Inese, visual artist, writer and life sciences blogger

July 21, 2020March 6, 2023

Still life with personal touch

Blue, green and orange still life by Inese Poga

This post has many pictures, make sure to check them out. I decided to devote a special article to my still life paintings since it has been an important genre for me for many decades.. In languages which I speak fluently (native Latvian, German, English and Russian), still life is called as follows:

Still life: English

Stilleben: German

Hатюрморт: Russian

Klusā daba: Latvian

Nature morte: French

Naturaleza muerta: Spanish

Natura morta: Italian

Wikipedia gives a brief historic overview of still life as a genre, and I don’t think I need to repeat it.

Etymology and direct meaning

Translating literally, still life means dead nature in French, Italian and Spanish and Italian and Spanish have presumably borrowed it from French. The direct meaning of English still life is “life which is not moving and making no sound”; not moving and silent life – in German. Russian uses a loanword from French; hence French was spoken in all higher educated circles in Russia for quite a while until the Socialist revolution in 1918. Still life in Latvian means “silent nature” referring to rather making no sound than not moving. I find this very amazing. I do stick in my still life paintings with “nature that isn’t moving, but is visibly alive”.

Spring tulips and cup with color background

My still life

As a native Latvian, I have formed my understanding of still life based on classic Latvian art. I especially adored Latvian art which was created between 18^th and 19^th century and around the beginning of 20^th century. Latvians used to go to France and Italy to study art, therefore, the influence is undeniable. The part I never liked and to which I developed internal opposition was the use of mainly cold raw umber and rather muddy earth and dirty blue color in still life art between the WWII and 60-s of the previous century. However, they worked well in combination with grey color since grey has many thousands of shades. When I was younger, I couldn’t stand such color combinations.

The beginning of my personal style

I initially was somewhat really naturalistic. I could sit for hours in the garden or in my room and draw leaves, plants and flowers between age 10 and 16. I drew also people and faces of my sister and other relatives, but for still life, I didn’t have to ask anybody to sit and stay there for a few hours. Back in 60s and 70s of 20^th century while Latvia was still in the Soviet Union, I could mostly use what I got from our garden. Vegetables and fruit lasted longer than flowers, so, I developed a special love to them. I used just pencil and watercolor on a bad quality paper. I didn’t have lots of art supplies, often not even eraser. That taught me drawing so that I wouldn’t need eraser. I didn’t have obviously camera and printer, and nobody knew anything about the internet yet.

The subject of still life

Still life with fruit and flowers, watercolor

I have most often certain requirements when setting up a still life. I use something man-made, such as bowl, cup, jar or mug, box, books or similar items. I implement some flower or leaves, or the entire plant whenever I have it, and that establishes the living part of my still life. I also love adding either fruit or vegetables since they are always available. I sometimes cleaned out the fridge, and my husband used to joke that we didn’t eat for the entire month while I painted my still life. Big is definitely more impactful, and I go with full sheet watercolor paper (22 x 30 inches or 56 x 76 cm) when I have a good quality paper. The same about acrylic painting of still life. The small size is about 16 x 20 inches or 41 x 51 cm with just a very few exceptions that are even smaller. Painting big size art is much easier for me and I always prefer that assuming I have enough time and appropriate art supplies.

A very attractive genre

Over years, I have painted numerous still life paintings. Many have been sold as prints. I cannot include all still life paintings, but just a few in one post. These paintings are recently finalized, but started even 10 years ago. The “Spring tulips and cup” painting was done like that. Pictures I was taking years ago, do not look that good any longer, but I cannot get better ones from framed art which is under glass. For these paintings, I had only my sketch or drawing for reference.

My reference for my still life painting — I could finish this painting because I had created a value drawing in the same size what painting is: 20 x 24 inches or 51 x 61 cm, therefore, I had reference

Watercolor painting, still life — Still life with blue, 25.5 x 20 in or 64 x 51 cm

It is usually difficult to get true pictures of paintings and how the viewer sees my paintings, depends on their device. I certainly tried. I have 4 monitors at 2 computers, and every image looks very different on each one of them. These paintings are available as art prints also. Thanks for reading!

More about my still life art, click on image for article:

Please, shop for art prints of all kinds and other art products:

July 5, 2020September 19, 2021

Pink and purple summer flowers with painting steps

Morning pansy, pansy watercolor painting

Summer flowers

When else to use live flowers as a model if not in summer when everything is in full bloom and getting more beautiful by hour? Although, we’ve been hit in Ontario by a heat wave, there’s plenty to paint outdoors and indoors. I won’t write a long text this time because pictures will display the painting sequence I use and also probably inspire somebody to get a brush, pencil and watercolor paper. There you have it: I’m presenting pink and purple summer flowers with painting steps.

Petunias

Petunias are usually in every garden. The pink and purple petunia painting is more abstract. I do usually create a drawing on a separate paper for reference and not to damage the watercolor paper with erasing anything. I transfer my drawing onto watercolor paper using daylight on a glass door and how it perfectly shines through even thick watercolor paper.

