Art classes: a worthwhile activity

Art classes for adults, still life

Participating in art classes way to express yourself

What is the best way to never feel bored again?

How to give one’s life a new meaning?

How to make long winter nights shorter not wasting time in front of TV?

It is very simple, indeed: by doing something pleasurable and rewarding.

Art classes and painting lessons fit in this type of activities just perfectly. Not everybody feels like dancing or exercising every weeknight. Not everybody has a good company on his/her own. That’s where I come in with my art classes for beginners and people who simply enjoy colors, shapes and images.

Art classes can lead to a new career or lovely hobby

Some students will continue painting, some will have art only as a hobby, and some students will enjoy time spent in a nice atmosphere. Whatever way it is done, it is worth it. It is amazing to hear after a class how surprised and satisfied students are that they were able to create something on their own, not to mention the value of art created in these art classes.

Wednesday acrylic painting group started to work on fall maple images

Just get started, everything will happen

Many of potential students are asking if they need to be good at drawing or painting before enrolling in art classes. The answer is no, they do not. It is enough that somebody has found time, and this is a good way to spend it. You can enjoy art classes whether you are willing to purchase your own supplies (in that case you can keep working at home, as well), or you just want to use the provided art supplies for the moment.

The new art activity resolves problems

People who feel they depend on their mobile devices, phones, laptops and computers should give this some consideration, as well. We are learning how not to use any devices, printouts or digital references. Once you learn live without a device, even though it is just a few hours, you will see that it is possible and you will learn how to take a break from devices.

Art cures

Art is a fantastic cure for any addiction since it takes us away from troublesome thoughts and cravings. Challenging our brain and drawing or painting new subject every time will improve the cognitive function, memory and brain flexibility.

Thursday acrylic painting class for adults enjoyed drawing, sketching and painting still life. The first part is done, and results look very promising.

Real subject, individualized art

If you use a real subject and do not trace photo, you will get to your personal style much faster. Drawing and painting style is your individual handwriting, and as you improve and develop it, you enjoy a very individualized approach to any part of painting.

Drawing and painting is done observing and re-creating objects on canvas or paper. It may be challenging at first, but this approach is the most natural one and provides with real artistic freedom.

Sign up for art classes: Application for art classes

Autumn silver and gold: large textured acrylic painting

Gold and silver of fall, large acrylic painting by Inese Poga

Textured autumn silver and gold painting

I finally got time to finish a very large (48 in x 32 in or 1 meter 22 cm x 81 cm) semi-abstract very textured autumn scene. It is  Autumn silver and gold acrylic painting. I applied very visible textures at first and built layers of acrylic paint on top of textured background. This painting will be exhibited at my gallery entrance greeting all visitors and students.

Autumn silver and gold, a very large (48 in x 32″ or 1 meter 22 cm x 81 cm) acrylic painting with textured layers under paint

The other texture-rich painting is smaller: 24 x 20 inches, but it also looks great on the wall. I kept colors quiet and subtle.

However, such painting technique is very time-consuming. I’d love to do many more acrylic paintings using rich texture since it adds to the impression tremendously, but it’;s a fairly slow process. The painting must be left to dry between each step until the final brushstrokes can be applied. The look is very three-dimensional. Colors shift and change also depending on the light source.

The smaller fall and maple leave paintings are sold.

Art is the most space enhancing feature which there only can be. Just removing a few paintings from the wall, makes it look virtually empty, and my personal experience shows that there simply cannot be too much art around us. Seasonal art is the best decoration.

Shop here: Original paintings by Inese Poga

I love textures, and I have created numerous large paintings in this technique.

Art prints: Art collections by Inese Poga

4 piece commission for beautiful room

Acrylic painting for home design, red flowers

I did recently a commission of 4 artworks for wonderful clients. I do take on paintings for commission if you had not known that! My clients told they were unsuccessfully looking for a group of similar paintings for quite a while. Therefore, I got to paint four 24 x 18 inch paintings for an attractive living room. Everything else at their place was done, only walls needed  refreshing accent pieces.

