ArtTravel

Flowers above water. Still Life and urban sketching. Welcome Spring

ArtTravel, Uncategorized, Urban sketching

TAMARA VITSENKOVA’S ART AND TRAVEL CLUB

Art Painting; Sketching; Travelling; Teaching; zerotohero

Menu

Art Travel

I definitely smell Spring in Air:) It is coming. How about you? I will lead you to several places around the world, just in this post. We will start with the city of Arles in France, then our next journey ‘s stop will be near Victoria in Canada and then a little town Eze near Monaco with some artworks completed in different time of year. Spring is almost here!:)

According to one of the ancient legends, the gods gave people a sunflower so that the sun never left them. After all, sunflower petals are always facing the sun, in any weather, even on the most foggy and rainy day. It is no coincidence that the sunflower has become a symbol of the sun, joy and optimism, as well as loyalty and dignity.

Visiting beautiful flowering town Arles in Provance, I did painting Sunflower bouquet in a vase, in Van Gogh style. The glass with artists brushes adding more atmosphere of the artist’s studio.

There are many interesting places with flowers in some uncommon landscapes. My painting is about the beautiful tulips that stand above the Pacific ocean’s cliff on Vancouver island.

The flower’s name is derived from the Persian word “turban”, and all the different colors of tulips have their own meaning, for example, red tulips are associated with true love.

For me personally, tulips symbolize the beginning of spring, and everything associated with it- fresh start, freedom, and pure joy in the air!

How about cactuses above Mediterrenean sea slong with beautiful women statues?

#VanGogn paper The National Gallery watercolour paper album, highly recommend it:)
To see more of my art, see link in bio.

Bon voyage! Until the next travel:) Stay healthy.

All paintings belong to the author. No image is to be copied without permission.

Links

You can visit my personal website pages here and find out more about the artwork I am offering in oil and watercolor paintings; purchase canvas prints, framed prints, and more artwork.

My favourite art store in Toronto is DeSerred, address is 130 Spadina ave, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Tools used for my painting. Watercolour brands Van Gogh and Cotman. Paper Canson Mix Media album 28×35 cm (11×14 in.) and Canson Watercolour album 25×35 cm (11 x15 in.)

Advertisements

REPORT THIS ADGalleryLeave a comment

LEAVE A REPLY

Logged in as Tamara Vitsenkova. Log out? Required fields are marked *

Comment *

 Notify me of new comments via email.

 Notify me of new posts via email.

Post navigation

My Talented students at Art session with their master pieces. So proud of the team:)

Widgets

Advertisement

Flowers and France. Urban sketching and Still life. Travel and Art

ArtTravel, Uncategorized, Urban sketching

Do you like flowers and their smell? Then your next vacation should be in France, my favorite country:) Flowers are part of life everywhere, in cities, you probably won’t find houses that are not decorated with rose bushes and clematis that make a hedge.

City flowers in Strasbourg. https://travelartblog.home.blog/portfolio/summer-in-a-city-france-only-prints/

And between the cities, endless blooming fields stretch, which not only delight the eye, but also generate income, since flowers are used in the production of essential oils.

Impressionist painting of orchid, the delicate and exotic at the same time.

https://travelartblog.home.blog/portfolio/orchid-flower-impressionism/

An integral part of the French cultural heritage, these gardens are open to the public throughout the country. All year round, they are ready to share their secrets, especially during moments of exceptional events.

Watercolour painting of unopened bud orchid

https://travelartblog.home.blog/portfolio/summer-flower-fantasy-orchid-unopened-fower-bud/

If you like castles in France, you will find lots of gardens and parks. One of my favorite is Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte, a small private palace of the 17th century, located not far from Paris. Popular for its sophisticated architecture and large surrounding park.

https://travelartblog.home.blog/portfolio/blooming-branch-with-cherry-flowers-spring/

The gardens and parks were in perfect harmony with the architectural complexes from which they were laid out. Spacious alleys were lined with flowering flower beds

https://travelartblog.home.blog/portfolio/watercolor-landscape-fantasy-for-your-enjoyment-is-painted-in-an-impressionism-style-france-vaux-le-vicomte-chateau/

…and of course irises. Did you know that the depiction of a lily on heraldry in pre-revolutionary France is actually a stylised image of a yellow iris?

https://travelartblog.home.blog/portfolio/tender-spring-irises/

For France, irises are not only beautiful flowers that are a symbol, they are also an industry. France is famous throughout the world for its perfumes and eau de parfum, and it is in them that iris essential oil is actively used to create aromatic compositions.

