Yellow, orange, rusty color and red: leaves say good-bye to their shelter tree and throw themselves into the swirling wind. It is the ancient show of the fall: the last waltz of leaves with the wind as they fall down, down, down …
While the fall is writing a summary about everything that was done during this year, the nature decorates outdoors with all its treasures: colorful leaves, acorns, rowan berries, chestnuts, wild mushrooms, rose hips, late fall blooms, vegetables in the garden and fruits on trees. This is the season of abundance, and this is the most genuine pleasure for our eyes and soul.
Soothing, relaxing and pleasurable
Well, the wind could slow down a bit, and showers could be not that freezing. However, they’re just doing their job whether we like it or not. What can be more soothing and relaxing than creating some paintings in the warm and welcoming fall colors? A cup of herbal tea perhaps, or flavor of chicken soup on the stove? These are useful things for nasty and chilly fall days, too, but they don’t replace the simple pleasure of creation.
Rewarding brushes
If there weren’t these fantastic colors out there, the pain of the summer disappearing behind a dark cloud would be unbearable! I hope everybody can enjoy some hot chicken broth or a cup of tea with homemade pastries at this chilly night in countries where it is getting cold. Other than that: we always have our brushes, pencils and paints. Let us keep painting and drawing, and creating as the fall makes us seek for a shelter indoors! Let us lighten up our inspiration so that we don’t have to blame the darkness and bad weather for our upset moods!
I have attached for illustration some of the autumn nature series paintings.
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.
We are recently hearing about the creativity crisis. How come? Why do we even need to be creative? Everybody who cares about personal development would most likely agree that it is very important to develop our creative side and work on it. Creative activities help easing different mental conditions. Being creative makes life happier by raising serotonin levels and significantly improves our internal balance. Balance is the key to everything: good health, well-being, success and prosperity.
Creative children are more successful
Long-term and wide research shows that creative children are more likely to succeed in any subject and cope with any situation easier. They will feel more confident and less lost if something unexpected happens than kids, who are lacking creativity. Creative activities can make one’s life more interesting, fuller, more exiting and less stressful.
Letting creativity in
I was reading recently how becoming creative was described as getting into some state of mind and intentionally trying to make that happen. I am very sure it won’t happen that way. Becoming smart, interesting, enthusiastic and creative is not following five easy steps. Becoming creative takes work, efforts, numerous experiments and perseverance.
You have to simply try
Creativity is not that somebody will pour over you, and nobody can actually teach you how exactly to be creative. There are so many definitions, approaches, tests and scores to detect whether you are or are not a creative person. Creativity has to originate from the inside of an individual. It is possible to get advice, technical and practical guidance, but the process is up to you.
Attractive trait of character
Creativity is a very attractive feature, similar to being interesting, imaginative and innovative. Such talent empowers any person. We all desire to be noticed, to be loved and appreciated. By doing something creative, we are opening the doors for love, appreciation, new friendships.
Most people want to be creative
Whenever the talk touches creativity, nobody has told so far they did not want to be creative. I am most often receiving completely contrary messages. People complain their life is boring, dull, it is lacking any interesting or magic aspect. They would love to become somehow involved with creative things. So what’s stopping them?
What is stopping you?
Many people give up quickly anything which does not happen right away. Some give up activity they just started because the results did not show after the first attempt. Some are feeling sorry to spend any money on what they think is simply a pastime. Creativity crisis is associated with other issues, unfortunately.
Spending on creativity
Spending some money on creative activities is inevitable. The least costly thing is probably writing poetry or stories. So, yes, you will have to spend some money on your fabrics or papers, for sewing machine or brushes, for gardening or crafting tools. That is definitely less than one spends on fast foods, useless drinks or antidepressant pills.
Benefits of being creative
Depending on your creative activity, there are also real benefits. We spend much less money for things we have created than bought. The creative mind works like this: I have something, perhaps I’d need a few other materials and I probably could make something great out of it, or I could recycle or upcycle something. The consumerist’s mind works this way: where do I get it and how much it costs?
Inspiration
Where to get inspiration or idea what is the creative area you would like? There are hundreds of options: all craft and art shows, local meetings of writers and photographers, amateur song and dance festivals, amateur theater performances, garden shows, musical gatherings like open mikes, galleries, art and craft stores and departments, fabric stores and more. Besides, there are always people at these events and places who will give good advice on where to start.
Is creativity forgotten?
Surveys and research tell us that creativity is dramatically decreasing, and something needs to be done to reintroduce more creative activities in our families, schools and society. We might have too many opportunities to get everything served on a tray. However, things you create reflect you and suit you the best. Become artistic and creative crisis won’t be an issue.
Never too late
It is never too late to engage in creative things. Local people who are interested in art could join also my art classes and attend the creative workshops. I am not surprised that some of my students love these art classes so much that they return year after year. They would miss anything else, but not the weekly art class. It is obviously doing something good for them!
My experience
My experience after teaching at high schools, colleges, individually, and in groups allows concluding the following. The idea of becoming creative most often is present in the family and it is passed over from generation to generation. Kids, who pick up arts, crafts, sewing, writing, dancing, playing an instrument in early childhood, will most likely continue with creative activities. Teens, who love creative lifestyle and who paint, write, dance, sing, play, have less depression, anxiety and upset moods. They don’t engage in drugs, alcohol and troubles.
Adults need creativity, too
The same goes for adults. People, who are involved in creative activities, are much less complaining about loneliness, depression, feeling lost, seeing no meaning or purpose in life than those, who at the best go to the bar or sit in front of TV. People, who make creativity their best companion, are healthier and more satisfied with their life.
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!