Summer flowers, watercolor painting steps

Watercolor paper

Watercolor paper is one of the most important aspects of watercolor painting. I started Bright petunias believing that I was using Arches watercolor paper. After a while, I realized it didn’t work like Arches. If you have painting experience, you know that Arches facilitate beautiful washes and easy flow of paint. It is possible to lift paint also. I discovered that this sheet came from leftover Saunders-Waterford paper. Some 10 years ago, it used to be a good paper, but it gradually became worse and worse, and the last batch they sent me was so bad, that I will simply never buy any Saunders-Waterford paper again.

Washes with big brushes

I always start with basic washes which I am applying to wet paper. Any cotton paper needs to be wet in areas which you intend to work on, except for fine details which we add at the end. Then I gradually build the shadows and shapes using multiple layers of paint. My pictures show how unsuitable the paper actually is. The only plus is it doesn’t buckle; therefore, I don’t have to tape it down as with cheap watercolor papers.

Paints and brush

I always use round brush with fine tip, size 14. I always use large brushes as long as possible for they hold a lot of water and pigment, yet allow getting extra fine edges and lines, too. I switch to number 6 round brush with fine tip only at the end when I need some tiny elements painted. I always use St. Petersburg original and authentic watercolor paints. I’ve never had better paints so far and I have tried very many. I’d give the second place Da Vinci paints, but they don’t sell them any longer at my art store. St. Petersburg paints have all the best qualities of watercolor paint thanks to the manufacturing process and raw materials.

Bright petunias

The result could be smoother, but for an abstracted painting, it works. I use colors intuitively and carelessly actually and lots of water. For color testing, I am making use of extra sheet of cheaper watercolor paper because it shows the exact color I will have.

Morning pansy

For Morning pansy, I followed exactly the same steps. I’m creating drawing, transferring drawing to paper, making paper wet around the central flowers, staring with damping paint around the main part and allowing it to dry before I move on and start putting paint on flower. Then I create leaves. The entire painting requires going over and over some parts. At the end I’m adding water drops. In the base of every single painting are the same principles: want impact, create values. Color to me is always secondary and I use color whichever I prefer at that moment.

Result

Morning pansy, watercolor painting by Inese Poga — While I didn’t try to paint reality since I never do, colors and shapes work extremely well in this painting thanks to a very strong contrast not only between colors, but also between background and subject.

Inspiration

I think that could inspire you to paint your own summer flowers, but I will sell later full classes including the drawing templates on this website. My art is always based on drawings and I like it that way. Such art reveals progress and refinement of my personal style. I’ve done abstract watercolors, too, but they seem to be way too simple and never a real challenge. I love tricky things and exploration of effects and somewhat realistic art allows me doing that.

Note: Please, respect my copyrights, and since these particular painting steps are not intended for copying, use your own drawing, but apply process and advice.

More of everything, my art prints:

June 28, 2020September 19, 2021

Sunny still life

Sunny still life on watercolor canvas

Sunny still life is a painting which I started on January 1, 2013. I got busy, and this canvas was collecting dust (literally, it was hard to get rid of it) until now. The other day, I was going through different pictures and thought: why not to finish up this still life? “Sunny still life” was intended to be painted in pastel. I had painted two smaller pastels on canvas from the same set-up in my studio, and everybody liked them and later bought. I used watercolor for the base layer. However, this isn’t a watercolor paper. It is watercolor canvas.

What is watercolor canvas?

Watercolor canvas is supposed to be a surface which accepts watercolor paint. In reality, it doesn’t. Paint comes off extremely easily, and it doesn’t stay on. I can lift paint, but to get more of it on, is not going to happen using regular technique. I bought this watercolor canvas exactly 8 years ago. My hope was I could use it for watercolor and then hang without a frame. Frames are always a problem, and they become an issue when one has very many paintings.

Getting realistic image on watercolor canvas

Watercolor canvas is very difficult with somewhat realistic image since we get only one attempt in covering an area. I think it would work when pouring on very thick watercolor paint, but there is nothing much of a thin layer. I still decided to complete this painting. The truth is, I feel obligated to finish all paintings I have started. I don’t know if they still sell watercolor canvas, but this was the only one I ever bought. Thick watercolor paper is so much better for realistic paintings, but it needs a frame, unfortunately.

Excellent quality paints

After lots of attempts cheating paint onto canvas, I got somewhat saturated colors. This painting is 24 x 20 inches or 61 x 51 cm. I always paint around edges, just like with any painting on canvas. I could accomplish this because I use pigment-rich watercolor paints. I use St. Petersburg watercolor paints, and I’m absolutely happy with them. Over years, I have tried most brands, and I must admit, nothing on the market compares to St. Petersburg paints.

I think the mood is really sunny, and therefore, the title of this painting is also “Sunny still life”. This is how the painting process and experiments started: Experimenting with surface and medium

Other than that, I am preparing materials for online art classes and my watercolor painting book. It is a very lengthy and time-consuming process. At least for me. I am a bit slow because there is so much to do in the garden.