Bon voyage! Until the next travel:) Stay healthy.

All paintings belong to the author. No image is to be copied without permission.

Links

You can visit my personal website pages here and find out more about the artwork I am offering in oil and watercolor paintings; purchase canvas prints, framed prints, and more artwork.

My favourite art store in Toronto is DeSerred, address is 130 Spadina ave, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Tools used for my painting. Watercolour brands Van Gogh and Cotman. Paper Canson Mix Media album 28×35 cm (11×14 in.) and Canson Watercolour album 25×35 cm (11 x15 in.)

Flowers and Paris Luxembourg gardens.

ArtTravel, Uncategorized, Urban sketching

Urban sketching and Still life. Travel and Art

Paris is always the city in flowers. This city breathes in the scents of billions of flowers. Every day it explodes with a firework of floral colors. Winter, or summer, the season does not matter for flowers in Paris. The Luxembourg Gardens is the most “French” of all city parks, because only here you can see the true purpose of the green towns in Paris, how Parisians spend their free time… If you would like to become one of them,  you might try  their …Vivre la vie:) Going to one of the city parks, maybe sitting comfortably on a chair near the fountain, breathing in the aroma of roses and enjoying the freshness of greenery, hiding from such a distant and at the same time immeasurably close city center from one side.

https://pixels.com/featured/parisstatue-in-luxembourg-garden-tamara-vitsenkova.html 

Bright flower borders with soft ribbons frame the green lawns, and flowerbeds amaze with volumes and colors. Petunias, daisies, rudbeckia, sage, cereals, dahlias, chrys…it is the long list of flowers. Their consistent and continuous flowering pleases grateful spectators throughout the entire spring, summer and autumn seasons. Luxembourg gardens in Paris is my favorite one, flower beds are especially good at any season. It’s impossible to stop looking at them! I am enjoying to visit again and again:) you might see my previous post about Luxembourg gardens, link is below

https://travelartblog.home.blog/2020/02/02/travel-and-art-5-reasons-to-visit-paris-luxemburg-park-in-summer-or-the-top-things-to-do-in-luxemburg-garden-part-5/

Bon voyage! Until the next travel:) Stay healthy.

You can visit my personal website pages here and find out more about the artwork I am offering in oil and watercolor paintings; purchase canvas prints, framed prints, and more artwork.

Tools used for my painting. Watercolour brands Van Gogh and Cotman. Paper Canson Mix Media album 28×35 cm (11×14 in.) and Canson Watercolour album 25×35 cm (11 x15 in.)

My favorite art store in Toronto is DeSerres, address is 130 Spadina ave, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

All paintings belong to the author. No image is to be copied without permission.

Flowers and Paris. Adding colour to this autumn. Part 6.

ArtTravel, Uncategorized, Urban sketching

Urban sketching and Still life. Travel and Art

Paris is simply an amazing place for artists and photographs, especially in spring, summer and early autumn, when all the splendor of countless flower beds and shrubs is wrapped in luxurious blossoms of amazing flowers.

The way Parisians buy them in many stores and Sunday markets, sell and grow at home is worth of imitation:)

https://pixels.com/featured/paris-flower-market-tamara-vitsenkova.html 

I bought viola tricolor, one of my favorite flowers, and did the paintings in this post in our Parisian hotel’s room. Did you know that in Roman mythology, the ancient gods turned men into violas, who secretly spied on the bathing goddess of love – Venus?:)

https://pixels.com/featured/wild-pansy-tamara-vitsenkova.html

Parisians often spend leisure time, sitting down on benches with a bottle of water, a baguette, a book or just a cigarette to take a little breath, relax after a working day or bask in the sun, going to market and flower stories and bringing these little beauties in their rooms to continue receive a feeling of being in touch with the wonderful:)

https://pixels.com/featured/violet-flowers-in-a-vase-still-life-tamara-vitsenkova.html 

Bon voyage! Until the next travel:) Stay healthy.

