Good life comes from good things
I have drawn and painted numerous flowers so far not only in pen lines and watercolor, transparent watercolor, but also in acrylic, and less known are my pastel paintings just because I don’t have any photos of them. Among them are roses, magnolias, orchids, daffodils, tulips, lilies, calla lilies, daisies, peonies, pansies, poppies, sunflowers, lilac, trillium, wildflowers, forest flowers and flower fields. I probably forgot to mention some. Flowers are convenient for painting since they are always around. Something is always available and that suits me and my personalized realism. Being in the middle of so much beauty, real and painted, feels extremely good.
My opportunity
As I explained in Part 1, my background is very different from Canada-born artists. I am purely expressing my personal vision about the subject because nothing stands between me and my idea which I am putting on canvas or paper, not even a photo, and no devices are involved. I could say it’s the purest form of creation, going from what you see to what you create. I love most turning white paper and blank canvas into something where you can walk in or are able to almost touch the drawn or painted subject.
Technique versus idea and emotional aspect
While it’s possible to get carried away by the technical side of painting or drawing, I’d love to remind that there’s also a concept, an idea and a hidden meaning within such art. The concept isn’t the subject itself, it’s what it can tell the viewer and how deep emotional impact it can make. That’s my opportunity to stand out. Drawing for me is pure pleasure because I don’t have to struggle with it, I usually do not need any eraser. Pencil dances on paper, the subject takes shape and it will definitely have more meaning than simply trying to be lifelike.
Complexity or simplicity of subject and display on the internet
I wrote in part 1 that the driving force for me is the subject, especially the challenging aspects of it, ability to create more complex and deeper paintings. I love complex paintings more. Also, it isn’t important whether my subject looks exactly like the real thing. I want the viewer to get my message, the idea behind the visible lines and colors. On the internet, you can only see a fairly small image of my art, often, the size does not reflect the actual size. On this blog, all vertical images look much larger than the horizontal ones, except the featured image must be horizontal. On Fine Art America print site, vertical paintings look much smaller than the horizontal ones and so on. Therefore, display doesn’t make a correct impression.
Drawing as base for watercolor painting
Realistic watercolor painting most often uses drawing before paint application. We can avoid that and create everything with brush only, and I have done that, too. However, when it comes to complex still life, floral or landscape painting, it’s best to plan values and know where to use what. I transfer such drawing onto watercolor paper using extra light and hardly visible lines. Watercolor paper doesn’t like eraser, and strong pencil lines disturb the image, at least I like only transparency of watercolor paint to be visible. This all refers to watercolor done traditionally: leaving white of paper for white and layering different value colors where they belong.
Solo shows and juried art shows
I started out very well in 2011 in Ontario with showing my large watercolors and fewer acrylic paintings in a gallery near Toronto Beaches. I couldn’t find this gallery on a map now, it has probably changed hands and has a different name. I also took part in art fairs, juried art shows, gave classes and workshops at my own gallery, everything was working really well. Recently, a few art students from back then shared their memories on Facebook and told how much they had learned in my art classes and how much they appreciated them. It was a different time. Being in a commercially zoned property definitely helped. Then health problems caused me to slow down between 2016 and 2019, plus, we had to move 2 times after 2018.
Moving an art studio
Moving just a house is difficult and stressful, but moving an entire large art studio with all kinds of art supplies, extra furniture, easels and numerous paintings of my own together with house, was a hassle. It’s inevitable that some art gets damaged, I had that happen even when moving art around to shows. It seems everything is packed up safely, but such move normally involves many people and not everyone of them knows how to handle a huge painting, for instance. That’s why I feel reluctant showing very large framed watercolors now. Glass sometimes breaks, it’s not only the high price for museum grade glass that worries me. Painting can get scratches, too, and the entire thing needs re-framing.
My painting method and technique
When I paint in color, I definitely need daylight. Regardless how good the artificial light is, it causes changes in color. Therefore, some parts of painting require extra work, that can be a lot of extra work. With watercolor especially, there might be parts which I cannot undo. Whenever possible, I paint only by daylight. The usable portion of my current place isn’t that big, maybe spacious enough, but I could utilize easily double this size for an art studio. When there’s a lot of heating in winter, it’s very difficult to paint with acrylic paints. They dry on touch. For watercolor, it doesn’t matter because I can always make the paper wet again. Colors or shapes are not affected when re-wetting watercolor paper.
Art is my full-time job
It is a huge risk to take on art as one’s entire lifestyle and full-time job. There are only a few fields where competition is as fierce as in art and teaching art. I had strong support when I engaged in art in Canada, but during the pandemic everything went downhill real fast. I don’t teach art as entertainment because my definition of learning is not the same as social drinking and using art as extra feature. I take painting seriously and I teach aspects I have discovered during many decades to those who want to master medium or observational drawing. That requires focus, interest in learning as a process, not only in a quick result. My students, who displayed the most willingness to learn, have become excellent artists.
I will share my acrylic painting creation process and my thoughts about teaching observations in Part 3.
