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.
White magnolia, 12 x 12 in
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.
This year will be marked by COVID-19 pandemic forever. This time is a very specific one, and so are our experiences. One can spend more hours on simply reminiscing about the moments which were captured on photos last year, the year before that and many years ago. This time also shows us how wrong we were about many things and how little we appreciated the freedom to move around and to go places whenever we felt like.
Art creation requires to be alone
However, for someone like me, there is no much change. I am not excited about Ontario winter which extends into spring, and in April as this year again. We had snowflakes dancing around daffodil buds for a few days now. Regretfully, it has been cold, and spring didn’t keep its promise about plenty of sunshine which it arrived with.
Missing and hoping
So, I was scrolling through pictures from previous years not only because I didn’t have anything better to do, but also because I needed to reinstall everything onto another computer after the old one crashed. The pictures from earlier years cause wide range of emotions. I am so proud of having painted numerous outstanding quality paintings, I miss the live art classes, I want to be in the blossoming spring backyard sooner. I start feeling older and I look at my own life as a train running away. I actually stopped making big plans many years ago after the accident in 1992. It would be interesting to know what my life would have turned out without going through that awful time. However, due to aftereffects of that accident I came to Canada.
Museum quality art
The attached images are of large watercolor paintings which I painted between 2008 and 2011. I honestly regret I cannot show you the actual paintings in their actual size. The image size is 23 x 30 inches or 58 x 76 cm. I am excited myself to explore the flow of lines, the perfection of detail, the soft and unexpected transitions of color which photos unfortunately cannot capture. Most of these paintings are put away and preserved in large folders. The ones in frames are under glass and neither pictures, nor videos would show them without a glare.
Mastering the medium
All of these paintings realistically show mastery in paint application and composition. I usually spend at least a few weeks to a few months on just one painting. They have been accepted in juried shows and exhibited in all kinds of galleries. After I broke the large museum grade glass on one painting, I stopped taking them out. These paintings are excellent value, and they should be treated like such.
Affordability of art supplies
It doesn’t even seem that long ago, just a decade or a bit longer, but art materials, especially watercolor paper was so affordable! I used very heavy duty and very thick Arches paper for anything, even sketches and quick drafts. The same paper costs a lot more money today because 1 sheet is $25-$35 in Canada. Is this only my imagination, or quality also does not feel the same? Any paint quality has definitely decreased big time over the past 10 years while prices are 3-4 times higher.
Art supplies matter
The truth is: great watercolor paper makes up for at least 25% of watercolor art quality. It is physically impossible to create good washes and flow of pigment on paper which does not absorb paint and water. Looking at these pictures makes me sad, too. I wish all art materials were available without any hassles again! I am waiting currently for some acrylic paints to arrive. I also hope watercolor paper became less expensive. Actually, the highest prices for any art materials are in Canada.
Should I even paint something more?
Most likely, I should sell more, not paint more. It is a matter of space and storage, as well. Yet, once somebody is hooked on creating art, it becomes like addiction. I’ve been in art for 50 years, and I don’t think I am going to ever discontinue painting. When I look at the art scene of today, I must say, I feel disappointed. Most images are computer generated, vector images, digitally enhanced or digitally painted images.
Good quality hand made art
Good quality hand made art is becoming quite rare. I would emphasize: good quality. The reason might be that most people do not want to spend time learning how to draw. It is way easier to trace or copy or print off and then paint over. While one has outline, they also need a lot more: understanding what values are, how contrast, light, direction of light and composition, as well as perspective contribute to any painting. These aspects are the ones which are missing in big part of today’s art.
The thorough painting process
I usually create full-size hand drawing for each of these paintings. Most of drawings show also the scale of values. Therefore, I do not need any other reference if the still life or landscape setup and view is not available any longer. I set up or looked at a scene and then drew it. Here is one example setup which was the base reference for my garden painting.
I transferred the drawing (I used a large window for that as a lightbox) onto watercolor paper and kept working every day when the weather allowed.
The garden painting: so much great time spent with it, painted in 2011. This painting is 23 x 30 inches or 58 x 76 cm.
I cannot recall the year, but I think it was 2008 when I painted this road. It is also full-sheet watercolor painting on Arches. Some of my paintings have never been published, this is one of them
The forest road watercolor from 2008, This painting is 23 x 30 inches or 58 x 76 cm.