My favourite art store in Toronto is DeSerred, address is 130 Spadina ave, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Tools used for my painting. Watercolour brands Van Gogh and Cotman. Paper Canson Mix Media album 28×35 cm (11×14 in.) and Canson Watercolour album 25×35 cm (11 x15 in.)

You can visit my personal website pages here and find out more about the artwork I am offering in oil and watercolor paintings; purchase canvas prints, framed prints, and more artwork.

All paintings belong to the author. No image is to be copied without permission.

Wildflowers.  Thistle in sepia and the city of Rome. Part 5.

Artist, ArtTravel, Uncategorized, Urban sketching

Still life and urban sketching.

Rome is an incredible open-air museum that is always open! The streets are scattered with buildings from different architectural eras from antiquity to the present day.

Thistle. Watercolor graphics painting with ink, I used some tender colors of pumpkin, turmeric, pineapple and steams of brick colors in fall. It represents for me architecture of Rome’s Pantheon, its monumental and elegant at the same time architectural antique temple, that was dedicated to the ancient Roman gods and the embodiment of the greatness of the Roman Empire.

https://pixels.com/featured/thistle-wildflowersunny-petals-of-colors-pumpkin-turmeric-tamara-vitsenkova.html?newartwork=true

In my opinion, the city of Rome is the Elegance itself, you do not need to add any colors except sepia and some tender shades for its marble architecture, fountains and statues on the streets and museums.

Emperor Augustus, when assessing his rule, said: “I found Rome a city of bricks and left it a city of marble”

Thistle. Wildflower with petals of avocado and cherry’s colors. Riot of these flowers recalls me ancient ruins at Roman Forum. Every time you can discover something new in this city that will wake up your imagination:)

https://pixels.com/featured/thistle-wildflower-with-petals-of-colors-avocado-and-cherry-tamara-vitsenkova.html?newartwork=true

Thistle. Wildflower with violaceous colors of its petals. It reminds me about Borromini’s architecture in Rome, with its concave and convex lines and sharp angles. Remember the famous Gaudi houses in Barcelona? Similar feeling.. Its architecture is a real white pearl, without unnecessary decorations and pomp, they give us peace… Baroque Borromini is completely different, it is calm, airy, at the same time strong and persistent, like the flowers of the thistle. I think all great architects got their ideas from Mother Nature.

https://pixels.com/featured/thistle-wildflower-with-petals-violaceous-colors-tamara-vitsenkova.html?newartwork=true

Thistle. Wildflower with cappuccino and watermelon colors of petals like Trevi fountain, one of my favorite places in Rome, the part of an antique piece made from natural materials. While staying near the fountain, you feel like floating in the air!:)

https://pixels.com/featured/thistle-wildflower-with-cappuccino-and-watermelon-colors-of-petals-tamara-vitsenkova.html?newartwork=true

Thistle. Wildflower with fiery red, chocolate and dark grapes colors, like Castel St Angelo and an ancient Roman pedestrian bridge with Baroque sculptures by Bernini.

https://pixels.com/featured/thistle-wildflower-with-fiery-red-chocolate-and-dark-grapes-colors-tamara-vitsenkova.html?newartwork=true

This is my last post about flower thistle that indicates its personality character, strength, inflexibility, firmness, and survives in any conditions. And I did series of these strong flowers that live everywhere and sustain oneself and reminds me beautiful architecture in Europe.

All paintings belong to the author. No image is to be copied without permission

Bon voyage! Until the next travel:) Stay healthy.

You can visit my personal website pages here and find out more about the artwork I am offering in oil and watercolor paintings; purchase canvas prints, framed prints, and more artwork.

Wildflowers. Blue Thistle and Barcelona. Part 4.

Artist, ArtTravel, Uncategorized, Urban sketching

Still life and urban sketching.

Barcelona has an indescribably magical atmosphere of a unique and endlessly creative city, extending from its legendary masterpieces of the inimitable Antonio Gaudí to today’s innovative artists. 

