Author: Inesepaints

Artist, art instructor: fine art, watercolor, acrylic, drawing; medical writer and researcher, specializing in life sciences, brain function, memory and psychology
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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.

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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.

Art classes, art projects
Art classes, art projects
Art classes, art projects

My demo painting

Acrylic landscape, summer reflection

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

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Spring time watercolors: bright, sunny and cheerful

Garden anemones, spring time painting

Spring time: we’ve been waiting long for sun to show up and wake up the nature. At my studio, we have been very busy with creating spring time watercolors, too. We keep enjoying the pleasure of being able to create something great, cheerful and uplifting. That would be art which is simple, but speaks to us.

Pink spring anemones: watercolor

Watercolor painting of pink garden anemones: demo version for adult watercolor class

While there’s some useful advice contained in all learning materials, it’s most often a description of a common, basic and simple techniques and approaches. When you try painting in reality and on your own, it might seem more difficult. However, we have to start with something, therefore, we can do easy spring time nature paintings.

Spring time paintings

Kristina is genuinely happy since the chickadee painting came out extremely nice

Presence of immediate advice is extremely important. That not only speeds up everything, but also provides students with plenty of information in a very short period of time, allowing to experience and apply everything right there and right away.

This is a very direct and very immediate “how to”. Any question receives answer on the spot, any problem gets solved when it occurs.

Spring time paintings

Watercolor wash: spontaneous and simple application of watercolor

Students, who want to learn, are very happy with my classes, and so am I. It’s always a pleasure to see fast development of young, talented artists. It is great to know that I have contributed quite a lot to this development.

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Orchards blossoming in the art studio

Orchard painting

Waiting for something can be as exciting as the upcoming event itself.

Spring is late this year, and that makes us more impatient. Everyone is tired of storms, cold, snow and icy winds. However, why to wait when you can create sensation of spring and speed up its arrival on your own?

We’ve been busy with blossoming apple trees painting during the last 4 classes.

Unlikely many North American art schools, we are focusing not only on technical abilities, but also on the emotional impact of our creations. We pay attention to emotional aspect and the energetic potential of painting.. Great art creates fantastic energy.

When painting a certain subject, we are trying to capture not that much its photographic likeness, but rather to implement the idea  and emotions, the emotional charge within and behind the painted image.

We are trying to paint our vision in the way others could experience it, too. That requires freedom in our approach, experimenting with colors and brush stroke, immediate decision-making, and high confidence level, as well.

The painting subject was very attractive this time, and we got really great results on our canvas.

My students painted beautiful orchards

It is important that we use the same basic image and the same medium (acrylic, watercolor or pastel) in a class since every medium requires different handling and specific techniques for bringing the painting subject to life.

acrylic painting for beginners

Acrylic is actually very forgiving, and everything can be adjusted, changed and improved when necessary.

Orchard painting

All artists were not present at the time of taking pictures, but all paintings looked fantastic. They are beginners! This is a great achievement.

We will just have to learn how to paint sky and water yet, and these students could surprise us with fantastic paintings which they have created without a guidance.

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Painting classes: becoming more confident and artistic

Acrylic painting supplies

Create something great from nothing

To create  something from nothing takes creativity, knowledge and commitment. We were doing some negative painting exercises, and after that we were getting ready for the next painting which will be seaside with some birds.

Big things start with small accomplishments.

Big things start with small accomplishments

Psychologists are certain that everything is based on confidence and high level of self-esteem. Art tremendously helps achieving these goals. We also become aware that we can create, we can pursue our goals. It is a new stepping stone when walking through the life. Step by step, brushstroke by brushstroke: big things start with small accomplishments.

Art clases for adults

Only benefits

Everybody benefits from engaging in arts, and it is something valuable for our entire life. Some artists of adult acrylic painting group completed their first painting, some – their third paintings.

Big things start with small accomplishments.

No more fear, just pleasure

We are overcoming the fear from blank canvas and learning to apply paint with confidence, and results speak for themselves. It is never too early or too late to engage in creation of something artistic. We sometimes need 30 or 40 years to realize that art is what we want to learn. It is a pleasure to watch this happen as we progress more and more with every single painting.

acrylic painting classes for beginners

Head to art classes page:

Group art classes