Summer landscape – fantastic subject

Landscape paintings

What to paint in the summertime? If you are in the countryside, traveling or live in the suburbs, I believe it’s impossible to avoid painting at least a few landscapes. What do we include in the summer landscape? Everything which speaks to us or says loudly: it’s hot, it’s wonderful, and it’s summer. My summer landscape is based on my surroundings and what I see outdoors. My private park has numerous wildflowers, and it is actually rather wild with huge old trees, various greases and plants.

Summer landscape paintings

We can interpret any landscape in numerous ways. Choosing certain color for wildflowers, buildings, sunny or cool color for grasses, adding trees or water, roads or fences – it depends only on artist where you want your viewer to go. I would like my viewer and art collector to feel happy about what nature provides us with, enjoy the views which might not be around forever. In that regard, I am documenting the natural beauty before we kill the Earth completely. Thee is so much beauty in the simplest summer landscape.

Summer landscape

In my opinion, taking pictures of art and then posting them as separate images without background, literary destroys the art. I do that still because many places require to do so. Original art breathes and emits plenty of great, uplifting energy. All devices and cameras take away a lot already, and the small image you can see on the phone isn’t really my painting. It’s gone through numerous adjustments and algorithms. Regardless of that, I hope the energy within my summer landscape paintings is still visible.

Blooming summer landscape

These particular paintings were created between 2010 and 2021. There are many more, but one post can include only few images. I believe I already added too many pictures, but – when else to allow color to sparkle and imagination to run freely?  I intend to initiate Studio 65 sale to celebrate my birthday. That’s pretty much the only celebration I will have. Most of paintings are available as originals and also as prints. Originals are available from my art studio in Ajax, Ontario, Canada. Prints – anywhere.

Bright and happy, we could use more of that, couldn’t we?

Summer landscape paintings

Wish me well? Maybe buy a small art print or all kinds of things with my art, including puzzles, from my Fine Art America site:

Art collections by Inese Poga

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Group art classes

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Have a great summer!

Watercolor, beating the blues with art

Sunny spring creek watercolor

Bright and sunny watercolor art

On TV, they were talking about winter blues. How this dull and wet January weather makes people feel down and upset. Our mind tells us that spring is far away, and to make everything worse, the sky cries with us. Bright and sunny watercolor art is my personal cure, my response to mood swings and upset mind. I paint the places where I want to be and flowers which will start in April or May.

Uplifting creativity

Not all people are artists, but many have paint sets at their disposal. Brushing bright, sunny colors on paper or canvas makes a big difference. It’s an immersive activity which allows to create our own imagined reality, very distinctive from the current settings. This year has been tough so far, so taking our mind off the painful and upsetting matters is vitally important.

New watercolor paintings, pansies

New large-size watercolor art

All of these watercolor paintings are the same size – 24 x 18 inches or 61 x 46 cm. Well, to express ourselves, we need space. Tiny paper just won’t do that for you. It’s not cotton paper I used for these paintings. All of our art stores are closed now, and that leaves online shopping which I dislike. Paper is a very important part of watercolor painting, and each paper acts differently. This paper allows lifting paint easily, but it’s very problematic when adding paint layers.

Spring pansies, 24 x 18″ watercolor painting

Watercolor painting with pansies was started in the winter of 2021. So, it sat in a folder until I decided to add a few layers of paint and finish it up. Photos show way more white space, and I just cannot do anything about it. That’s how phone camera acts when there are white or light areas. Just imagine more purple and pink color on blooms because that’s how they look. Anyway, pansy blooms make a great subject in all regards. Use any color, any number and view of blooms.

painting of pansies

Early spring flood, 24 x 18″ watercolor painting

The Early spring flood is based on views around our place. It’s a painting where you just throw on colors – Payne’s grey, Cobalt blue, Burnt sienna, Green gold, some yellow and Burnt umber. This all mixes itself on paper and then we swipe clean the areas which we would prefer to be white. We outline the trees, add leaves, wash on more color and sprinkle with a little of leaf green.