I am continuing my series with flowers&cities , this post is about a blue thistle. Why Barcelona represents this color of flower for my imaginary paintings? There are some bright blue cultured thistles’ paintings in this post that will give some ideas and maybe your next travel will be to this Mediterranean city:)

Thistle with colours: depth sea, some olive, a little bit colours of raspberry and pineapple like Barcelona’s Casa Milà, stunning modern architecture by Senyor Antoni Gaudí.

https://pixels.com/featured/thistle-wildflower-with-petals-of-colors-raspberry-and-pineapple-tamara-vitsenkova.html?newartwork=true

Thistle. Wildflower with petals of colors lilac and turquoise. It reminds me about the old historical centre of Barcelona Ciutat Vella , especially its Gothic Quarter.

https://pixels.com/featured/thistle-wildflower-with-petals-of-colors-lilac-and-turquoise-tamara-vitsenkova.html?newartwork=true

Thistle. Wildflower with petals of colors azur and silver. In my opinion, it is Barcelona’s famous La Sagrada Familia. I hope Antony Gaudí would agreed with my choice:)

https://pixels.com/featured/thistle-wildflower-with-petals-of-colors-azur-and-ilver-tamara-vitsenkova.html?newartwork=true

Thistle. Wildflower with colours of raisins, figs and blue sea colors. It represents La Rambla, Barcelona’s famous pedestrian walkway known for its historical architecture.

https://pixels.com/featured/thistle-wildflower-with-raisins-figs-and-blue-sea-colors-tamara-vitsenkova.html?newartwork=true

Thistle. Wildflower with petals of combination colours – a little bit rose salmon and pale brown, tender and bright. Do you like the song Barcelona by Freddie Mercury? or maybe lovely Song Barcelona by Giulia y Los Tellarini in the movie Vicky Cristina Barcelona?

https://pixels.com/featured/thistle-wildflower-with-petals-of-colors-combination-of-rose-and-salmon-tamara-vitsenkova.html?newartwork=true

Antonio Gaudí y Cornet, who has lived and devoted his whole life to his native Barcelona, is referred to as genius loci – “the genius of the place”, the person who shaped the look and spirit of the city.

All paintings belong to the author. No image is to be copied without permission

Bon voyage! Until the next travel:) Stay healthy.

You can visit my personal website pages here and find out more about the artwork I am offering in oil and watercolor paintings; purchase canvas prints, framed prints, and more artwork.

Wildflowers. Yellow Thistle and Paris. Part 3

Artist, ArtTravel, Uncategorized, Urban sketching

Still life and urban sketching.

Paris. In the city of love, all you need to do is go outside and look around – beauty and history surround you within architecture, monuments, street names, memorial plaques, restaurant signs … There is something unique to find at every street corner.

Do you think sometimes about a city as a flower or as color? I am continuing my series with flowers, even summer is over. This post is about a yellow thistle, bright and sunny flower with strong character that might survive in any location and condition. Why Paris represents this flower for me? Any artist might answer – just look at my paintings, they will explain everything:)

Thistle. Wildflower with colors of eggplant and gold petals. I would describe it as Parisian Luxembourg Gardens.

https://pixels.com/featured/thistle-wildflower-with-colors-of-eggplant-and-gold-petals-tamara-vitsenkova.html?newartwork=true

Thistle. Wildflower,sunny petals of colors pumpkin, orange and beetroot. Yammy, right? As traditional French cuisine itself, tender, homemade and is filled with flavor.

https://pixels.com/featured/thistle-wildflower-petals-of-colors-pumpkin-orange-and-beetroot-tamara-vitsenkova.html?newartwork=true

Thistle. Wildflower with petals of colors canary- yellow, spicy and burgundy. Reminds me about the Opera Garnier, one of the most elegant building in Paris:)

https://pixels.com/featured/thistle-wildflower-with-petals-of-colors-canary-yellow-spicy-and-burgundy-tamara-vitsenkova.html?newartwork=true

Thistle. Wildflower with petals of colors amber and purple. flower buds as big and small museums in the city center, Musée d’Orsay, Louvre, Musée de l’Orangerie, Musée Marmottan Monet.Musée Jacquemart-André,Musee de Cluny…

https://pixels.com/featured/thistle-wildflower-with-petals-of-colors-amber-and-purple-tamara-vitsenkova.html?newartwork=true

Thistle. Wildflower with mustard-violet flower and apple’s color of thorns. Stylish as Parisian sweeping and majestic boulevards:)

https://pixels.com/featured/thistle-wildflower-with-mustard-violet-flower-and-apple-color-of-thorns-tamara-vitsenkova.html?newartwork=true

Thistle. Wildflower with peach color of petals and copper and amber background. It reminds me the Eiffel Tower in the morning:)

https://pixels.com/featured/thistle-wildflower-with-peach-color-of-petals-and-copper-and-amber-background-tamara-vitsenkova.html?newartwork=true

Bon voyage! Until the next travel:) Stay healthy.

