July is world watercolor month!
It’s probably a good reason for many to participate in World Watercolor Month and share the joy of creating art and using watercolor. Isn’t that great that it has become a tradition already? I read that it started only in 2016, and I believe many people are extra excited about that. I cannot post every day, but I am certainly happy to contribute at least some images and posts.
Manual abilities still matter
While we are swiftly becoming a digital and virtual society which uses devices and apps for everything, there are some things we should not delegate to devices. It’s in our favor to maintain ability to write and draw manually. Manual drawing and painting are extremely rewarding activities which not only make one happy and less stressed , but result in enjoyable art.
My current subjects: summer and nature
Nothing is better than nature, outdoors, gardens, flowers, growing vegetables in the summer. Nature is always genuine and honest. There is no pretense or flirting; that is the most real beauty we can have. I can draw and paint anything, but I have to admit that nature is the richest resource for any goal, any intention, anything in art. Therefore, while teaching and creating art I am teaching people to also love, appreciate and take care of this wonderful resource. Everything is connected. We can only harvest what we have planted.
The dreamy purple of summer pansies
Please, have a look and get inspired by my most recent watercolor project: The dreamy purple of summer pansies. I have posted 3 steps, but the first step is actually to transfer the drawing or draw with very light lines on watercolor paper. I used Saunders-Waterford watercolor paper, but medium to heavy Arches would serve better. The size is quite serious in order to capture flow of lines and shifts of color better.
Join us, create with watercolor
I know how excellent it is when one can use watercolor or pen and watercolor: it can easily become an obsession. If you were always attracted to watercolor, but are not completely sure what and how to paint, you are very welcome to join our watercolor summer painting sessions. Summer is the time to go out and paint nature. Enjoy the summer, get brushes and paint sets, and let us paint!
Link to registration for art classes: Art classes
Link to my Facebook page: Art plus Life page which is Inese’s Art Studio now
What a wonderful way to spend some days in July. Your pansies are absolutely lovely.
It certainly is a great thing to do!
Beautiful picture!
I hope all is going well for you!
I saw the surgeon yesterday, and he did some more work. Well, I hope I won’t need more surgeries after that, but I don’t know yet.
We will see by the fall.
Other than that, we will be moving in 3 weeks, and I still need to sell something because it is all going into boxes and cardboard folders and into storage. It is nice to see this all art still around.
I cannot say I have received much of response. It is a heat wave here and quite terrible, we are in 40-s, Celsius.
I wish I had something happening because the debt level is insane and I would love to have some money in Europe. I mostly hope getting more paints and brushes and for daily living expenses.
There are still a few weeks, I don’t know. It is unlikely, unless some collector came along which they do not do because the dealers do that for them.
It is a rather silent place. I haven’t seen anybody since May 16 when I had a very small art class, 4 people, I believe.
Certainly, if I was ever able to have something like this in Toronto where everything is happening, I most likely would not be complaining.
This area is bad regarding foot traffic. So, gallery will be closing and I will have only online for sales which happen once or twice a year, meaning I am selling a few paintings a year out of more than 1000.
I probably won’t be painting that much because art supplies are very expensive, to compare with the USA, they are about 3 times more, so is the shipping. That makes me very uncompetitive when it comes to online selling.
Also, all art looks so much better in reality. I do not post pictures of many pieces because they simply make no sense on a photo, but look impressive in reality. I don’t know, it is always money, I mean, lack of it. I have to find a way to make some, otherwise, it looks like it’s gonna have bad end. Husband cannot take it any longer working alone, and I have to come up with something whatever that is, as long as I can make whatever income. I’m 60 in a month, and I cannot do physical work, that is a problem. It would be hilarious I went to work for some fast food place with my 4 Master’s degrees, lots of experience and at age of 60 with all the inability to stand or walk too much, etc. Things are not good, I will have to do whatever it takes to earn something. I arrived here at 46, I wasn’t allowed to work until I got all documents done which took a few years, so, I have no savings.
I am so sorry, it sounds like things aren’t coming together quite as you had hoped.
Moves are always so stressful!
Maybe after your surgery and recuperation, you can find a job somewhere besides fast food. Are there any little gift shops, or card shops or something like that nearby?
I pray all goes well with the surgery.
You are often on my mind. Thank you for letting me know how things are going. I hope the outlook gets better soon.
Thanks Robby! I started antibiotics again because it didn’t look that good last night.
