I had not posted anything in a while, but I have new paintings on my easel. I was feeling quite terrible for a while, though. It seems the early fall weather with abnormal humidity and heat at first and with rains and storms afterwards had really got me. I was keeping my schedule to minimum: I gave all scheduled art classes since I did not want to disappoint my students, but that was about it.
I thought I would finish paintings which I started back in August, but that was not an achievable goal. While painting keeps pain at some moderate level, it was still difficult to stay on top of all tasks and duties which I had set for me.
It usually takes some time to recover completely, and my new website and initiation of the other lifestyle blog will have to wait for a better moment. Meanwhile, we have been working on some new projects. I have been doing some painting, too, regardless of all disturbing matters. I have nice frames for most of these paintings, and hopefully the final stage won’t take too long.
One more thing: when photographed, acrylic paintings do not look right. I am sometimes trying different camera settings, different light conditions, different distances and sizes. I have to admit that only very large acrylic paintings look close to their originals. It is sometimes very annoying because the photo sort of shows completely distinctive colors.
The reason I decided not to do any demos on a separate canvas for every class is simple: there have accumulated large numbers of somewhat finished; half-finished, not at all finished medium size paintings. For that purpose, I invented my changeable demo board which can tolerate everything: all kinds of colors and themes. It takes a lot of work to bring these unfinished paintings to some completed condition. On the other hand, I do not always feel like I would be interested any more in either that subject, scene, or the work itself. You know this state: some time later, next week, next month, in the fall, etc. Procrastination is a tough thing to conquer.
We all evolve, it is not surprising that our priorities or preferred methods do not remain attractive forever. I suppose anybody who has done painting or writing over long period of time, has experienced the state when one has to really wonder what was that I liked so much in this picture, scene, poem, article, story or sketch. We have learned along the way, and the former passions pale out when compared to the most recent discoveries or achievements. To some point, that is also true when I think about some people who I was so passionate about 30-40 years ago. Were they worth the tears cried out? Oh my, I have to laugh now remembering the stuff which seemed like a tragedy back then.
The same laws of affection and love regulate my overall attitude to themes and objects which I would like exploring closer and drawing or painting. The colors I loved 30 years ago are not matching the color scheme I feel comfortable with at the moment. I would not say my drawing style or general approach has dramatically changed, but there certainly has been movement and development. I am one of those people who just took the pencil and started to draw, it was very simple and easy, and everything just fall in place as I moved the pencil around. I don’t actually use eraser when drawing, unless I would like to place something significantly higher, lower, more left or right. My mom had preserved portraits and illustrations I did when I was 10 (that’s 46 years ago), and I don’t find anything wrong with them. I suppose, I dared a lot because I had not studied anything art related. It was all fresh, all from scratch, and thus, totally unaffected by any other opinions.
These were my reminiscences from far away.
Today, I am facing a lot of work. Some of previous paintings are so highly textured that it is impossible to paint over the initial image or replace it with something else. I have been thinking also about adding some mixed media parts to such works, well, assuming I’d ever have time for that. I am not sorry to through out something which is completely out of line, but there is sort of appeal in previously used canvas. Some kind of challenge, too: is it possible at all to make something nice out of this mess?
That way, I have been adding some brush strokes here and there, and some paintings are actually getting done. Interesting enough, they seem to be unusually grey scale for me. Grays have abnormally huge scale of possible shades. It is interesting to observe what some particular stuff might result in.
The attached images might inspire somebody to also finish up their started works.
It is always fairly difficult to get on the photo the exact colors or look. I’m trying, however, no online image can ever replace the actual painting.
Sketches sparkle with light probably because the weather has been no fun. The Latvian weather has been very unpredictable. Since I am always drawing and painting mostly from life and using real objects, that was quite upsetting. I did not get all depressed, but moved on as much as I could.
For time saving purposes, I am sometimes outlining and drawing with black pen. I do not have to use glasses that way which is great because glasses can destroy proportions and distort the visual perception.
I love cheerful colors!
We were doing parrots in the Exotic birds drawing workshop. Everybody loved them!
I was very happy also that I finally obtained the St. Petersburg watercolor set. I wanted these paints ever since I was a small kid when I saw one artist painting with them. I got them now at the age of 55, actually my birthday is just some weeks away, so it’s a nice birthday gift for myself. These paints are said to be the best in the world just because they are made of the purest and best really natural ingredients. I love these watercolor paints: they have excellent transparency, brightness and they are very pure.
The sun is beating down today, so we are having some Mexico weather this week. Isn’t that crazy how I was freezing in my leather coat just a week ago, and it is advisable to wear nothing more than a swimming suit at the moment? Too bad, no swimming pool anywhere here, but I suppose, I can survive that, too!
I am a child of the sun, my horoscope sign is leo, and this immediately changes my inner settings. I don’t care how hot it gets, whenever it is sunny, I am happy.