All paintings belong to the author. No image is to be copied without permission

Links

You can visit my personal website pages here and find out more about the artwork I am offering in oil and watercolor paintings; purchase canvas prints, framed prints, and more artwork.

Wildflowers. Red Thistle and Madrid. Still life and urban sketching. Part 2.

Artist, ArtTravel, Uncategorized, Urban sketching

Red thistle flower and my favorite city in Spain, Madrid. The city I associate with red colour and positive associations like passion, strength, energy and fearlessness.

Madrid . This city has many sides to it – aristocratic, bohemian, and commercial. When you get to Madrid, you feel: this city is your place, you feel comfortable as if this is your own home. Your city, to live and to thrive in.

To name just a few of our favourite places in Madrid would be difficult but I will try: Plaza Mayor, Puerto del Sol, Prado museum, Royal Palace and Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum of Art and Retiro Park. We’ve travelled to Madrid several times in the past and it is certainly on the list for our rendezvous in the near future:)

I dedicated a series of watercolour and ink paintings of  bright red or warm peach coloured thistles, to one of my favourite city in Europe.

Thistle with tomato and red cabbage colors of its petals, adding indigo background for some effects.

https://pixels.com/featured/thistle-wildflower-with-peach-color-of-petals-and-copper-and-amber-background-tamara-vitsenkova.html?newartwork=true

Thistle with petals of colors pomegranate and scarlet, with background of lemon and coffee colours.

https://pixels.com/featured/thistle-wildflower-with-petals-of-colors-pomegranate-scarlet-tamara-vitsenkova.html?newartwork=true

Watercololour painting of thistle with some raspberry color and blueberry, dark blue, with leaves of celery color. Bright coloured flower, love it:)

https://pixels.com/featured/thistle-wildflower-petals-of-raspberry-color-tamara-vitsenkova.html?newartwork=true

Thistle, the wildflower with sunny petals of colors cocoa, with some addings of colours of cognac and bluish background.

https://pixels.com/featured/thistle-wildflowersunny-petals-of-colors-cocoa-colorcognac-bluish-tamara-vitsenkova.html?newartwork=true

Thistle with petals of colors amethyst and salmon and background of creamy colors, tender feeling.

https://pixels.com/featured/thistle-wildflower-with-petals-of-colors-amethyst-and-salmon-tamara-vitsenkova.html?newartwork=true

In my opinion Madrid, the land of gazpacho, bullfighting and flamenco, personifies the red colour itself:)

All paintings belong to the author. No image is to be copied without permission

Bon voyage! Until the next travel:) Stay healthy.

You can visit my personal website pages here and find out more about the artwork I am offering in oil and watercolor paintings; purchase canvas prints, framed prints, and more artwork.

Wildflowers. Pink Thistle and Scotland. Part 1.

Artist, ArtTravel, Uncategorized, Urban sketching

Still life and urban sketching

To my sister who asked me to paint a thistle flower that demonstrates its character, strength, inflexibility, firmness, and survives in any conditions. And I did series of these strong flowers that live everywhere and survive in any conditions.

One of my first watercolor flowers graphics with ink, I used coolers purple and dark violet, with some additions of color of carrot with silver gray.

https://pixels.com/featured/thistle-wildflower-petals-of-colors-purple-and-carrot-thorns-tamara-vitsenkova.html?newartwork=true

The  flower is credited with ability of magical effects on evil spirits.