I don’t know yet what it is going to be in the new place. We saw it only once, and I absolutely do not know the neighbourhood and what is there.
I need something that does not require standing or walking because the condition isn’t going away, I can fix it up, but it is still there, well, and I cannot drive because of all of this, the insurance would be absurd with such health issues.
The problem with this frequent moving is that it doesn’t allow to really settle down anywhere.
I was thinking I won’t even unpack too much after it is packed because it might be so that we need to move again next year. Prices are abnormally high here, basically everything goes into bills and shelter.
I have to pray for my husband because I only have a place to live because of him, otherwise, I don’t know, I’d be most likely in some shelter or whatever and no painting would be happening for sure. I would never ever advise anybody who is almost 50 to move far away from their place of origin. I would have at least pension over there in Latvia, I would be retiring in 5 years since I worked at colleges and high schools mostly. Latvian teachers also have 2 full months off and it is always in summer. I do wonder how other people who cannot even speak English get here excellent jobs and good positions because my expertise and education certainly would allow for that. I simply do not know too much about Canada. Every place where you look at requires experience in Canada which I do not have, I have been here only for 14 years and I got citizenship only in 2011. Basically, there are so many rules and laws if you are a white immigrant, and they present everything for free to newcomers from Asia, Middle East and similar places.
Oh, Inese, I am so sorry. I know it must feel overwhelming to you right now. Hopefully, things will begin to get better soon.
You know, I hope for that, but I cannot imagine when that could happen at the moment. Moving from one place to another, and then again and again, is terrible. I have moved so many times, some 20 or maybe more during 60 years, it is the 7th time moving already while I am in Canada. That is within 14 years, in average, that means we move every 2 years. The next place was expensive, and that makes me think, we won’t be there more than 1 year. All news are full that Canada needs affordable housing and while everybody just talks about it, nothing has improved. Toronto has more than 5000 homeless people, most are born in Canada, real Canadians. Outside in the GTA, there are sort of social houses, but there is shooting and these places are dirty. Lots of violence. We also have numerous shootings now every single day in Toronto and GTA.
I understand about the moves. It’s always hard and drainingg, both physically and emotionally!
So sad about the homeless. Unfortunately, that seems to be a common problem almost everywhere, even here in the US. (And, don’t even get me started on the violence!)
I hope you can find somewhere within the next year that handles all your needs!
Thanks Robby! I don’t know what to expect and I do not want to plan anything yet. It is such a moment when everything is quite unknown or almost completely unknown. Well, I will have to go with this for a while, and then I will see what happens. I should probably work more, but blood sugar is unstable, it was going down in a very stubborn way. I could do so many things, but it’s just so that there is zero energy left at this hour. It’s getting late, probably time to just rest.
I haven’t started to pack anything yet. I know me: I will most likely put it off and put it off until there is simply no time left. LOL. I am not even angry anymore, or upset, or something else. I am so tired. It seems the hot weather is also contributing to this.
I am in the middle of new things, I hope to tackle them some day.
I needed videos and pictures, but I really do not like the Iphone. I don’t even care about its superb processor. I need normal pictures, and that’s what it cannot do. It tries to apply some kind of specific color scheme and makes everything dark and sharp, although I have turned off all their stupid filters. It might be good for taking pictures of people and nature, but for one thing: shouldn’t use it for art. I am feeling every smallest nuance of color, and Iphone does not want to recognize anything yellow, but it makes white spots stronger. That is the most annoying part recently.
Have a good night! I’m so done for now!
I can understand the hesitancy. I am sorry about your blood sugar.
I am like you where packing for a move is concerned, I always wait until the last minute, and I always say I won’t!
Hot weather does take a lot out of you.
I’m sorry your phone isn’t doing what you need.
I hope you had a better day today!
I am ok under circumstances. I am also a typical directly responding Eastern European: I’m not going to say I am so grateful that I am sick and it is teaching me something, but certainly the surgical site looked better for the first time tonight when I changed the dressing. Other than that: exhausted and somewhat terribly nauseated, it’s medications. I still have 2 classes. I am doing sewing for me after that, I need a few new pants, skirts, a few jackets probably. Everything what I have sewn looks so much better than the store things. Technically, it is designer quality. I work neatly and carefully, and I know what makes me look excellent. After that packing, and after that flying for 16 hours.