Spring landscape painting

Watercolor wash and color

It is much easier to create watercolor paint washes on cotton paper, but if you don’t have it, any firm and thick watercolor paper will do. It needs to be thick and heavy since thin paper just rolls off and buckles. It was tricky to get any pictures of this painting since I don’t have good photographing light, and it’s been cloudy and very dark almost every single day. I love the dreamy quality of this painting, although I couldn’t get it on pictures. Colors are balanced – I used warm and cool shades to create the early spring mood.

Spring flood, watercolor

Sunny spring creek, 24 x 18″ watercolor painting

I started the Spring creek painting (one more!) for a private art class last spring. It was half-done, just as many of art classes paintings are. It took me a while to get back to it, but I am very satisfied with the play of colors and placement of details. This painting is done with Cobalt and Brilliant blue, Burnt umber, burnt sienna, Lemon and Cadmium yellow, as well as Raw sienna and Sap green and little bit of Payne’s grey. This painting involves quite many layers.

Sunny spring creek watercolor

Bright and happy art reality

I’d say these paintings show a very bright and happy place and that’s where I reside when I don’t have to deal with daily chores and other issues. It’s a perfect escape from daily routines, a perfect way to beat the winter blues. I think it’s time to write a new guidance for beginning artists. Trust me, tutorials cannot teach much about painting as such since it’s always something a particular person prefers and does. When we learn paint, we decide on everything – style, colors and subject, but tutorial requires to simply follow and copy.

Spring creek, watercolor painting

I hope you’re dealing well with everything which comes your way. Spring will arrive eventually. Thanks for reading!

Isolation or not, life goes on, art gets created

How to paint apple blossoms in watercolor

Creativity drives life in isolation

I think I’ve seen thousands of articles by now where somebody says how bad they feel about isolation and how they have lost the sparkle of creativity and inspiration. Well, maybe they didn’t have any creative ideas already before the pandemic because as I see it, creativity keeps flowing and life goes on no matter what. Especially during isolation, we are more creative with everything, aren’t we? There is also so much advice what to do. Sometimes, I feel like everybody wants to give me some advice. The truth is our situations are so different that what works for that particular person, is often meaningless for me. We are all smart now, and we should be aware what works best for us. I personally prefer reading more about experiences.

Switching tasks

Generally speaking, I’ll do what I have intended anyway, or I won’t engage in what I believe is a pointless action. I don’t really need encouragement or push: when the time is right, everything will happen. I’ve been painting here and there, just as I always do. The weather has turned very spring-like, therefore, I’ve been busy with garden works: digging soil, removing waste. I didn’t have the right mood to publish anything, – heavy physical work can be very tiring. My idea was to continue with the series I just started and share drawings, but I ended up working on a few watercolors which were started probably 4 or 5 years ago. I had reference drawings, but none of them seemed to be exactly of these paintings, therefore, I just worked from imagination.

Isolation art, apple blossoms
Watercolor painting of apple blossoms, I am trying to show the size in my studio corner.

Painting progress with steps

I found this painting with light washes on the background and just one watercolor paint layer on apple blossoms and buds. Normally, the first step means to transfer the drawing onto watercolor painting, adjust it and make sure there are no strong pencil lines. After that, we start adding watercolor paint as we see fit. I usually add the first layer of paint on areas with the potentially strongest values.

Supply shortages

The first months of spring season always feel like a new beginning, a fresh breath. Except this year, we are again in a complete lockdown in Ontario, just like the year before. That doesn’t affect what I do too much, but there is a shortage of supplies. When I was at the art store last time, shelves were very empty. My favorite brands were pretty much absent, that included colors which are used more frequently for acrylic painting: artist grade Titanium white, Burnt Sienna, Burnt Umber, Golden Ochre, Carmine Red, different shades of yellow were not available. I use preferably Lamp black, that wasn’t available either. I ordered paints online once and the waiting was 6 weeks, therefore, I’m not doing that again.

Apple blossoms, watercolor painting
This is the ready watercolor painting of apple blossoms. Its size is 15.5 x 20.5 in or 39 x 51 cm I hope your device shows correct colors and contrast because they differ from device to device.

