Northwoods Kaleidescope Blank Card from Artists to Watch

This 5" x 7" card is printed on a warm white textured recycled paper with soy-based inks and comes with a matching envelope.

Front:

Be happy for this moment. This moment is your life.

-Omar Khayyam

Inside is blank for your personalized message.

This card features an image from an original acrylic and watercolor painting by Dan Wiemer of Red Wing, Minnesota. Printed by Artists to Watch in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

I am obsessed with design, negative shape making and the ruggedness of the north. These obsessions led me to study Canadian painters, most notably Tom Thomson and the Group of Seven, who worked primarily in the early 1900’s. The illustrative style is personally relatable to me. Their career paths evolved from graphic designers, to illustrators, to painters. This has been my path as well. 

Finding rhythm in the landscape has become a hallmark of my work. Rhythm to me is connecting highlight shapes with linked shadow shapes in an interesting way that creates movement and pathways for the eye.  

My technique uniquely combines opaque acrylic with transparent watercolor that stylizes the landscape and is influenced by printmakers and batik artists. Their approach to creating negative shapes is similar to how I construct and distill my scenes.  

Painting on location (plein air) and in the studio are different experiences and bring different perspectives to my work. As a past president of the MN Watercolor Society, I saw firsthand the endless variety of ways to handle watermedia. This excited me and drove me to explore and develop the distinctive style I have today. 

I was fortunate to have two extended stays in China-- painting, teaching and exhibiting. In addition to China, I have painted in Puerto Rico, Scotland, Ireland, Canada and throughout the United States. 

Find more of Dan's work here.

Artists to Watch is an award-winning company working directly with independent artists to craft high-quality products that meld visually intriguing images with thought-provoking words. Our line is carefully curated to publish several exclusive collections from independent artists - each with a different look, feel, and voice. The result? A unique collection of products that inspire, celebrate, sympathize, and encourage those we love and support.

Life is busy, but we can never underestimate the power of a handwritten note. All the little social media “Likes” in passing will never compare to receiving a lovely handwritten message from a friend or loved one. When paired with amazing art & perhaps a perfect quote, it helps us to feel grounded, connected, and part of the whole.

We believe that a sustainable environment requires everyone to be conscious about the consumption of non-renewable resources while finding ways to reduce waste. Therefore, we only print on recycled paper! Each printed product we create has the highest post-consumer content available in a sheet that will still produce a high-quality reproduction. By printing with vegetable-based inks our products are less harmful to the environment. All our paper mills and printers are Forest Stewardship Council certified. We respect our environment by recycling, reusing, and reducing our waste at every opportunity.

Find more work from Artists to Watch here.