Also, please, have a look at my art collections: Art collections by Inese Poga
All online show pieces will be listed soon, currently acrylic art page is still getting done:
Original watercolor paintings for sale
More acrylic paintings will be added: Shop original acrylic paintings
Thanks for reading!
You create amazingly!
Thanks very much! I hope when this period of troubles is over, I will come up with a completely new collection.
Have a good weekend!
I am waiting impatiently for the new collection
That’s nice. I hope to surprise followers with new subjects.
I like to be surprised when you can expect?
You really do!!
Oh yes
I hope it’s ok where you live and you’re safe.
I guess so
It will be some time in May, I would say. Too many disturbances at the moment. Stay safe!
I am waiting until May 🙂
I am waiting until May
Sure, no problem!
😊👍
I agree, 365 🙂
😁
Awesome
Stunning paintings Inese 😍😍😍 Gorgeous!!
Thank you very much Maria! Such a pleasure to get a nice compliment.
I just got the vaccine and feel very tired, kind of.
Stay safe!
Thanks you too. Feel better
Thanks again!
I wouldn’t say I feel too bad, but somewhat tired, I do not want to do anything at the moment. Well, it will pass.
It’s absolutely beautiful, eachone of itself ❤️
Thanks very much!
You’re very welcome.
I just published the virtual arts market post. That was sooo much work!
Best wishes in your goal of dedicating yourself totally to your Art, Inese, I am sure you will succeed, since you know what you are doing, beside you are determined, and your paintings beautiful. 😊
Thank you for your nice comment!
I would say that art is pretty much the only thing I can do now. Everything lead towards this outcome, as if on its own, therefore, I’m not resisting.
I should touch deeper areas of art, though, and I believe I will. When you look at scope of these paintings, there is a lot of beauty, however, I intend to personalize it way more. To give an art class, I need a very basic subject, simple and easy to perceive. For juried shows and competitions, I need very different art, complex, very personalized and very unique. Now, after many years of giving the art classes, I had lots of paintings which do not hit the mark for highly personalized art which pertains to specific features. I still decided to finish up these simpler paintings and they look good.
My own goal is, however, to bring in more specific subject so that it not only says it might be Inese Poga’s painting, but screams it. That type of thing.
I wish you a lovely Sunday!
I get your point, Art develops along the artist progress, and natural evolution, after many years of practice, as told you before painted for over two years, and knew it will take me at least 20 years to achieve something, as you mention, totally yours.
Like any Art, it demands dedication, purpose, and a natural maturation of the artist himself in relation with his art, beyond just a pretty painting, more like the mastering of your art.
Thank you, my Sunday it’s just beginning.
You too have a great day, Inese.
Natural maturation sounds very right to me, and evolution, as well.
I have done a lot of them, pretty paintings, but it is surprising that somehow even with that type of painting I managed to add my own features to them.
I think most characteristic are the still life paintings where I really was implementing my personal ideas.
The large acrylic paintings (of which I haven’t published here any) also carry much more perceivable message. Well, anything which I didn’t for classes was purely my own version of reality, therefore, they had the feel of personal style.
We really change over time, and our preferences do, too. It’s natural that finds its way into our creations.
Oh, I love sleeping in and do that frequently, and I also stay up extremely late at night, so half of my day is gone, and I haven’t had a breakfast yet. I will go and get something right now.
Good to know your Sunday is great, keep it that way and nice talking to you!
Yes I understand the process, on any endeavor to come with something of value you need the old Greek Alchemy phrase, that I use as my blog name: Kone, Krusos, Kronos. Or the Gold, the Crucible and Time, that synthetize Alchemy turning base metals into Gold basically the fire of the furnace, and time, the long time on that a hot furnace required for the change, basically, the long time on that hot furnace required for the change and thus obtain something of value.
Take care Inese.
That’s exactly fitting as description of the entire process, or becoming a master with your tools and getting out something of the heavy work which is put into any valuable thing. The raw material like in my case empty surface, then mystery of paint with some drop of talent, then heat it all in flames of passion, and at the end maybe that value is born.
You just gave me a hand to create a definition of the art process. Thanks very much!
In English there’s the old phrase: “No sweat, no effort and no pain, no gain.” And it can be apply to many things in life.
That phrase I have heard often. While it is true it doesn’t include all the elements, but sort of work and effort.
The other definition came out better because it includes passion (What is art without passion? But, we are seeing produced art also) and I could add talent.
I still believe that work and training do big part, but talent shouldn’t be ignored like it is. One can practice all they want, but if they don’t have the appropriate voice, they aren’t going to be an opera singer, that way.
I think there’s distinction between honest art which is the result of hard work and art which has talent as a base. I know, the current North American concept denies talent as necessity for creation of visual art. To which I disagree because I also do not assume conceptual no-skill art as art. Just me in my own universe.
Thank you very much, such a pleasure!
yes, I agree, in fact there are many elements that contribute, as well the whole qualities, and quirks a Human being may posses that make him unique in a way may influence directly or indirectly.