How about you Robby? You are such a nice person, encouraging, etc.? How do you manage? I am going to sleep right now, but I will read it tomorrow afternoon, after class, maybe even in the morning. I hope the weather is not bothering you too much. I do not even know where you live, I just know: in the States. Have a peaceful night! I love the word “peaceful”!
I am glad things are getting better. I understand being exhausted. I also understand the nausea, though for a different reason. I have acondition that causes nausea every morning (though the doctors don’t really know why or have a name for it, I suffered with it since I was a little girl), they just keep giving me anti-nausea medication!
I bet the clothes you sew are beautiful! I can imagine you pay close attention to detail.
Wow, a long flight!
I thank you for asking. I won’t bore you with details, but I live in chronic, sometimes debillitating pain. My faith is what gets me through everything.
I live in Alabama about halway between Birmingham, Alabama and Atlanta, Georgia. I have lived in a lot of places (60 before I was 16!) then about 15 sincce then. I never dreamed I would live in Alabama for as long as I have!
The heat, plus the high humidity, can sometimes be draining. Thankfully there is AC!
I love the word peceful, too and I love when it is. I hope you had a peceful night, too!
Your nausea might be caused by pancreas and lack of some part of digestive enzymes which are released by pancreas. Have you done tests to detect levels of lipase, amylase and protease. That frequently can cause different unpleasant feelings, including nausea which is strong in the morning.
I believe I know lots about pain, I regret hearing you have it, too. I haven’t had a single day without for 25 years now. I think you are very strong to maintain your good attitude.
My pain can be the same, I don’t know what to do: scream, crawl up the wall, etc. I don’t take very strong meds, but I take some when I cannot stand, sit or sleep. Walking is painful always, I’m used to that. I used to have abnormal pancreas attacks and that was probably the worst pain ever. Thankfully, I have adjusted to artificial Canadian foods now and it’s less.
It is good you can get through your pain with prayers and belief.
Unfortunately, I cannot. I would love not to ever be on any meds, but it is what it is. I might be still sane because I paint. There are, however, days and sometimes weeks when I am off. I have stopped fighting against it because it’s better to just let it happen and get more new energy afterwards.
Oh, it sounds like it might be hot.
I think we drove through Alabama once. I would not be very sure, but we did cross all those states.
You are a very kind person. Extremely nice and compassionate. Genuine kindness is very rare.
Who knows, time smight change, I might somewhen take a trip to Alabama!
I hope to have AC in the new place, too. This is nightmare, and the worst is at night.
It is a long flight on 2 planes. I usually have to buy extended leg space seat because otherwise, no, I would not survive the pain.
Nice talking to you!
Here it goes again: I( need to lay down, but the class was fine today. Basically, when I am extra busy, I have less pain.
I will have to have that checked, thank you for the info!
I wish I could be pain-free, too. Unfortunately, I don’t see that happening. The most frustrating thing for me is taking medication to counteract the original medications side effects!
Thank you so much for your kind words! Maybe someday I can visit Canada. My granddaughter talks frequently of wanting to visit Canada.
WOW, that is a LONG flight.
It’s always nice talking to you, too Inese!
Glad you had a good class.
Unfortunately, pain is usually an alarming symptom, too. It can be the most important signal we get, although, it is terrible. It is the only way the body can communicate that something is wrong: by pain and discomfort and all kinds of unpleasant sense, like burning, itching, etc. People who have a rare disorder of not feeling or experiencing any pain actually have a very short lifespan. I wrote about that once on my lifeschool blog. There are other things, too, which could be related to nausea, and that can be some inherited stomach acid issue. The symptoms of low and high stomach acid levels are very similar, practically the same, so, nobody knows what’s going on until we find out via test. I take my stomach acid is low and I use different things to feel better, such a drinking small bit of water with lemon juice on empty stomach, I cannot use much any citrusses because of type I diabetes.
You certainly should visit Canada some day: for a tourist, there are lots and lots to experience.
I hope getting off any meds by Wednesday. Well, 2 types of insulins and other maintenance stuff stays.
Anyway, have a good weekend!
Sorry I took so long to reply, I have been seeing doctors and getting different tests run. Some of these appointments took me almost 6 months to get as the doctor is so good (and popular!!).
I would love to visit some day. I know I won’t be up to it for some time, though. However, I’m slowly but surely getting things taken care of.
I hope everything works out well for you!
That’s life, things can take a lot of time, I have no problem with that because I am late with any responses and I haven’t updated blogs or website, it’s just too much.