The birch path painting refers to a Latvian forest path. When it comes to painting, I am always subconsciously referencing my memory which stores Latvian landscapes, views and scenery. I have added Canadian landscapes to my memory in the recent years, but Latvia still prevails.
The picture comes from 2010 and might have more contrast. It was photographed through glass back then. However, the actual painting still looks very impressive and asks one to walk this path. This painting is 23 x 30 inches or 58 x 76 cm.
The spring creek was half imaginary, half photo-referenced. It took about a month to paint it. Image shows it more yellow, but it’s rather crisp light green and the blue is very attractive.
Spring creek, full-sheet or 23 x 30 inches (58 x 76 cm). spring watercolor painting
And finally, so far never published watercolor from 2010. It is also 23 x 30 inches or 58 x 76 cm
Along the summer stream, full-sheet watercolor on Arches
The difficult photo managing experience
Back then just as today, I was struggling with getting good photos of my paintings. It’s more struggle now thanks to Windows 10 photos app which seems to be incompatible with iPhone 11 Pro Max. Every time when I am trying to download pictures, one or another side doesn’t want to cooperate. Windows 10 photo app not only does not allow me to set my own parameters for download, they mess up everything and I have to manually copy over and delete lots of pictures. Sometimes this app wants to download all photos from phone, sometimes does not recognize any.
Simple editing tools
I was still using the great Microsoft Digital Image Editor 2006 up to the moment when my previous computer crashed. That was all I need for adjustment of my pictures. It was simple, fast, extremely efficient. One can find numerous photo manipulation apps now, but there is none for keeping the image as is, just fixing exposure, light and contrast. Most pictures displayed here were taken up to 2011. They are practically unedited, except, I added frames.
Blogging, pleasantries and some annoying habits
I have intended to post more of previous paintings since I also haven’t seen them for a while, that means for at least a few years. I know how people are busy. It’s just so that if you do not look at the actual post and the actual images, you most likely have no idea what I am talking about. I have noticed some bloggers click on “like” under 20 posts, but they certainly haven’t seen or read any of them. I am trying to always respond to all comments timely and I do appreciate your comments a lot. However, I never put blogging before the actual life, therefore, I will like back posts which deserve that and comment back in case I have something to say about your article when I have time.
My paintings on Fine Art America, large collection of art prints:
While the weather is still changing swiftly outdoors, my studio blossoms in full force. Spring flowers are in bloom!
Art is timeless, it can easily survive us. Art is a gentle reminder that we never know everything and we are here just to learn and to give our skills to others.
We are adding new projects practically weekly, and I am finalizing some paintings at least twice a week. Light is great during the day and days are becoming longer, too. I am not sure how much brighter the light should be for video recording. It is very sufficient when painting, but for video recording it is still not enough as it appears.
Doing is better than watching
My personal point is, nobody has ever learned anything by watching others do it. We can either paint or draw, or watch others paint. It’s pretty much so that we cannot do both at the same time. I would say, if you want to learn, just go for it. Everybody damages many watercolor papers and paints over previously painted canvas many times and until they manage to use the brush properly, as well as understand what colors they like and how to create them.
What is important
It was never about how to paint or draw an apple, or one particular flower, or one particular landscape. Painting and drawing is a skill which follows certain principles and teaches one to become efficient with decision making.
No need to be afraid
It is silly to be afraid of damaging paper or canvas. While we learn, we are in process of discovering so many aspects of our subject. This is a path which involves many sideways and much blundering around until we find the right way for us.
White and yellow daffodils, watercolor
Trillium forest, watercolor on paper, one of my recent watercolor painting projects. It is so lovely to paint fresh greens!
This was an amazing project, and we really enjoyed creating dark background around the white blossoms.
More spring flowers from previous projects
That’s what I do every spring: disappear in flowers until it is time to start digging and planting seeds in the soil.
Enjoy the spring blossoming and lovely colors of flowers. This subject really works well using any medium, but especially watercolor, thanks to speed and fast coverage of large areas.
Copyrights of the displayed art belong to artist Inese Poga. Please, do not copy, or use, or place images of my art on any other websites without written consent from Inese Poga. See full Copyright notice on the widget area.