Accepted into spring art show “Roots of art”

I just received an email notification that my paintings have been accepted into a virtual annual art show. Before pandemic, this was a live, real, very busy and well-attended art show. The show is local and that fits me well. Since I hope more traffic will come toward my website, I’ll need to spend more hours updating everything. It’s a time-consuming task and requires attention, therefore, that is my priority for a while. Including portfolio would be difficult because of all media options I use and various subjects. There is so much art in each category! I have currently 3 pages which display my available art. Acrylic paintings need the quickest update, however.

Inese’s original watercolor paintings

Inese’s original acrylic paintings

Special featured art, originals

You are very welcome to check out and see the progress of these pages.

As always, have a look at greeting cards, puzzles, coffee mugs, notebooks and  art prints with numerous  framing options:

Thanks for reading, stopping by and leaving a comment if you have time! Have great springtime!

Magic winter night

Winter watercolor paintings by Inese Poga

While I have decided to stay away from snow paintings since I’ve got already too many, I still did a winter watercolor painting, just a quick one for mostly celebrating this time and things we need most in our life. I think we all need a little magic and a few miracles.

We need certainty about the days to come and self-assurance that all goes well. We need somebody’s understanding shoulder to cry on and somebody’s smile to warm up on a chilly winter day. We need peaceful, healing silence filled with lights of candles, flavors of delicious meal lingering around the house and lovely greetings on Christmas cards.

I personally need a real, live Christmas tree, and I have it – a beautiful one. The green, living tree is to remind that love never ends. It always returns and is more resilient than ever before.

We need miracles to also remind us that many things are not what we thought, neither that simple, nor that easy to understand. Miracle touches us all. That’s a new outlook and a new hope, but most of all, it’s a never-ending trust in good outcome for us.

If you are observant and if you love watching the sky and stars, you know that the universe is full of miracles, and it is up to us to believe in them and to shake off the tiredness and lack of determination. We need to open our eyes and start seeing.

This watercolor painting is called “Magic winter night”. It could be called winter night miracle also.

When I was trying to take the last pictures, my painting was still a bit wet. It is watercolor on a thick paper, it takes a while to dry. Nothing compares to watercolor when we’d love to create a quick winter painting. The white of paper does the trick. I used salt to create the sky and snow in some parts. As hard as tried, the photo still doesn’t look right to me when compared with the actual painting, but it will have to do. Enjoy!

Winter watercolors by Inese Poga
Magic winter night, watercolor, 18 x 24 in or 46 x 61 cm

May you have your Christmas miracle and may the lights brighten up the way into a better New Year!

Great art for great occasion

Mother’s Day flowers, great art for this special day

It doesn’t feel like it in Ontario, but it’s Mother’s Day. We have February weather, but we are keeping our hearts warm and we celebrate Mother’s Day. I do not celebrate in particular, however, my daughter sent me be-well-have-a-happy-Mother’s-Day card early in the morning. We have to admit, whatever the situation, our mother always deserves the best, respect, love and recognition. I assume it’s a fantastic occasion to post great floral art.

Late with posting, happy with outcome

I am a bit late with publishing the brand-new floral paintings because they certainly suit the occasion and the purpose. I might sell them next year or next season. I am happy how these paintings came out. I love white color and strong contrast, too. Floral paintings allow implementing exactly that, especially when painting white flowers.

Mothers love floral art

If my mom were still around, she’d definitely love these paintings. I do know that acrylic paint isn’t oil paint, and every step which takes a few minutes in oils, can take hours painting with acrylic. Daffodil charm painting took 4 full workdays and the White magnolia elegance took almost 3 full days. That is because of layers and need to allow painting to dry naturally between layers.

Enjoy, paint your own or purchase

I noticed that my paintings work really well together. It’s almost as if any painting goes with any other painting. That refers to many years ago painted art and the new art which was painted just recently. I have step-by-step images for daffodils and magnolia. I intend to post them later on project’s page which is in progress. Please, let me know, if you would be interested.

Enjoy and purchase if you love flower paintings.

Prints on FAA:

Please, observe copyright and do not pin any of my images.