light that shines on it during winter. I did a field study but had to return for a 2nd session to get my colors more accurate. The dark cast shadow on the right side of the barn was not there until right at the end of the my plein air painting session. Once I blocked that in the whole study fell into place and I knew I had an idea worthy or a larger painting. The property and area this barn sits on is full of sink holes, so much so that sometimes the main road in the area has to be closed down because a hole suddenly appeared. The property is also slated for development if the corporation that owns it can sell it. I'm glad I got to paint this beautiful structure before either nature or "development" destroys it.

Just Before Sunset
oil on linen, 18"x24"
$2,190, framed. Contact Jason Tako at luke_tako@yahoo.com to inquire.

Here Come the Boys, oil on linen, 18"x24"

Pintail ducks are arguably the most elegant ducks in the world. I love painting their dark heads which contrast to beautifully with their white breast and gray sides. Not the mention the sleek scapulars on their backs which fall onto their sides and the sprig tail with gives them their name. This painting shows a hen resting in the water and being approached by two drakes in early spring. It's mating season and both drakes will try to win her over with unusual displays of their heads and tails.

Here Come the Boys

oil on linen, 18"x24"

$2,190 -SOLD

Western Art Collector Magazine Article

Western Art Collector Magazine, a national art publication, has an article on my work in their current March 2012 issue. The article is on page 151. This magazine is sold at Barnes & Noble Bookstores or any other bookstore that may carry art publications. Or click on the publication name above to order a copy.

Landscape Painting Workshop

I will be teaching a 3-day landscape painting workshop March 14th-March 16th, 2012 from 9am-1pm at Art & Soul Gallery in Lemoyne, PA, just outside of Harrisburg. This workshop will focus on learning and applying the fundamental knowledge that will help you create beautiful landscape paintings and grow as an artist.

Topics covered will include: Carlson's concept of angles and consequent values, how to group values, colors and how they apply to landscapes, how to get depth in your work, applying paint, creating a good composition, what not to do, and much more. The first day will include a lecture illustrated with short demonstrations as well as Q&A. The second day I will do a demonstration, the third day the students will paint with me giving individual pointers and critique.

Space is very limited and is on a first come, first served basis. Cost is $200/student. Contact Lyn O'Neal at artandsoul@pa.net or call at 717-770-9363. Please let me know if you have any questions. I hope to see you there!

White on White, oil on linen, 18"x24"

It snowed here last Wednesday, a beautiful, gentle snow that graced the tree branches with beautiful laces of white, yet conveniently melted when it landed on the roads. Needless to say I felt an urge to go out and paint. I created a field study of this scene that evening and the next day worked up this larger studio painting. Normally a studio painting would take longer to compose but this scene needed barely any alterations. I wish there were most places like this.

White on White
oil on linen, 18"x24"

$2,190.00, framed. Available at Lord Nelson's Gallery 1-800-664-9797

The Blue Barn, oil on linen, 12"x24"

This old barn is not far from where I grew up in Shieldsville, MN. I was doing a field study of some trees and clouds and noticed it off in the distance. Since I couldn't get close to it from this angle, I used my zoom lens and snapped a photo of it. I thought it would make a nice painting and I'm happy with the results.

The Blue Barn
oil on linen, 12"x24"
$1,490 -SOLD

Gallery Opening-Solo Show

Hello Everyone! Just a reminder that I will be having a Solo Show Gallery Opening at Design Domaine Gallery in Bernardsville, NJ tomorrow night (Friday) from 6-9pm. Design Domaine is a large and beautiful gallery with original paintings, lighting, decor accents and architectural elements. They are located at 67 Mine Brook Road in Bernardsville. I hope to see you there!