My show is finally up. Putting up a show, small or extensive, takes time, many hours of work, dealing with selection, adjustments and paperwork. It felt as if the small tasks were never-ending: glazing, covering with protective layer, attaching wires, designing and printing price tags. I have taken numerous pictures. Light was not that good some days; well, it’s February. Therefore, contrast ranged from extreme to none, brightness went from burnt out images to a total lack of light.
Lots of work and many decisions
Even putting up paintings at location was time-consuming. Any place has its pluses and minuses. Light is as it is, and I had to figure out the best layout immediately and without hesitation. There was staff, who went up the ladder and put up each painting, and while they were doing their best, everything took some adjustment. I think I managed to do very well with placement of my art.
It is a great advantage to see art in person
While less people attend shows or art events nowadays since everything is on the internet, I would like to still emphasize that nothing compares to seeing art with your own eyes and experience the feeling of direct presence. There are so many devices between the real painting and its image on the internet! Any of these devices change the look of painting to a great extent, so some things get lost along the way, which especially refers to balanced and carefully crafted colors and contrast.
Paintings which were included in this show
My paintings frequently display paths and roads. Road, as well as path is an important symbolic element of my art. We are always on the way, always going to something new which is still to be discovered and explored. I am posting this time a few completely new and a few overworked paintings. That especially refers to “Nostalgia” series.
Subjects of my art
I loved to find untouched landscapes in close vicinity of a town: old country barns, quiet streams, birch groves and meandering forest paths. I genuinely love wildflowers, they appear quite frequently in my art. The same goes for always painting spring in winter. That is a natural mood lift and fantastic way of spending dark and gloomy days when storms, snow, cold and ice make the outdoor landscape very hostile.
Less text, more art
This post is intended to show paintings, therefore, less text, more art.
Red country barn, early spring, acrylic painting 76 x 61 cm, acrylic on canvas
Red country barn, early spring won the easel, Nostalgia series
Path in blue bell woods, Nostalgia series, acrylic painting, 24 x 20 in or 61 x 51 cm
Reflection of clouds, summer stream, acrylic painting on 24 x 20 in or 61 x 51 cm canvas
Nostalgia, the painting which initiated the series of landscapes disappearing from our neighborhoods, acrylic on canvas, 24 x 20 in 61 x 51
If you happen to live in Greater Toronto Area and especially around Ajax, please stop by. My show is on at Ajax Town Hall Council Chambers Lobby until March 19. 25 works of art are exhibited. I take from the first responses, that people like it. Enjoy!
We can learn painting and create better art using many tools and sources nowadays. Internet is huge and numerous sites offer tutorials, art classes and online and live workshops. I would like to share a few observations which stood out after talking to students and seeing how they learn. I’m convinced also that successful painting is a combination of many aspects. The other notable matter is that anything we want to be of high quality and value takes time, efforts and practice, and there is no other way to master a skill. I have listed below assumptions and factors which do not result in good art.
Copying colors and image will do it
Lots of people use color charts or try to recreate the exact colors of a photo. With current numerous brands and very wide range in art supply quality, the most important part is not what the photo has, but what works for your painting. Photography has different tools to create impressive image. Drawing, watercolor, pastel, acrylic and oil painting use completely different tools. Only copying colors and image won’t result in great art because that is the input of artist which makes art great. Outline drawing is important, but artist makes it alive with the use of artistic tools and paints.
Using exactly the same colors and drawing will create the same image
Using exactly the same colors and drawing won’t result in the same painting because it is usually not possible to repeat original artwork even by the artist who painted it. Ambient temperature, flow of paint, sloppy or targeted brushstroke, light conditions, air humidity in room or outdoors, inspiration, mood of artist, surge of energy or tiredness are all significant factors. It’s also not important what colors somebody else used because the differences between the same name colors can be huge with different brands. Therefore, the most important part is to test what you have and to see what your paints can do.
Color is secondary, value is primary or otherwise black and white paintings or monochromatic paintings would not make sense. They do, so, value is the aspect that provides image and subject with volume and dimension. If in doubt, you can always create a tonal or value sketch. I do that for complex paintings in watercolor going large scale or exactly the same size what my painting is.