Red wild roses painting, commissioned art

These paintings actually had more functions. They had to serve as a bridge for the chosen color scheme between 3 rooms, add the finalizing touch to the walls and simply bring more life to the fairly neutral settings. The living room is connected to an open upscale kitchen area and to the dining room on the other side.

4 commissioned paintings

All 4 paintings needed to be similar, but have slight distinction in the layout of painted objects and background color.
My client was extremely satisfied because these paintings really made the look of this room more complete and more saturated.

View in room settings

It felt, they started to live and breathe in this room right away. Adding groups of paintings makes a lot of sense, and they can often suit the style better than one large painting in a medium size room. It’s an easy way to update, change or refresh the look of any room.

My clients told they’d send me a picture when paintings are on the wall. I suppose, they are going to look even better.

I love birds and Natural Awakenings feature my painting on cover

Watercolor painting of summer meadows

Once I started to paint and draw  birds, I found unexpectedly a new interesting set of subjects. There’s so much to explore! My first paintings of birds were very approximate. I tried to give them some character without getting too much into detail. I’m paying more attention now to arrangement of colors, on wings and other feathers and to their external anatomy.

I like most birds, and I really need to love or somehow like that stuff which I am going to draw or paint. That’s pretty much the reason I stopped painting human portraits.

Chaffinch in the grass watercolor painting
Blue finch, 12 x 12 in or 30.5 x 30.5 in watercolor mounted on wood panel

Birds in watercolor
Mostly blue background for lovely birds

Watercolor painting, birds
They look very attractive, and all paintings are ready to hang without extra frame or glass

Nature has the most wonderful variety of everything, from small to huge, from simple to complicated. I suppose, I will keep studying birds for a while. I do get tired of similar images, though, that’s why the next paintings are three-dimensional landscapes.

Talking about landscapes, my painting “Overlooking the Meadow” will be on the cover of Natural Awakenings Magazine.

Watercolor painting of summer meadows
Overlooking the meadow, is a large 18 x 24 in or 46 x 61 cm watercolor

Natural Awakenings is a free publication about healthy and natural living that is available in over 90 cities in the US and Puerto Rico, with a readership of over three million. I had my market scene on their cover in 2012, and immediately after that I sold some paintings. Well, if you happen to see this magazine, pick it up for free. They write about useful things there. I also find amazing that they contacted me already 2 times.

Our learning season is getting close to the finish line

Landscape painting, summer reflection

Reaching the finish line

The learning season at my studio is getting close to the finish line. Paintings in 3 pictures are done by my students who started attending my art classes as beginners. They progressed very fast from not knowing how to mix paint to students who pretty much were sure what they wanted to achieve.  We were exploring multiple techniques and subjects; we created quite many beautiful artworks. We feel enriched and inspired, and hopefully, the newly acquired skills will enable our students to capture their impressions during summer and their vacations.

Summer plans

I have been extremely busy recently, and I need a break, too. I’m going to spend some time in Europe, in my homeland Latvia this year. My art studio is getting reorganized, as well. We will start out again in September with new classes, seminars, practical learning in both, life skills school and art school.

Adjustments to online presence

I’m working on new updates of website which will contain all relevant information, and I might be very busy for a while yet. I intend to implement store pages and add new art products to these pages. It’s difficult to decide on art store format and what online options to use. There won’t be that many posts during this time.

My demo painting

My demo painting was waiting patiently for 7 years to be completed. I have a few paintings at different stages of completion, this was one of them. I wish photos captured colors better because my real painting has fresh summer green and good bright contrast. All my pictures with light green color have turned into some strange mustard-green color. I personally do not like and I do not use this color, not in summer or spring paintings. However, iPhone keeps damaging all my pictures. I should use only the big camera every time, but convenience sometimes comes first.

Thanks for reading! Join the fun!

Art classes: Group art classes