I finally got time to finish a very large (48 in x 32 in or 1 meter 22 cm x 81 cm) semi-abstract very textured autumn scene. It is Autumn silver and gold acrylic painting. I applied very visible textures at first and built layers of acrylic paint on top of textured background. This painting will be exhibited at my gallery entrance greeting all visitors and students.
Autumn silver and gold, a very large (48 in x 32″ or 1 meter 22 cm x 81 cm) acrylic painting with textured layers under paint
The other texture-rich painting is smaller: 24 x 20 inches, but it also looks great on the wall. I kept colors quiet and subtle.
However, such painting technique is very time-consuming. I’d love to do many more acrylic paintings using rich texture since it adds to the impression tremendously, but it’;s a fairly slow process. The painting must be left to dry between each step until the final brushstrokes can be applied. The look is very three-dimensional. Colors shift and change also depending on the light source.
The smaller fall and maple leave paintings are sold.
Art is the most space enhancing feature which there only can be. Just removing a few paintings from the wall, makes it look virtually empty, and my personal experience shows that there simply cannot be too much art around us. Seasonal art is the best decoration.
The learning season at my studio is getting close to the finish line. Paintings in 3 pictures are done by my students who started attending my art classes as beginners. They progressed very fast from not knowing how to mix paint to students who pretty much were sure what they wanted to achieve. We were exploring multiple techniques and subjects; we created quite many beautiful artworks. We feel enriched and inspired, and hopefully, the newly acquired skills will enable our students to capture their impressions during summer and their vacations.
Summer plans
I have been extremely busy recently, and I need a break, too. I’m going to spend some time in Europe, in my homeland Latvia this year. My art studio is getting reorganized, as well. We will start out again in September with new classes, seminars, practical learning in both, life skills school and art school.
Adjustments to online presence
I’m working on new updates of website which will contain all relevant information, and I might be very busy for a while yet. I intend to implement store pages and add new art products to these pages. It’s difficult to decide on art store format and what online options to use. There won’t be that many posts during this time.
My demo painting
My demo painting was waiting patiently for 7 years to be completed. I have a few paintings at different stages of completion, this was one of them. I wish photos captured colors better because my real painting has fresh summer green and good bright contrast. All my pictures with light green color have turned into some strange mustard-green color. I personally do not like and I do not use this color, not in summer or spring paintings. However, iPhone keeps damaging all my pictures. I should use only the big camera every time, but convenience sometimes comes first.
Spring time: we’ve been waiting long for sun to show up and wake up the nature. At my studio, we have been very busy with creating spring time watercolors, too. We keep enjoying the pleasure of being able to create something great, cheerful and uplifting. That would be art which is simple, but speaks to us.
Watercolor painting of pink garden anemones: demo version for adult watercolor class
While there’s some useful advice contained in all learning materials, it’s most often a description of a common, basic and simple techniques and approaches. When you try painting in reality and on your own, it might seem more difficult. However, we have to start with something, therefore, we can do easy spring time nature paintings.
Kristina is genuinely happy since the chickadee painting came out extremely nice
Presence of immediate advice is extremely important. That not only speeds up everything, but also provides students with plenty of information in a very short period of time, allowing to experience and apply everything right there and right away.
This is a very direct and very immediate “how to”. Any question receives answer on the spot, any problem gets solved when it occurs.
Watercolor wash and detailed parts
Students, who want to learn, are very happy with my classes, and so am I. It’s always a pleasure to see fast development of young, talented artists. It is great to know that I have contributed quite a lot to this development.
Don’t allow routine blocking your intentions and create
We have our routine duties, we have to make our living, but how about the soul? What are we doing to feed not only the body, but also our soul? Some people express themselves playing music or dancing, some are writing poetry or stories, and some love to create. Most people never forget to devote time, money and huge efforts in order the physical body stayed young and healthy. When it comes to mind, it is a completely different picture.
Art is special
I don’t think anything compares with the wonderful feeling when I have a white blank canvas or sheet of watercolor paper in front of me, and I’m about to put down the first lines or brush strokes. Creation is straight the opposite to consumption, and I really have deep respect for people who love to create and give something to others instead of just taking and using. Create art: it is a rewarding way of self-expression. It takes away from our daily troubles and routines, and this time is never wasted.
Need for self-care and relaxation
Adults need relaxing self-care time even more than teens and kids. My art classes always bring together people of all ages and all walks of life who create something for themselves. We are experiencing the miracle of creative makeover every time when we have an art class. Participants come with all kinds of mental and physical conditions sometimes, but all of them report feeling better after an artistic workout.
Art classes and painting workshops for adults
We had busy October and November. I met many interesting people, who definitely were amazed by my art and wanted to learn doing something artistic for themselves, they all love new things and create them. I gave many adult and teen art classes, and my November workshop was also successful.
Article about me in women’s life style magazine
We were discussing the magazine article which will be published in Laura’s online site devoted to making lives of women richer and more satisfying. This article will describe my personal and art concepts, I will also share my experience living in Europe and in Canada. It is very important to provide women with their personal space and breathing space because women are frequently the ones who have never a moment specifically for themselves.
Participants of art classes report life improvements
I had extremely talented and diligent students. They created fairly large paintings to decorate their living and dining rooms along with small nature scenes. All participants told they gained a great experience regards painting and especially acrylic painting and also became better people who had no more signs of depression and troubled mind. Some recovered from anxiety. Art classes always work as meditation with color and shape since creativity takes over our mind and cleans it.
Decorate with your own art
We spent approximately 6 hours doing large decorative floral paintings. No doubt, these paintings will make every space look more attractive and inviting.
Art workshops: one time painting events
I am running workshops once or twice a month. This time, we decided to paint winter landscape, and we think the flower painting would be a great subject for the next workshop. Workshop takes 2 hours in average, and we got done the entire painting during these hours. I’m providing with template to speed up the drawing and planning part. We have more time for application of paint when using a template.
Age doesn’t matter
We had one younger participant, but she left a bit earlier because she already had done two winter and spruce tree paintings with watercolor. Watercolor is a faster medium, especially when painting winter and snow, many areas can be left white. Winter creek is a fantastic subject for any beginning artist.
Please, join us for live art classes and workshops: Sign up here
It is not a secret that some themes and subjects are easier to paint, and especially, if the artist is just starting out. Poppy fields or wildflower meadow definitely make great subject. After engaging for a few classes in two landscape paintings, we decided to paint poppies in a landscape, just for fun and for the love of color. So, we created background for poppy fields, then added flowers on top of that and finally adjusted some values.
This theme was liked a lot, and all students started their paintings without any complications, extreme difficulties or unpleasant surprises.
Everybody told, they really enjoyed this painting and subject.
The excitement was so great that these paintings got finished by students during the following class, which was the last class before I left for vacation.
Adult group painting poppies
Students are using artist grade acrylic paints, so, these paintings will last. We had a chance to check out paintings done with students grade paints, and colors had lost they brightness in just 3 years. We are referencing drawings, pictures, and sometimes real flowers to help our imagination with color choices and composition.
Students have freedom to choose whatever color or its shade they prefer, in order to create their paintings in a way they love it.
