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.
Magic winter night, watercolor, 18 x 24 in or 46 x 61 cm, first washes go into the sky area, adding salt when wet shine on paper starts disappearingStep 2: identifying all parts of painting with light washesMagic winter night, step 3: adding more layersMagic winter night watercolor is almost ready. I’m adding more layers and salt on paper while it has still some shine
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!
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!
After the snowfall and storms, the day comes to greet you with a bright and sunny smile. Every worry is buried under the healing cover of white snow blanket, and you just walk by wondering how overwhelmingly beautiful a simple tree can be. We can love or hate winter, but sometimes, days happen when love shines through millions of ice crystals on tree branches embellished by frost. It is an understatement to call such landscape beautiful because it consumes one entirely and echoes in the heart and resonates with the soul.
All is white
The best feature of winter snow is to beautify all ugly and awkward-looking fall remains. The view is undisturbed and travels far away, and everything we see is endless path of light, topped with the purity of transparent sky. I delved into such winter landscape and transferred it onto canvas. It took me a while. The view is not complicated, but acrylic paint is quite stubborn. It requires five to eight layers to reflect the deep whiteness of snow and the strong shadows of trees. Every tiniest spot on a painting requires attention and work.
Extremely limited palette
This particular painting is created using extremely limited palette: black, white, brilliant blue and burnt sienna. The green color is a mix of burnt sienna, blue and white. Only four colors will create a great winter painting because we can adjust all proportions of the above-mentioned colors, thus, getting numerous shades of grey, blue, green and white.
Screen settings
Now, what you will see on the screen depends on your device and its settings. I looked myself at pictures on the iPhone, and they have extremely strong contrast. On the large monitor of my big computer, everything is more balanced and not that exaggerated. Regardless of your device, you will still have an idea of what the painting is like.
Long history
Just like many other of my 20 x 16 in or 40.5 x 50.5 cm paintings, I started this one last year at a full day workshop. Therefore, this painting has a very long history and processing time. I didn’t get it done and adjusted completely last winter, so it was left in a pile of paintings waiting to be either painted over and changed (subjects I have lost interest in), or finished (subjects which look promising).
Three versions
After I took 3 sets of about 30 pictures each, I finally got some with acceptable color balance. Accidentally, having taken a picture of only half painting, suggested me I could use this painting for 3 prints: vertical with the front trees only, square with the main portion of painting and the horizontal which is the entire painting. Each one looks interesting, indeed. I know other artists do that, but It’s the first time I will be offering 3 prints of the same image.
Vertical version of White birch trees, bright daySquare version of White birch trees, bright dayHorizontal version of White birch trees, bright day
Shop some art, make my day
I have decided to ship only paintings which somebody requests to be shipped. The main reason is that my art looks much more attractive in reality when the actual size makes extra impact on the viewer. I am well aware that not everybody is ever be in Canada, Ontario. Yet, many people live here and have no problem stopping by at Inese’s Art Studio. They are my main customer and thanks to people , who live here, I can paint and purchase new art materials and paint more. It’s not a whole lot of money, but it is a support. If you feel you like some painting, don’t hesitate, let me know! We can always arrange something.
Color is a big part of any artist’s work if they paint in color. We love some particular colors and we feel uncomfortable with or even dislike and hate other ones. I am very much convinced, though, color is secondary to value, otherwise black and white drawings and paintings wouldn’t make sense. Color gives my paintings mood and, sometimes, it’s the main element of the artwork. Usually, change in color will change the entire painting. I work very hard to achieve color balance and fine-tuned transitions in my art.
There’s more to art
However, people often notice only color, especially when art is viewed online. The online display has gone through many devices and you can see art also using whatever device you have. The most affecting factor is the size. 10 x 10 in art looks the same size as 10 feet by 10 feet painting online. The impact on viewer is totally incomparable because we have taken away all presence of this art. There is so much more to art than color. Lines, brushstrokes, edges, smoothness or extreme textures, story the painting tells and subject of it.
