Category: art for sale

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Dreaming goes on because art is timeless

Flower paintings on gallery wall

Art is the most timeless thing I can imagine

Art is timeless, and for a reason. To remind us not to waste our time, but rather create. These, who do not create, can still support creativity by buying art and giving art as gift.

My art gallery

Many paintings to choose from

Art show at my gallery

Looks beautiful and inviting

Taking break from teaching during holidays

It’s good to wrap up things and have the feeling of “I have done everything I could, and it is what it is”. It would be certainly even better to finish the year in more elevated mood, like “Was this ever fantastic!” It’s also good not to have any classes for a while because that allows getting back to my own preferences, not only classwork. Giving classes is a big responsibility and it takes a lot of energy, as well as time-consuming preparation work.

Art gallery wall

Finalizing steps, bits and pieces

I would like to move to my personal subjects and my personal visions in art, but unfinished paintings are standing in the way. You look at some, and it begs: hey, just add a few brushstrokes, just wash in more background. I end up spending a lot of time on finishing steps, It’s difficult to return to painting which was started many years ago. I have moved on, and it feels like catching up on some long time ago forgotten thought or idea.

Trying to be more disciplined

I will try to be more disciplined and not start that many new paintings, but then again, when I didn’t do demos on canvas, I suddenly painted a few great paintings … on messed up cardboard. The wavy texture shines through, and these paintings are not any good for display. It’s even impossible to take any picture of them. You never know with painting: something good can appear where we don’t expect it, and everything can go wrong when we have high expectations. There are so many forces and energies involved that it isn’t by far as simple as “just do it right or according to your plan”.

Prep work for art classes

Classes also put a lot of pressure on any teacher because teaching is also not that simple. I usually think and plan and sketch until I find the right image for a particular group. I also have to think about simplified ways how to put it on canvas or paper.

Art is timeless, poppy paintings

Red poppies, both were sold

Flower paintings on gallery wall

Look at my gallery wall, most paintings are sold

Sunset over shore, sold

My solo shows at my own gallery

I had put up a beautiful show, those who came were really impressed, but I believe, my timing was a bit off. I will start to prepare the next show “Blooms and Leaves” fairly soon, and that might be ready by the end of April or by May. Anyway, there is not such a thing as lack of paintings for sale at my gallery. It’s always open and available to anybody over the internet. Just ask and you’ll make my day with a purchase.

Before you leave this site, please, spend a short moment with my other blog which  has my fairy-tale about Christmas: https://inesepogalifeschool.com/2016/12/22/christmas-fairy-tale-going-home/

Merry Christmas to these who celebrate it, and fantastic holidays to those who have other celebrations!

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Red and gold for Christmas and holidays

Red and golden paintings

Red and gold

Red and gold is a fantastic color combination for the festive Christmas season! I thought it would be great to have a good show this year since the summer was slow. It feels the bad years are over, and I can start fresh. much better, at much higher level, much more efficient and more skillful. That is not hard to do when my health has returned.

Late with posting on blog

I have been very busy creating the show paintings, I promise to post articles and poems more often when I get over Christmas. The theme of this year is red and gold for Christmas as I mentioned. Red is such a warm and energizing color, we need it in winter. We need it especially when it’s cold and nasty outside. I was spending the day trying to get pictures for my show. The light was bad, but I tried, tried and tried until it worked.

Red and gold paintings for Christmas

Small bird paintings

Red cardinal and golden robin paintings make a very beautiful gift. I also invite everybody to join the art classes and paint some gifts on your own, red and golden birds or a festive holiday scene. That can be painted in a comparatively short time when using primed canvas. Primed canvas has a coat already on it, therefore, painting is easier.

Red and gold for Christmas

Red and gold colors increase the festive mood

Christmas Red poinsettia

Red and gold, and red is as in poinsettia, Poinsettia painting measures 20 x 16 in or 51 x 41 cm

Red and gold

Red and gold as in burning candles, this is Christmas still life, 20 x 16 in or 51 x 41 cm

Red and gold, and gold as in sparkling decorations

Red and gold Holiday season art

Red and golden colors make any space festive and elegant.

Red and gold

If you prefer to paint your own art, join the art classes.

Art classes at Inese Poga’s art studio

Keeping gifting in moderate range

I hope you are not overdoing with gifts, but choosing soul-warming, mood-lifting and energy-giving things, like a painting. Why not? If you would love to see what deals are on, please check out and follow my Facebook page which is about this art studio, my art, art sales and art classes:

Group art classes

 

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Fall still life: time just flew by

Fall still life, shop watercolor paintings

Still life has it all

Still life has been my most favorite subject ever since I can remember myself. I love setting up some fruit and arrange some leaves, flowers and jars, so that it looks exactly as I like. Still life allows capturing everything that is important in a painting: proportions, values, direction of light and shadows and contrast. Still life is essence of art.

Time constraints

Time is rushing us so badly that it sometimes feels I just wake up and go back to sleep. At least, I got this feeling recently. Along with doctor’s appointments, household stuff, daily meals, cleaning, laundry, classes, preparation of new images and painting steps, preparation of hand-out materials, advertising, social media posts, two huge medical writing jobs: that meant there was no time to paint. Although, my show is coming up and this is a gift season for which I should have been preparing. Well, I am trying to do my best.