I’ve been sewing for the last 3 days, 3 pieces are ready, I will be working on 3 more, the that will be what I wear while traveling and in Latvia. I used to be a crazy fashionista (I can sew anything from coats, jackets, gowns to simple things in no time) and I always had the extra super trend wearing. It was possible 20 years ago because we did not have the fast fashion when everything changes daily. Well, I am making some pieces that go well with what I already have. There is definitely no comparison with what we buy at the store and what a good dressmaker can create.
Waiting times for doctors are very long, I sometimes wonder how that makes sense. Most conditions change very fast and the associated problems cannot be fixed with extremely slow and ineffective treatments. It’s good that you are managing everything.
I need to post something new, but I do not know yet when I get to it. It is messy, hectic, overwhelming and lots of hard work, too!
Inese, I am sorry things seem to be overwhelming for you right now!
I admire anyone who can sew. I think I mentioned my aunt to you one time you remind me of her. I did quite a bit of sewing when I was younger. I made some of my clothes and helped relatives make lots of quilts-very intricate patterns, too. However, I never truly enjoyed it, to me it was just another chore. As I’ve gotten older, I realize what a gift and God given talent it is to be able to create things of beauty from pieces of fabric! (And, in your case, dabs of paint are transformed into timeless works of art, too!)
Please don’t worry about your blog. You have much bigger issues to deal with right now. Your blog will still be there when you have the time and desisre to conitnue.
Hugs to you, my friend.
Thanks! I was thinking just the other day: I like everything which is creating. Even as a small kid, I did not like too much to play, but I liked creating. When I was 10 I built for my sister’s doll an entire apartment. I made tiny furniture: folding couch, wardrobe with tiny coat hangers, it had also door that can open, and tiny dresses and outfits (I was sewing from a very young age, which my mom did not like because I would break a sewing machine needle here and there or cause the thread to jam, etc.), small carpets, bookshelves, coffee table, armchairs, chairs and even tiny candles and carpets. I used dad’s tools and wood I found.
I have sewn so many outfits that it would impossible to count. I used to also sew for other people to make some side income. It was sometimes 12 wedding outfits in one week and I had my sister doing ironing, so that I could sew non-stop. I already made 5 things: 2 pants, trench coat, blouse, skirt and I am still doing one more more relaxed summer pants. I’m fast because I have extremely good visual memory, so I do not need to measure too much. Sewing, just like art is a very logical thing, and, technically, everybody can figure out how it is done. Sewing relaxes me a lot, just like painting. The only time when it doesn’t is when there is a deadline and client is coming to pick it up.
Some people might have more talent for such things, but everybody can do it. I loved math at school and I became very good at it. I loved physics, chemistry and math because I could figure it out. I had hilarious cases when we had to achieve a proof of mathematical theorem. The teacher says: well: you got the result right, but that is a completely different way from what I was teaching. Basically, I mean, I love all things that I can figure out, and most of them are like that. Latvians also historically do not ever read instructions. If it does not work out, they just assume it not going to work.
I love creation and creativity because that gives me freedom.
I did not see at any stores outfits which I really liked. I’m 60 in 11 days, but I am slim and tall. It is very hard to buy something ready made because everything for my height is too wide for me. That’s why I have to sew.
I’m not too worried about anything, but husband is getting into huge stress at his shop, and he puts some part of it on me. It is difficult because I already have so much on my plate. Well, I will manage just like I always do.
It is so nice to exchange some thoughts with you. I wish you a nice rest of this summer!
I believe I will still post something even while in Latvia.
WOW! The dollhouse sounds magnificent, such detail!!
My dad brought me up to never read directions (he never did, so why should I?)! I was his shadow for many years and learned a lot about repairs of all kinds. However, due to pain, arthritis, etc. I can’t do many of the things I used to do.
I’m sorry stress is getting to your husband.
Happy early birthday, just in case I get busy and forget the day!!
I enjoy exchanging thoughts with you, too!
I wish for you a nice rest of the summer, too. I also prayer all will go well while you are in Latvia!
Blessings~
Thanks Robby! It is regretful how pain and diseases can interfere with our life to such a terrible extent.
I hope we stay in touch after the move and beyond that. I am dealing with very many things at the moment. Extra busy! I will try to post a new post.
Me, too Inese.
I really have no free moment, I will be in touch in Aug or Sept, just posted on both blogs, there is new info, etc
Ok, thanks!