I can paint knowing nothing about color mixing and paint features
You can paint knowing nothing about color mixing and paint features. Most likely, it will take time and many experiments to get to where you want to be. Eventually, you will arrive at all creation-related discoveries, it just might be a time-consuming process. I am talking about years, not hours. Simply, there will be good, mediocre or not satisfying result at first. Initially, all good results come from happy painting accidents, and we get what we get as opposed to what we intend to.
I will learn painting just watching others paint
No, that is not true. Art instructors or people, who demonstrate painting, know what they are doing or at least they should. Quite frequently people, who watch it, have no idea what, where and why is applied. The personal features and ability to apply paint and correct color matter, too. If the art is somewhat realistic, it is very important to be able to draw. We sketch with brush at first, and then we follow with brushstrokes to create volume, shadows, negative spaces and so on. If you can draw, you know better where to apply paint.
What, where and why
In the painting process, we have to answer these questions at any point of painting process. It is very useful to know why you are doing something. Why do you want the background dark or light? Why do you want to place some accent in the middle or in front? Why do you want distant parts cool and the front part warm? Why do you want to use black, purple or blue for grey color? Why do you paint the focal point in the most striking color? And so on. All of these answers impact your painting, later series of paintings, and they eventually create your style.
Paint night or sipping and painting
Many believe that paint night or sipping and painting will teach how to paint. These are entertaining events with a brush and paint, not art classes. The goal of such events isn’t teaching you composition, color theory, values or brush stroke. The goal is to entertain and painting is just an addition to mood, drink or food. I have mentioned many times before how important focus and decision making is for creation of art. Paint night or sipping and painting do not contain the most important learning aspects, such as reasoning, decision making or using your personalized approach.
Everything is art
Everything isn’t art and it shouldn’t be. While many people might refer to a canvas covered with some paint as art, it isn’t always art. You can hang it on the wall and it becomes wall filler. However, you can also look at it after it has dried and canvas fabric has become visible (too less paint coverage!) and try to create something decent on top of it. I wrote in my previous article that calling framed wallpaper art does not make it art. It is a decorative piece, just as an empty frame is.
Aimless splashing with paint
The reality of nowadays is such that we want everything right away, right this moment and even better yet, without much or any effort. Art has never been just brushing around or aimlessly splashing with paint. Art always involves thinking, concept, idea and the execution thereof with adequate artistic tools. Aimless splashing and brushing of paint results in nothing really. One uses a lot of paint and time with no result. I have seen over years people, who picked up art effortlessly, and I have also seen people, who had to spend years to learn. An art class is no different from a regular school class: some students learn fast, some are perfectionists, some are free-spirited, some are not that interested and some simply do not focus or pay attention.
Perfectionism and perfect skill
Perfectionism is disturbing and limiting when it comes to learning. Why? It is disturbing since there is no such thing as a perfect attempt, a perfect error or a perfect search for a new technique and skill. Perfectionism is the opposite of artistic freedom and it has nothing to do with the quality of result in learning process. I hear this often: I am a perfectionist. That is fine, but it does not apply to learning new things. One cannot be perfect with what they cannot do or do not know. Developing perfect skills is more like it, but perfect skill is a result while learning is a process. Learning process involves making errors and being mistaken. Learning process involves searching for the best or most suitable solution in the current situation.
Preparing my solo show
I am working on preparation of my solo art show next month. It opens on February 13. I just finished a few watercolor paintings which I started for November and December classes. Pink color is not a coincidence. It is a very attractive, soothing color which has also big impact and is gentle at the same time. Less people attend shows or art events nowadays since everything is on the internet. I would like to still emphasize that nothing compares to seeing art in person. There are so many devices between the real painting and its image on the internet! Any of these devices totally change the look of painting, so some things get lost along the way. Anyway, enjoy the new paintings!
The elegant pink rose, watercolor on 20 x 16 inches or 51 x 41 cm watercolor paper, the white background enhances the softness and attraction of color in the rose flower
Pink winter orchids,, watercolor on paper, 20 x 16 in or 51 x 41 cm
Magnolia blooms on white, watercolor, 18 x 14 inches or 46 x 36 cm
Copyright notice: Copyright of displayed paintings, drawings, images of work in progress and images of finished paintings belong to artist Inese Poga. Use of painting and drawing images is prohibited on any website or otherwise if I have not issued a written permission. No pinning on Pinterest!