I would love to express the hugest THANK YOU to all those fellow bloggers, friends and students who did not stop encouraging me during the bad weather period and are still following my trip to Europe, Latvia.
Waiting for spring and creating flowers of my dreams
It’s still chilly and nasty out here in Ontario. The rain is just pouring down in cold streams tonight. Not a good background for happy thoughts. Although, we should appreciate the fact that it is at least not that cold anymore. One step at a time towards the warmth and spring.
I remember my first spring in Canada: it was so sunny, so overwhelmingly warm, everything blossoming; and insanely uplifting green was everywhere. I had already all the garden planted and coming up around this time. That was 10 years ago. We have experienced quite bad weather conditions since then, and, no, I do not assume anymore that Ontario weather is any better than Latvian.
Soothing colors for spring mood
Floral painting to cheer up upset minds
It is no secret that we are already desperately hoping the weather forecast will have some good news for us, too. I recently looked at some of my paintings, and I don’t think I am going to paint or draw winter again any time soon. Instead, I am about to do way more florals, I worked out some nice flowers on the hill concepts, and when it is November I will paint autumn trees, distant skies and fog.
Since all my thoughts are in spring, with spring and about spring, my sketches, drawings and watercolors reflect that. These sketches or pen and watercolor images were all started as demonstrations. Since they are all in soft, soothing colors, they are flowers of my dreams. I am aware I have too many demo works on the go, and most of them get never finished, but that’s just the way I am. I cannot have one single class without demonstrating something. This something gets developed, and later it seems: it’s probably worth putting in more work.
I thought these could be perfectly used as images for greeting cards.
The spring rose, pen and watercolor painting in very attractive and soothing colors
Spring lilies on white, very beautiful watercolor painting
For soft and gentle flowers, all shades of pink is probably my favorite choice
Pen and watercolor, Spring daffodils painting 12 x 12 in or 30.5 x 30.5 cm
It’s been also mostly dark, so it’s hard to catch a good day with a normal daylight to get proper colors on my photos because any type of electric light does not allow to have them as in reality. I hope you love what I have created, and maybe I have inspired you to do some floral painting, as well!
Art can be a miracle that turns your life into positive, rewarding direction. Keep this source of positive energy always close to you, always in your personal space. The birth of a miracle may be not always easy, but there is undeniably some magic in it. How can doing art and painting make one’s life better, more balanced, more enhanced and richer?
The hidden benefits
Along with time-well spent and new skills at every step along the way, there is one more advantage: any artwork can become a beautiful decorative element. It could be just the missing final touch for the room, it could be the accent piece; or it could be the part tying the entire space together and making it complete. This artwork radiates clean, uplifting and positive energy in our personal space or workplace.
Positive energy
The story is actually about the energy: energetic interaction, consumption and release of energy, good, bad and neutral energy. Since energy is present anywhere and in anything, and not even the simplest thought could be made without consuming some of it; the question is as follows. Do we pay enough attention to our nearest surroundings, our closest environment and the dominant energetic features within that space? We really don’t, and we are most often between two ditches: following punctually every newest design trend, or completely disregarding any design and common sense.
Good color
There are lots of reviews about impact of color, lots of advice how to create a cozy, welcoming space, but what matters most is energy in that space. I do believe we’ve seen this all: museum-like houses or sterile living rooms, living rooms which are collections of one’s past, and top-modern minimalistic spaces.
Update your personal space with art
In my opinion, the best and the fastest way to update and adjust a space to our needs is using color, art, textiles and plants. Furniture becomes secondary, and all these previously mentioned things also take care about a great energetic flow and preserve the positive energy. Provided, they have such. It matters what hangs on your walls. I’m not talking about the purely esthetic aspects. Walmart print will have at the best some neutral energy of printer, cheap canvas and paint.
Careful with inherited and old items
Inherited art or an antique item may have both: very positive and extremely negative energy. So can an original painting. Painting during its creation process absorbs our thoughts, emotional vibrations, delight and excitement, or hate, misery and anger; anything. That way, the energy of a painting is equal to the energy artists put in their creation. Most people naturally give their art the best part of themselves by visualizing all these places they are re-creating on canvas: light, wind, flowers and leaves, waves, streams and the atmospheric vibrations in the air.
One thing I can say for sure: the atmosphere during our painting sessions is extremely positive. It’s such a pleasure to grab the shiny paint and just put it on canvas. The classroom itself contains plenty of art in all completion stages: just started, half-done and finished. This contributes to the relaxing state we most often find ourselves in. I mean, it’s very unlikely, these beautiful works could have some bad energy. We challenge ourselves, and the results are more than satisfying.
Monetary value does not affect energy
One more amazing thing is that the monetary value actually does not affect the true energy which some item possesses. That means we should stick with things which make us feel good, not only to the ones which cost a lot and are supposed to be “value”. The monetary value only shows one’s financial power while the energetic value has something much more important and substantial: it possesses the ability to ensure the well-being of our soul.