I put up a few decorations yesterday, and I had to give a class later, and that was it. The day just disappeared again. Anyway, I’m posting a watercolor still life which was done about 3 weeks ago,

Daily duties and art

I hope my duties will somewhat balance out during the upcoming weeks and I can get to things which I really want to do: i simply would love to paint more. I love just setting up a still life, drawing and painting it.

Starting painting for a class is not quite the same: I have to take into account all distinctive levels of skill, and we often have absolute beginners, so that painting is just an illustration for what I am saying while teaching.

Showing is definitely better than only telling about it. It is very helpful also that I can see and correct things which are usually problematic for students: very little paint, too much water, completely dry brush, dirty brush, putting too much pressure on brush and similar basic issues  which frequently arise when starting to paint.

Common beginners’ mistakes

One thing which is always wrong when painting in any medium and using any subject is trying to paint with tiny bits of paint or not having paint on a brush. We have to be generous!

I think,  generous people also have much better results when creating art, they simply are not that much afraid of wasting anything. That certainly helps!

About this particular painting

I had started it while traveling to Latvia. I had two apples and some beautiful leaves. I created a composition which felt like I needed to add something more to it. Since I didn’t have pears and grapes, I simply drew them in. I just got the first layer, and didn’t get back to this painting until I arrived back in Canada. It looked quite terrible as first rough layers only.

Starting to paint first layer

So, Thought what can I do about this painting because it looked promising and I loved the composition. I added background, quite a few layers, but don’t have any pictures, and after a few layers of extra washes, it came to life and started looking great.

Apples and pears, still life

Autumn fruit still life, 16 x 12 in or 41 x 30.5 cm

Feel your subject

For me, painting a still life means to become my subject and to feel its energy. I feel like the apple in this still life, or like the pear, or even the leaf. I love soothing and warm colors. That is best achieved when using not a photo, but real things. I will also not stop painting until the still life feels right to me.

Painting takes time. You should be ready to spend on a painting at least a few hours here and there, so that disturbances, interruptions or other activities are not a problem. I just didn’t get this chance recently, but I’m looking hopefully to the future.

Fall still life

Closer look at the central part

Reasons to paint still life

I intend to draw and paint more still life paintings. Why? I cannot frequently get out into the nature, but things to use in a still life setting are always easily available. I believe drawing still life is as good practice as drawing faces or scenes with figures. The main thing is: we teach our eyes and brain to see and perceive.

Art prints and other artistic products are available from Fine Art America

Art collections by Inese Poga.

There is so much to like, purchase, enjoy and decorate with!

Please, review my art classes schedule and if you are located close-by, join our classes and attend workshops!

Registration:  Art classes and workshops

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What it takes to complete painting, fall art show

Fall art show

Fall art show, studio sale, don’t miss art deals

Fall art show is here. Buy art from the artist. It will be original art and it will come at a lot less than buying from a gallery. Studio sale offers plenty of art at great prices. 3 ladies already responded. I am genuinely thankful for their support, and I hope they like their paintings, however, taking into account the large number of items for which I do not have left any wall space and any storage space, I would need much more sales happening. Please, take advantage of very affordable rates and keep shopping.

Perfecting my own style

I work a lot and hard to create my paintings. I know how much easier it is to make abstract art because that takes origin only in one’s imagination. Artists sometimes simply try to comply with market trends also. Unfortunately, I am not in abstracts that much, I prefer more challenge. I have developed my own realism style which is not a copy of photo, but artistically enhanced realism.

Fall in the hills, fall art show
Inese Poga's art studio, fall art show

Creating art takes time and patience

When we look at a painting, it seems it didn’t take any time or efforts. It is due to the fact, that good art shouldn’t exhibit artistic struggles and technical difficulties, but mood and atmosphere of the painted scene or subject. When we get past such struggles, the genuine creation happens. Some of my paintings took 2 years to bring to a stage when I liked them. In average, each painting takes about 1 week to month to get it to the point when I am  satisfied with it. There are smaller watercolors which only take one to two days to accomplish, but any larger work requires much more time because most of my paintings are rather representative than abstract.

Fall art show
Still life painting, fall art show

Showing groups of paintings

My paintings are usually series of related images. Bright flowers will match the other floral paintings. Soft and tranquil fall colors appear in many paintings of this season. Noteworthy are also tree and birch paintings which work very well together.

Fine Art America site for art prints and other art products:

Art collections by Inese Poga

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Focusing on still life and garden scenes

Part of farmer's market painting

Summer is a great time to engage in plein-air painting.

I recently painted a garden scene called “Take a Rest” with some flowers and garden tools.

I use real scenes and real set-ups to create my paintings, I somehow cannot paint using photos, I just can’t.

Focusing on still life, garden painting

First, I do a freehand drawing. The weather was very good for a while, so, I could paint every day outdoors. I had set up the exact items in my backyard, and it was a double pleasure to paint there.

The other painting is a still life called “Kitchen Symphony”.

I had set up all items in my art studio where I have a good light. For my paintings, daylight is extremely important because of color adjustment. Any artificial light changes color.

Art studio, still life painting in watercolor

I think, both paintings came out quite nicely, however, it was very late when I took a photo of my garden scene, so the light might be not that perfect.

Part of the farmer’s market painting

Part of farmer's market painting

I would love to also mention the Farmer’s market painting which is as large as the previous paintings – full sheet watercolor, 29 x 22″. All paintings are created using heavy, cold press Arches watercolor paper. The look really impressive when you see them full-size and in person. Well, size matters.

Farmer's market painting in watercolor

I hope you enjoy such art!

More of my still life: Painting still life