Christmas paintings Archives - INESE'S ART STUDIO

December 7, 2021December 8, 2021

A little bit of nostalgic beauty: snow and winter paintings

Snow and winter paintings are a great way to start painting since we can interpret the landscape or view in many ways. We can apply warm or cool glow to the snow and winter paintings, we can use shadows, different colors for sky and use distance or abstract background. We can stick to a photo or do what I’m doing: implement some visual ideas from memory or just look through the window and paint what is there. Out of my studio window, there’s plenty: all kinds of trees, buildings and so forth, including spruce, firs, pine and there’s a big sky, too. Quite enough for my snow and winter paintings.

Ontario weather takes care of the rest. Here and there, snow will be deep and bright white, capping every single branch and putting a warming snow scarf on every surface. It will have shadows in clear weather and it will show the branch shapes which puncture the clouds and sky. Altogether: it’s almost a finished landscape view, choose whatever angle suits better. Therefore, and because many of snow and winter paintings take origin as demos, I didn’t need or use any photos. The interpretation of these views is somewhat abstract. I will let the art speak more this time. It only has so many chances.

Snow landscape, country village — These particular winter paintings are more grey than photos show, but you have to remember: these are pictures of paintings taken by iPhone, and they are resized to 30% of the actual size.

The collection of snow and winter paintings has grown quite big over years. It’s also a good selling feature before holidays. To be honest, winter and snow paintings usually sell only around this time and very rarely during other seasons. It’s a brief moment, and I believe I don’t really need more of snow and winter paintings at the moment. Until Christmas, we love snow and white wonderland landscapes. When it gets to February and March, oh my! We are totally tired of grey and white with spots of green which is also not the lively spring green. That certainly depends on the area where one lives. Ontario winter can be long.

I hope you’d love to make my Christmas and maybe purchase some art. There’s way more than I can publish just in one post. Enjoy!

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November 18, 2020September 19, 2021

The joy of color

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.

Acrylic painting of cardinal in winter — Winter forest and red cardinal, acrylic on canvas 11 x 14 in or 28 x 36 cm

Acrylic painting of winter creek — Winter creek with spruce is painted on acrylic board, size 12 x 16 in or 31 x 41 cm

Acrylic painting of robin — Robin, small bird is acrylic painting on 12 x 16 in or 41 x 31 cm canvas

Acrylic painting of robin on branch — Robin on snowy branches, acrylic painting 16 x 12 in or 41 x 31 cm

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 and ArtPal which has mostly wall art and very affordably priced art prints.

My winter collection:

Winter paintings by Inese Poga

Enjoy! I hope somebody loves my art so much that they are willing to go a step farther and purchase it. The special offers are here:

Original paintings for winter holidays

December 2, 2019December 10, 2021

The Christmas gift you can give anybody

Brief Christmas gift guide: choose art

Art is democratic and it is also a perfect Christmas gift. It is a gift which goes from very personal to very formal. Some people might not find any value in art, but most of us do. The difficult part is always having too many choices. Print is not the same as original art. Hand painted art carries the uplifting energy of colors, lines and brushstrokes, as well as artist’s thoughts and energy.

Affordable handmade luxury

Hand-drawn and crafted cards, as well as hand-drawn images and hand painted art are becoming more and more exquisite things. Handmade items are considered luxury in quite a few countries already since they are unique and one-of-a-kind. America is more inclined towards digital art. Handmade art deserves its high and exclusive position on the value list of luxury items. It is a luxury which everybody can afford.

Handmade is unique

Handmade art is always unique and pertains to the person who created it. Anybody can create digital files and print them off. It does not require the specific, elevated state of mind which makes an artist flutter above the Earth and feel like the creator of universe once the painting is completed. Each brushstroke is artist’s signature, each line – proof of excellence.

Art can be perfectly matched to the gift receiver

If you know the main values of person receiving the gift, you might be able to choose a perfectly matched piece of art for them. Nature enthusiast or fighter for sustainability on the Earth will love nature related images and scenes. People, who appreciate beauty, will always enjoy it in art, as well. Simplified and strong images will work well for these, who stand firmly on the ground. Art is a good gift when one is not sure what exactly they should choose.

There is never too much art

Many people say they have enough art already which I absolutely do not believe. I have seen million dollar houses with bad quality prints on walls. Most places would also have just one painting on a large wall. Boring. Art will either enhance and give elegant appearance, or make your space look cheap. There is also neutral art which is not too abstract, not too realistic, but has still all quality markers we should look for. Most importantly, art can be always displayed: on shelves, on walls, on desks, bookcases, dressers and even on the floor if its size allows for that.

Direct sales from artist

Buying art from artists directly is always less expensive. They created this art; they can decide what price tag to put on it. Gallery sales involve extra fees since artists showing their art have to pay either for space, provide percentage of sale amount to gallery, or both. Some galleries will take as much as 50% and more off the sales amount, even online galleries. That is included in price. With direct sale from artist, especially at their studio, no middlemen increase the price.

White winter, acrylic, 20 x 16 in or 51 x 41 cm

The very red poinsettia, acrylic, 41 x 51 cm or 16 x 20 in

Golden trees, moonlight, acrylic painting, 41 x 51 cm or 16 x 20 in

Spruce hills, acrylic painting 41 x 51 cm or 16 x 20 in

Refreshing my own sales pages for Canada-wide, international and USA shipments

I will try to publish also more frequently my own art-for-sale images. For many years, I focused mostly on teaching. It’s time to make my own art more visible. I spend abnormal time creating it. I will have a few public shows in 2020. I have been accepted in 2 so far; when it comes closer I will publish more about that.

My sales pages are always in progress, but I will start adding more “Buy now” buttons for each painting.

Live in Greater Toronto Area? Stop by

The easiest way to purchase some art for people in Ajax, Ontario, and close by areas, like Whitby, Pickering or Oshawa, is to just stop by at my studio. I will ship all unframed watercolor art and small to medium size unframed acrylic paintings (11 x 14 in or 28 x 36 cm to 20 x 24 in or 51 x 61 cm) to other locations in Canada and the USA. I will only sell and ship my original art, not art products with printed images of my art. I do not process your payments on my site, Paypal does; therefore, you are not putting your credit or debit card info on my site and shouldn’t have any worries about it.

My art for sale, getting updated: Original paintings

Inspiration: Inspiring gifts

I just added new painting images to my FAA site, as well.

Enjoy!