Category: Acrylic painting

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Accomplishment: the meaningful measuring unit of time

Spring orchard, sold, acrylic painting on canvas

Idleness makes hours pass slowly and years swiftly. Activity makes the hours short and the years long.

/Cesare Pavese “This business Of Living”, 1938/

Accomplishments as measuring unit

Time flies: are we going to stand by and watch it disappear? I’m using accomplishment to mark the days, months, years. Most of us have some daily duties, jobs, schedules, routine, obligations and problems. Fewer of us have big achievements, satisfaction, passion, happiness and things that make this life a pleasurable experience.

Private art lessons for 12 years plus

One of my youngest art students with her creation

Be passionate

I have noticed people who are passionate about something are simply better off. They are better off in many ways, not only because they don’t know what boredom or wasted time is, but they have something more than just routine, duties and obligations. Time really flies, and there are so many reasons to interact with life.  My accomplishments don’t have to be always important things, but “accomplished” things. Watching TV, for instance is wasted time. Watering plants is an “accomplished” thing. Calling mom is an “accomplished” thing. Painting or sketching is an “accomplished” thing for sure.

Giving art class as accomplishment

I am happy that my art classes allow other people achieving something good, as well. That can be even to make a dream come true. I am obviously happy that spots for the fall art classes are already taken in spring. I hope we will be able to arrange an exhibition of my students and my demo artworks either in October or December.

Spring orchard, sold, acrylic painting on canvas

Everybody loved following steps on spring orchard painting.

Rich in inspiration

Not all art which I am putting on this blog is finished works, but it is easy to understand: we all are unique and our creative ways are distinctive. The passion for art and creation is a common feature of all my students. The inspiration is so vibrant in this studio that it is simply impossible not to paint, draw, sketch or create.

Virtual art marketplace paintings

The blossoming road, acrylic painting done during art classes as a demo.

Thanks for reading! It’s time to start painting.

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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

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.

Acrylic painting: red wild roses

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.

Wild rose paintings for living room

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.

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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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Finding inspiration in poppy fields

Poppies and other paintings

It is not a secret that some themes and subjects are easier to paint, and especially, if the artist is just starting out. Poppy fields or wildflower meadow definitely make great subject. After engaging for a few classes in two landscape paintings, we decided to paint poppies in a landscape, just for fun and for the love of color. So, we created background for poppy fields, then added flowers on top of that and finally adjusted some values.

This theme was liked a lot, and all students started their paintings without any complications, extreme difficulties or unpleasant surprises.

Poppies pop

Everybody told, they really enjoyed this painting and subject.

The excitement was so great that these paintings got finished by students during the following class, which was the last class before I left for vacation.

Art classes for adults, Ajax

Adult group painting poppies

Students are using artist grade acrylic paints, so, these paintings will last. We had a chance to check out paintings done with students grade paints, and colors had lost they brightness in just 3 years. We are referencing drawings, pictures, and sometimes real flowers to help our imagination with color choices and composition.

Poppies and other paintings

Students have freedom to choose whatever color or its shade they prefer, in order to create their paintings in a way they love it.

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Pear still life and fall art classes

fall art classes

Still life, – classic or modern, abstract, or realistic, – I adore this subject in any form it’s created. I took my time this summer and painted a good size watercolor on heavy Arches paper. For this particular still life, I used real pears and a cloth next to the window. My intention was using bright and sunny colors as you can see in the resulting painting.

Pears, still life

Golden pears still life on my easel, just finished

It is more my personalized realism painting than pure realism. I chose the placement of fruit and light reflection so that the entire painting shines through flow of colors and shapes.

Still life painting for fall art classes

Watercolor painting, Golden pears, still life. It is 24 x 18 in or 61 x 46 cm in size

In the upcoming art classes, I am teaching still life, floral painting and landscapes.  My goal is to teach students so that they can discover the excitement of drawing and painting real fruits, vegetables, flowers, street scenes, nature scenes without reproducing photos, computer printouts and similar aid. We learn creating a genuinely original art since it originates in our imagination and perception.

Most students are beginners or have very limited experience, but everyone has shown remarkable results so far. There is also usually a group of students with previous experience in painting and drawing. They will also learn numerous new techniques and discover new ideas.

Classes are designed for children 12+ years, youth and adults.

Register here: Sign up for art classes