18 December, 2012

My Top 12 of 2012

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To commemorate the outgoing year, I have judged my own favorite "Top 12 of 2012" artworks. Some of those that didn't make the cut I still love very much. It feels a little like the process where you send in an image to a juried show, and the one you really love yourself is not accepted. It is a good exercise, and I recommend you try it on your own body of art from the year.

The blue lettered images are still available.  Inquiries here.




 All the Colors Field
5.5" x 10.5"
Pastel


 Bald Ridge at Dusk
12.75" x 10" 
Pastel


 Barn Interior Color Sketch
7" x 6"
Pastel


 Field Colors
6" x 7"
Pastel


 Diptych
Forest Deep 1 and 2
12" x 7" each
Pastel


 Forest Pond
8" x 12"
 Pastel 


 Multi Tree
7" x 4.5"
Pastel


 Soft Canola Yellow
5" x 6"
Pastel


 Umber Fields
8" x 6"
Pastel


 Violet in the Treeline
9.5" x 6.1"
Pastel



 Violet Mountain
3.5" x 3.75"
Pastel

Windbreak
6" x 12" 
Pastel




24 comments:

CERULEAN said...

Hi Casey, good idea. That's really a nice top 12.

Casey Klahn said...

Thanks, Eric.

Karin Goeppert and Kenneth Burns said...

Good choice!
But there was this other one - in an oblong format. You showed it maybe in spring or so. It depicted a hill with the top cut off. I really love that one. Do you know which one I mean? I saw it only once but I never forgot it. :-)

Casey Klahn said...

Possibly Spring Snow in the Distance? There were a handful of ridge top images that did not make "the cut," and I was having fits over that.

jeri greenberg painting said...

whew, thank goodness my faves are on here...
nice to see your critique of your own work, xo

Casey Klahn said...

Jeri, I'm glad.

anonymous said...

Fabulous colours - pastels are so pure and intense.

Lisa Le Quelenec said...

****applause*****

What a beautiful collection, it must have been a hard choice when you have so many great paintings to choose from. Interesting to see the palette for the year, is this different from previous years?

(Great idea for a post. I may have to borrow the idea....)

create everyday said...

Great idea to put these together.
I am especially fond of "violet mountain".
Wishing you all the best in 2013!

Casey Klahn said...

Lisa: my thanks!

I noticed that the palettes were fairly broad in range, and that the subjects also show some spread. These things make me very happy.

Seems to be a strong color note/idea in each one.

I hope you do this exercise, too!

Thank you, Kari Maxwell! I did a spin off of Violet Mountain just a week ago, but don't have the photo yet.

Jeanette Jobson said...

It would be difficult for me to pick a favourite among these, all brilliant picks. I do have a fondest for the first however.

And its a lovely idea that I just may steal for my own blog post soon. It does make you really think about the merits of your own work and what thinking goes behind making the cut or not.

Casey Klahn said...

Very kind words, Jeanette: thanks.

My method, for those who are going to do this, was to click open each month of The Colorist, using the Blog Archive in the sidebar. I walked through each image from 2012 and picked the interest group, and some were obvious immediately. Others I knew needed to be in consideration.

I think there were 20 in the first group. I eliminated 8 by comparing small groups, saying to myself, "this one is better than this one," and throwing out the lesser.

Tomorrow I'll be attending self-flagellation anonymous classes.

Kelly Borsheim Artist said...

I LOVE these, Casey! You are the BEST!
Buone Feste! and thank you.

www.paulakuitenbrouwer.com said...

Congrats, Casey. That is a wonderful Top 12. I think Number 1 for me is the Bald Ridge at Dusk. It is so dry and awesome. The heavy grey rain cloud makes you want to run home. Number 2 definitely is the forest pond. It is quiet unbelievable how you create the illusion of water with such a dry medium as pastels. For a moment I really looked in the pond's reflection. A colour wizard at work.
I hope 2012 has been a wonderful year for you.
How did the workshops and social media worked out? What generated more contacts and sales? You have been so versatile, active and experimental. Very inspiring.
May 2013 bring you lots of inspiration and good fortune too.

Ruth Andre said...

Great idea to post your favorite works. I am so glad you did because I had not seen "Violet Mountain" and it is fabulous. Have a wonderful holiday and the best for the New Year!

Casey Klahn said...

Thank you, Ruth. I love the mountain image, too. I am working up more, and have a soft spot for mountains. Best!

Casey Klahn said...

HI, Paula! Might be my fave, too. It is a large-medium work for a pastel, but I look back and wish it were larger. It will frame out to about 23x20" so will be big on a wall. That was a stormy day!

Workshops were great for sales of all types of works, and I was impressed with that. Every workshop (@90%) I sold the demo, which was heartening. More special for me, though, was seeing the works that artists produced and many were breakthrough works!

Best wishes for the holidays!

Casey Klahn said...

So happy to have your comments, Kelly. I really enjoy your blog, sculpture and images, too. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

Jo Murray said...

Your work is so evocative. I love the simplicity and the colours. Have a wonderful Festive Season and return in the New Year with renewed inspiration.

Casey Klahn said...

Thank you, Jo! Happy holidays.

Unknown said...

Thank you Casey for all the wonderful inspiration! I do the same thing at the end of every year when I make a calender for my 86 year old mom. She looks forward to it every Christmas. I'll give the barn challenge a try after our daughter and granddaughter go back to NY next month. May you and your family have a wonderful and blessed Christmas!!

Casey Klahn said...

Hi, Mary. One of my blessings this year was meeting you.

I still remember that painting you made of Glacier Vista.

Take care and happy holidays!

Kelly M. said...

Absolutely the top 12! beautiful works all, Casey! Wishing you peace throughout the holidays and for 2013.

Casey Klahn said...

Many thanks, Kelly. Have a good New Years celebration!

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