Unchanged nature: subject of my art
For realistic and semi-realistic art, color is interpreted depending on our subject. I’m looking for warmth in my art, as well as energy which makes us happy, maybe thoughtful, but not upset or more depressed. Therefore, I choose to paint nature. I love unchanged nature: flowers, wild flower fields, creeks, country roads, old country barns, small birds which I can watch in my backyard. This subject is very inspiring for me, and I’d say for everyone who looks at it. About 3 decades ago, I was very much in painting posters with faces and figures, I have done a lot of fashion images, too, but at some point, it became boring and moved on turning to nature.
Original, exquisite and recognizable
Early on, I made it my point not to get influenced by anybody else. It was easy before the internet came around since one cannot be present everywhere. After I moved to Canada, I realized that artists were literary copying photos sometimes. It had been the hugest no-no back in Europe. I still feel like it’s not a good art when one has to copy, trace and pretend this comes from the artist, and not from computer, printer and projection device. Therefore, I’m always trying to distinguish myself from the crowd. Many of my paintings are imaginative views of non-realistic settings, but I like the subject to be recognizable. I also want people to notice immediately that I have painted one or another artwork.
My painting techniques
I use techniques which I have developed during many years of creating art. Nowadays, you can find out quickly how somebody does whatever they do, but I prefer to go for my own discovery. My textures are most likely created with different tools and mediums. My color mixing definitely doesn’t fall into the regular color wheel dependence. I believe every artist has to find their own color palette because that will work always. I do not follow the trends, but frequently, some part of my art hits the trendy side anyway.
I currently sell originals only
The displayed images are of original paintings. Original means this painting is exactly as I have created it. My brushstrokes and my original color transitions are visible and touchable. That also means you can feel the energy and my touch. Original art is alive with everything that’s gone into it. I am very meticulous about what I want in the painting, even when it is a small painting with simple subject. I work tirelessly until I have achieved exactly what I wanted my painting to be. The images have a bit too much blue and green than my art. I use grey, brown-grey, but camera gets colors differently. What you see depends on settings on your device also.
Birds and other enjoyable themes this season
It is great one can rotate paintings on their walls. It is also fantastic one can create displays of large collections. Prints are fine for some areas and specific rooms, but when it comes to classiness and elegance, originals beat prints 100%. Classiness is already built in the original art, so you don’t need to add extra work to make this art look impressive. I have to display some paintings more than just one time for a few reasons: lots of people never read or look at something closely, attention is the hugest deficit nowadays, and holiday season is short. This type of paintings is sold only during holiday season.
Art prints
I can offer to select printed art products from Fine Art America site which has a huge choice of products which can be viewed in 3 dimensions.
Watercolor is a very poetic medium. That’s not only because of its flow and easy transition of colors, it is also because nothing else captures our mood, idea, concept or scene as impressive and as fast as watercolor does. Managing classic watercolor painting takes mastery. We can apply it very abstractly allowing water and pigment to create the initial shapes and values, or we can use watercolor in many layers making it opaque and creating strong dimension and volume.
World watercolor month
World watercolor month is getting close to its end. I usually do not devote or create specific paintings during July, but keep using it as I normally would since it is one of my preferred mediums. I like applying watercolor in many different ways: from very abstract to very detailed and from almost animated to very realistic. Our painting style is usually a summary of our personal objectives and intentions. Generally, I do not aim for a very lifelike look, but rather impression my artwork makes. I participate in shows and exhibitions and I want my art to be visible and standing out among hundreds of other paintings. It quite often does thanks to style, colors and large size.
Good energy
Please enjoy the gallery, and you might like to purchase some art or art print which comes in numerous options for frames, mats and printing surfaces. Print is not original, but in specific spaces it definitely serves the purpose: it gives a space complete look and never stops inspiring and being beautiful. There is never too much beauty in our surroundings. Good art is valuable because of energy it sends out. Energy presence is almost touchable in my art.
African violet, watercolor, 20 x 14 in or 51 x 36 cm
I used to have numerous African violet plants. A few survived, and these are the ones I have been painting.
Garden roses on fence were painted in winter of 2019.
Probably the saddest time ever. since my mom passed away in February. All paintings of this time are so uplifting, light and cheerful. For balance.
Purple pansies, 20 x 14 in or 51 x 36 cm
Pansies belong to my favorite painting models. Purple fits them well because of all variations. Purple pansies are somewhat abstracted and painted using watercolor wash and a few strong edges.
