Nostalgia for old times and ability to create gifts is a gift, too

Snow paintings, village and countryside

I’m probably getting old or older, but I am definitely having recently some nostalgia for these times which won’t ever return.

I believe, I am not taking too well the huge overload of commercials screaming at me from everywhere. Wherever I look, it’s just buy this and get this for free and hurry up because these discounts won’t last. Endlessly. It might be also because we never had a large family, and when I was young we were not that much about gifts.

My most memories are about preparations to celebrate Christmas or the New Year. This brings back some fantastic smells of pies and pastries in the oven, the fresh scent of fir-tree and aroma of candles. And real lights of real candles, so warm and so alive. We used to sing a lot, as well. These are sounds of old songs, partially forgotten, but I can still sing them in quite a few languages: my first foreign language was Russian, the next was German, I picked it up early and was able to use fluently by the time I was 12, the third was English quite a few years later. I am a native Latvian, and we have millions of folk songs, so many that every Latvian can call one his or her own. So, yes, we were following the very ancient Latvian traditions which are actually more ancient than English or German traditions since Latvian along with Lithuanian belong to the most ancient still alive languages and can be traced back to the ages of Sanskrit.

I can also remember how we were walking through the deep snow to the nearby forest to get the most beautiful tree. I was told I was only 4 years old. That’s amazing, but I can recall the walk, the snow and the forest. That’s how I’m painting my fir trees, they look exactly as those ones which I saw 52 years ago.

However, my intention was to share the idea about how kids and teens should rather create and make their gifts than try to buy something for money which they probably haven’t even earned yet. We were a lot about creativity, and that was all we were doing when not reading or working: sewing, drawing, painting, making toys, household items, and jewelry, things for our house and for our living space. There were so many ways to bring beauty into our home, and nobody was really worried about expenses because these self-made things did not cost anything or just a little in materials.

White snow painting

I maintained this ability to create everything from practically nothing all my life. I find it exciting, way more exciting than going to the store and buying stuff made in China. I find some of the decorations they sell absolutely tasteless. How much of attraction can actually plastic things have? Fake trees are still somehow OK, even artificial berries and fir and pine cones, but if you ask me, I’d say nothing compares to self-made decorations. However, I love glass balls and ornaments. We used to have some from 1912 and 1938. I asked my mom how that was possible to keep these ornaments not broken through all wars and troubles, and she said they were so small and so lovely, and they were associated with so many memories that everybody was taking an extremely good care about them.

Snow paintings, acrylic

So, finalizing the previously said, I was asking quite a few people:

Instead of buying your gift this holiday season, you could paint one, couldn’t you?

Snow paintings, village and countryside

It takes only 3 hours which is such a tiny moment compared to the huge amount of positive energy residing in such a gift. It stays with one forever.

The other day we were painting some birds.

giving gifts

This is one more of small paintings I did for demonstration, it’s 12 x 16 in

Happy Mother’s Day to Every Mom on the Globe

Floral watercolors by Inese Poga

How to send greetings on Mother’s Day across the ocean? I’m on one side of this globe, my mom is on the other. We talk on the phone, and we meet in person every two years. The distance does not scare me as long as I know, I will hear her happy voice on the other end when calling. The best thing is to know that my mom simply is and exists. She is going to be 82 this fall, and I hope to meet her around that time.

We have one celebration in Latvia, that I’m missing here, in Canada. This day is called Angel’s day or Name’s day. My mom’s name is Irena, and her Name’s day falls together with Mother’s day this year. This is a nice reason to send her double greetings.

The older I’m getting, the more I have started to understand and appreciate my mother and everything she has done for me. I notice more and more features we have in common. I sometimes catch myself acting exactly the way she always is.

Mother's Day

There are 2 grandmothers, 3 mothers, 2 daughters and 3 grandchildren in this family. How many do you think we are? (Answer at the end)

Roses, Mother's Day
Love painting roses, love working with colors which are so cheerful and pure.

Too bad, we are never expressing and showing enough love, respect and appreciation to some person while that person is still around. I am never regretting things I have done, things I haven’t done, money I have spent, time I have wasted, but I will always regret I did not say my dad how much I cared about him and how much I loved him while it was still possible. He has passed away now, and there won’t be any more opportunities to do that.

That’s why I’m calling my mom as often as I can, I’m saying her all the best words I am able to find, and I’m showing her how much I care.

White lilies are my mom’s most favorite flowers. I was painting this pastel, and many memories came to my mind, and many good thoughts were implemented in this painting.

Mother's Day flowers
Rose and apple blossoms , always in great color combinations

This is for you, mom! Happy Mother’s day!

I wish, every mother on this planet experienced how much-loved, appreciated and honored she is.

Happy Mother’s day to all Mothers!

Answer to question: We are 5: my mom, me, my daughter, and 2 grandchildren

New Year, new art and new experience

Art studio, watercolor paintings

Happy New Year!

The new year should make us richer with new ideas, intentions and goals, help us better understand ourselves and never let us down, as we go through our life and this time.

I woke up this morning and suddenly realized how happy I was. There was nothing to complain about. The morning was crisp and sunny, it almost seemed like spring.

I could spend the entire day as I wish. Nothing was hurting me, there were no regrets about the previous day. I had a complete freedom over my decisions and intentions, and the day was just about to start. It was like a promise, and I had no doubts this promise will be kept.

What is holding us back when we are unable to turn our dreams into reality? Small issues, big issues or issues which might not be even existing?

In fact, it is very simple in most cases:

Identify what is disturbing you, and get rid of it.

When it’s impossible to get rid of it, try to handle it in the best way.

Fruit still life, watercolor
Fruit and berries, watercolor 61 x 46 cm or 24 x 18 in

My African violets are in full bloom, three are purple, one is pink, and one is white. They blossom every year around this time, and that’s when I paint them.

Watercolor painting, floral
Love in purple 1, 24 x 18 in or 61 x 46 cm

I have added a few views from my art gallery.

I hope it will be a good year with many new paintings. Enjoy!