Stay healthy, purchase some art. Many people are doing really well during these COVID-19 times.

June 10, 2020December 27, 2021

Living with flowers, painting flowers, staying stress-free

Living among flowers

Somebody commented on my Facebook page that I live among flowers, grow flowers and paint them also. It’s a very floral life, indeed. While I do paint many other subjects also, flowers were always big part of live art classes and some solo exhibitions, as well. This post has very many pictures, enjoy!

Variety and choice

There is extreme variety of any kind of flowers, and they are available as a model all year round. They come in all possible colors and shades and shapes. They are of different sizes and allow for creating any type of art: from completely abstract, modern, to traditional, classic, botanical and photorealistic. The choice is endless. I’m always enjoying this subject and have drawn and painted many hundreds of flowers. I would not know the exact number, there are so many of such paintings.

Trying to be relaxed

I’m using this time period of COVID-19 pandemic as a vacation from many duties which I otherwise would have. It can feel sometimes lonely or not right, and I won’t have my annual trip to Europe to meet my closest family this year. However, I take things the easy and relaxed way: there is no point in rushing out and catching some virus-related problems or going mad about things which we didn’t ask for.

Upcoming changes

I am working on online materials, and I will definitely update the sale pages. For me personally, the toughest issue is to choose some plugin or sale app which suits me best. I have spent a few weeks already doing just that. I definitely don’t want to turn my website in a store, and I don’t want people to feel that the only way to enjoy art is by purchasing it. On the other hand, it’s been months since the last art sale and the last live art class which ensured a tiny, but nice income.

5 floral paintings

This post includes many flowers: I finished the sunflower, poppy and tulip paintings. The rose and magnolia were done a while ago, in March, I believe. iPhone 11 Max Pro is the best so far which I have had from smartphones. Still, the contrast is very strong, and it tends to turn any image bluer. For every post, like this one, I take about 100 to 300 pictures. Then I resize, straighten and crop them, add watermark the most suitable ones, and that takes me about 3 days in average. I would like to post more often, but I also don’t want the pictures and articles to be sloppy and esthetically unacceptable. I’m old school in that regard. I hate half-done unconvincing things and that goes for art also.

Conceptual no-skill art

By nowadays standards, everybody can be and is an artist. In fact, the newest contemporary art means, the best of it is created without any skill, without knowing anything about technique, drawing, painting or medium. One can use anything. Your kid or even your dog could create it, and it would possibly sell at more than $1,000 if you know how to market it. It can be 2 spots of some paint or even 2 pen lines, or a few words that are scribbled on some surface, anything goes as long as you can attach a concept for which it is best to be familiar with writing to invent the concept. Don’t believe me? Check out Artsy.

Enjoy the art

3 of these flower paintings are semi-realistic: poppies, sunflower and rose, and traditionally realistic: magnolia and tulips. I grouped them together because of their size and canvas shape which is square for 4 paintings. Only sunflower painting is vertical, but one dimension is the same: 12 inches or 30.5 cm. For North American population, that means the size is a square foot. I always paint around edge because that way the sides become continuation of painting, and it looks great without a frame.

New floral art by Inese Poga, poppy painting

Edges painted, hang painting without a frame

Sunflower painting in acrylic, Inese Poga

I’d be happy to sell some of floral paintings, you’ll find them soon on art sale pages. It will take more work, however, and I haven’t uploaded them even onto print sale sites yet. They are coming soon.

Virtual marketplace and my art in room settings

It’s amazing that I had no idea my art had been added to a local virtual marketplace. It was somewhat encouraging to see that my art was appreciated.

If I knew about that, I’d had kept working on new paintings instead of spending the last week in the backyard. I had intended to post images of the previously unpublished paintings also at least a week ago, but life just sometimes demands dealing with other things.

These are images of paintings which were sold, but I hadn’t actually gotten a chance to publish them anywhere.

I painted at least 4 versions of “Nostalgia, gardens of dreams”. This painting was sold about 10 years ago. It’s size was 22 x 28 inches or 56 x 71 cm, acrylic on canvas. I actually do commissions also which means one can order any size of my painting and in any colors they prefer. Variation of my own art certainly works the best.

Spring orchard, sold, Virtual arts market

The Spring orchard (20 x 16 in) was sold in 2016. One of my art students bought it. Since the pictures of paintings were taken briefly before their sale, I cannot get any better photos. This particular painting had a very nice play of colors in textures since trees and grasses are very suitable for that.

The still life I still have. It was hiding in the storage room. Pears and daisies, 12 x 16 inches or 30.5 x 41 cm; sunny still life in acrylic.

At that time which might be about 8-10 years ago, this painting was named “Flower hill”. We did it in acrylic painting classes and my painting was a demo. Its size was 16 x 20 inches or 41 x 51 cm acrylic on canvas.

Fits any style actually

A few weeks ago, I was simply playing around with placing pictures of my art in room settings. While many people would dare using only abstract art with their light, white or minimalist style, I think my paintings make each one of these rooms look great.