The summer still life paintings have been in creation for a long time. I started them probably in 2016, but they got their finishing touches only now. They both have very vibrant colors, just as summer vegetables do, and everything which has great shape worth capturing, suits my still life well. Enjoy!
Summer still life, 20.5 x 16 in or 52 x 41 cm and Kitchen still life, 18 x 24 in or 46 x 61 cm, both watercolor
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This post has many pictures, make sure to check them out. I decided to devote a special article to my still life paintings since it has been an important genre for me for many decades.. In languages which I speak fluently (native Latvian, German, English and Russian), still life is called as follows:
Still life: English
Stilleben: German
Hатюрморт: Russian
Klusā daba: Latvian
Nature morte: French
Naturaleza muerta: Spanish
Natura morta: Italian
Wikipedia gives a brief historic overview of still life as a genre, and I don’t think I need to repeat it.
Etymology and direct meaning
Translating literally, still life means dead nature in French, Italian and Spanish and Italian and Spanish have presumably borrowed it from French. The direct meaning of English still life is “life which is not moving and making no sound”; not moving and silent life – in German. Russian uses a loanword from French; hence French was spoken in all higher educated circles in Russia for quite a while until the Socialist revolution in 1918. Still life in Latvian means “silent nature” referring to rather making no sound than not moving. I find this very amazing. I do stick in my still life paintings with “nature that isn’t moving, but is visibly alive”.
My still life
As a native Latvian, I have formed my understanding of still life based on classic Latvian art. I especially adored Latvian art which was created between 18th and 19th century and around the beginning of 20th century. Latvians used to go to France and Italy to study art, therefore, the influence is undeniable. The part I never liked and to which I developed internal opposition was the use of mainly cold raw umber and rather muddy earth and dirty blue color in still life art between the WWII and 60-s of the previous century. However, they worked well in combination with grey color since grey has many thousands of shades. When I was younger, I couldn’t stand such color combinations.
The beginning of my personal style
I initially was somewhat really naturalistic. I could sit for hours in the garden or in my room and draw leaves, plants and flowers between age 10 and 16. I drew also people and faces of my sister and other relatives, but for still life, I didn’t have to ask anybody to sit and stay there for a few hours. Back in 60s and 70s of 20th century while Latvia was still in the Soviet Union, I could mostly use what I got from our garden. Vegetables and fruit lasted longer than flowers, so, I developed a special love to them. I used just pencil and watercolor on a bad quality paper. I didn’t have lots of art supplies, often not even eraser. That taught me drawing so that I wouldn’t need eraser. I didn’t have obviously camera and printer, and nobody knew anything about the internet yet.
The subjectof still life
I have most often certain requirements when setting up a still life. I use something man-made, such as bowl, cup, jar or mug, box, books or similar items. I implement some flower or leaves, or the entire plant whenever I have it, and that establishes the living part of my still life. I also love adding either fruit or vegetables since they are always available. I sometimes cleaned out the fridge, and my husband used to joke that we didn’t eat for the entire month while I painted my still life. Big is definitely more impactful, and I go with full sheet watercolor paper (22 x 30 inches or 56 x 76 cm) when I have a good quality paper. The same about acrylic painting of still life. The small size is about 16 x 20 inches or 41 x 51 cm with just a very few exceptions that are even smaller. Painting big size art is much easier for me and I always prefer that assuming I have enough time and appropriate art supplies.
A very attractive genre
Over years, I have painted numerous still life paintings. Many have been sold as prints. I cannot include all still life paintings, but just a few in one post. These paintings are recently finalized, but started even 10 years ago. The “Spring tulips and cup” painting was done like that. Pictures I was taking years ago, do not look that good any longer, but I cannot get better ones from framed art which is under glass. For these paintings, I had only my sketch or drawing for reference.
I could finish this painting because I had created a value drawing in the same size what painting is: 20 x 24 inches or 51 x 61 cm, therefore, I had reference
Still life with blue, 25.5 x 20 in or 64 x 51 cm
It is usually difficult to get true pictures of paintings and how the viewer sees my paintings, depends on their device. I certainly tried. I have 4 monitors at 2 computers, and every image looks very different on each one of them. These paintings are available as art prints also. Thanks for reading!
More about my still life art, click on image for article:
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