As an anecdote years ago when in Los Angeles a small newspaper commissioned me to write a review, of the Van Gogh paintings that exist in Van Gogh’s Museum, that was touring at Los Angeles, and I did, one thing that I noticed they mostly had early works of the painter, when he did his first works, most of the great paintings where not in the show, so the exhibit was really modest, and a lot of the works where, how could I say this?
Well, first attempts at painting, and not vey good, as his latest work, some are there, just because he made them, and he now it’s, well Van Gogh, and that’s the reason they are valuable, and I said so in the article, and the guy who hired me did not want to publish the article, of course the guy did not knew anything about painting, but figured out that Van Gogh, being such celebrated painter, all his paintings had to be great, even his most early ones, when he did not knew even how to mix colors, or contrast a picture.
Sure you could see his humble beginnings as a painter and admire his talent, but I don’t know, figure even Picasso first painting Le Picador, who he made at 9 years of age may not be a great one.
But I agree with you talent, passion, inspiration, skill, technique, knowledge, etc. Contribute to make a painting great.
Bes wishes, Inese.
Superb story!
That sort of describes how there is this unreal elevation of opinion and, certainly, not all works by even a famous artist are masterworks.
That leads to assumption how even art market works or rather doesn’t.
Nowadays, as we have seen it’s enough to have a very wealthy, and I mean, we are talking a billionaire, friend who can buy up the entire collection for whatever amount doesn’t hurt them at all. That way the artist gets immediate attention and his/her works skyrocket in price. Right the next day.
The culture of today is such that it frequently lacks a personal opinion. We have lots of things which we just automatically must like, or otherwise you are not in your right mind. That refers not only to art (like why should I like some art if I don’t at all regardless of who painted it?), but oftentimes to books, poetry, literature as such, music, songs, moves, actors and singers and so on. Big pressure to like what’s supposed to be extreme masterworks.
One lady on Facebook tried to compare my floral paintings to somebody else as if famous, and, well, it’s not even the same style and not even the same type of art. I suppose she meant it well, but no artist ever wants to be compared to somebody else’ s work. I take it not as a compliment because, in my opinion, I’m not at all worse than the lady X who is in museum, but I’m still alive and I’m not.
I really need to turn attention to the latest blog post now because I hope to sell something, I basically must sell something. It’s been more than 1.5 years for me without any income and it’s getting dreadful. I’m a bit better now after the recent surgery and then Pfizer vaccine, first dose, also made me feel not good, I had like 4 or 5 very bad days. Recovering now, but I need to work more on the sales and possibly create one new account on a page which might help. I don’t like that type of work, but what can I do.
Ok, take care and I appreciate the input very much!
Before reading your message, I was reflecting on a particular problem in my life right now, I guess life its like that for everyone, always new challenges, and things to overcome.
I am sure you are up to the task Inese, and will succeed, sales may be a burden added to the Artist, but that’s life, my ex was able to sell all my paintings, about 200 of them, when I was able to sale only one!
That’s life!!
Take care Inese.
Yes, promotion and things like that are a burden.
Well, so far, it doesn’t look that good. I can sell things, but that is much easier in person.
You look online, there is so much art that it seems it’s everywhere.
Most people who buy something are interested in wall art or a small gift, etc. These can be prints, and, for instance, in the US you get them much cheaper. That’s the reason I don’t even order prints for re-sale. Before taxes, 12 x 16 in print is $96. Then, I have to still advertise it, pack it, ship it and my prices become completely uncompetitive.
Selling originals is difficult on the internet because you cannot see the size, there is no direct impact, and photo just doesn’t include everything which is on the painting. It’s also so that people who are not familiar with art, but have only seen pictures of it, won’t know the difference between original and print. It looks the same on a website.
Just like everything, online has its benefits and drawbacks. For my type of art, it’s not a good match. In person, I can show the buyer something else, too, let them compare, and so on. Online, I’m behind the screen.
We are still in lockdown, total lockdown. Lots of things need to be addressed, I just don’t know. This virtual show will be on for a while, but I am really doubting whether it will result in anything. What I meant before is that I need more action under the recent post which there isn’t much.
Ok, heading outdoors. Take care
I guess you need to do a lot of promotion of your Art, always the downside of being an artist, unless you enjoy the sale business as well.
It’s a task to be a salesman, but you can become a very good one if you try, of course it takes time, from what you really care.
Maybe one day I will tell you my story as a salesman.
Best wishes Inese.
Thanks!
No, I do not enjoy or like it. It means a lot of time spent on all kinds of sites which I do not like at all, like Facebook.
I view it as a necessary hassle.
Disruption, that’s what it is. They just said that Ontario has had and still has the longest lockdown in North America. Oh well, have to be patient.
The truth is I do not feel that well.
I’m trying to link the last post with all kinds of websites, but it has very little success so far. Few views. My theme doesn’t support Home pages, at least, not good Home pages, and that’s a very big minus, but i cannot edit at the moment, no time for that. Ok, gotta go back to work. Take care!