The thistle is the symbol of Scotland from the 13 century. The legend says that an army intented on conquering Scotland. Once an upon time, one night an army landed to surprise the sleeping soldiers. In order to move more stealthily under the cover of darkness, the enemies removed their shoes.
One of them unfortunately stood on one of these spiny little defenders and shrieked out in pain, alerting the sleeping scotish soldiers. Needless to say, the Scots won the day.. Thank you to Thistle!:)

Thistle is the emblem of the Knights of the Order of the Thistle, whose motto is lat. Nemo me impune lacessit (“No one will touch me with impunity”).

Thistle wildflower watercolour graphic with ink. I used colours pink, milky blue opal, saffron latte and neon colours.

https://pixels.com/featured/thistle-wildflowersafron-tamara-vitsenkova.html?newartwork=true

I love pink thistle’s simply colors, with some additions of plum color and some pistachio background.

https://pixels.com/featured/thistle-wildflower-petals-of-plum-color-tamara-vitsenkova.html?newartwork=true

Thistle, watercolor wildflower painting with petals of colors blueberry and purple grapes.

https://pixels.com/featured/thistle-wildflower-petals-of-colors-blueberry-and-purple-grapes-tamara-vitsenkova.html?newartwork=true

Watercolor flowers graphics with ink, colors used strawberry petals with light khaki and shade of flax background

https://pixels.com/featured/thistle-wildflower-with-strawberry-colors-of-petals-tamara-vitsenkova.html?newartwork=true

Some thistles have caramel and turmeric colours

https://pixels.com/featured/thistle-wildflower-with-caramel-and-turmeric-colors-of-flower-tamara-vitsenkova.html?newartwork=true

The most popular color for thistle is pink, this is why I gathered my pink watercolor paintings in my 1st post about this amazing flower with Scotland’s legend. And one more interesting thing.. A thistle is not only the floral emblem of Scotland and Lorraine, also it is the emblem of the Encyclopedia Britannica.

All paintings belong to the author. No image is to be copied without permission

Bon voyage! Until the next travel:) Stay healthy.

You can visit my personal website pages here and find out more about the artwork I am offering in oil and watercolor paintings; purchase canvas prints, framed prints, and more artwork.

Magic and beauty, red peonies, cappuccino and Leonardo’s Notebook. Part 3.

ArtTravel

Still life and urban sketching. Art and travel

An advice I received from the Leonardo Da Vinci’s Notebook is next: an artist always needs to find something new to paint or draw. So I am always trying to learn something new, outside of convenient “box”. This summer I realized that watercooler graphic technique is not about coloring sheets:) It was a little discovery for myself. So I decided to explore more..

My still life subjects are bright reddish peonies, I put them on the my treasured book Leonardo da Vinci, added my glasses and a cup of cappuccino and ….voilà:) my new watercolor and ink painting in my favourite impressionist style

https://travelartblog.home.blog/portfolio/cappuccino-red-peonies-and-a-book/

Just imagine …warm evening, you walk somewhere near the Mediterranean sea’s streets and see flowers, red and pink peonies are in a straw basket on a wood door or window, watercolor and ink painting, impressionism. It’s my dream about our future travelling to the south of France or Italy or maybe …Greece. Who knows?:)

https://travelartblog.home.blog/portfolio/summer-flower-fantasy/

Thank you to my daughter for this great gift book Leonardo’s Notebook, it is providing so many tips to all artists from the Master who lived 5 centuries ago!

Bon voyage! Until the next travel:) Stay healthy.

All paintings belong to the author. No image is to be copied without permission.

You can visit my personal website pages here and find out more about the artwork I am offering in oil and watercolor paintings; purchase canvas prints, framed prints, and more artwork.

My favorite art store in Toronto Deserres, Spadina Ave

Tools used for my painting Watercolour used Charvin and Van Gogh brands, Pastel GrayPas Expressionist, Derwent watercolour pencils and Faber Castell artist pens. Paper Strathmore Watercolour and Mixed Media albums, 15×20 cm (6×8 in.)

Summer flowers, its magic and beauty. Pink peonies. Part 2.

ArtTravel

Still life and urban sketching. Art and travel

My first flowers’ posts are about peonies. Why peonies? My mom used to have plenty of these bright summer flowers around my parents’ summer house and I loved their tiny pink hats and their tender scent. 

A peony was growing as a Queen-like flower, beautifully colored, some places in red, some in pink, and some in tender violet. Impressionism style, watercolor painted

https://pixels.com/featured/pink-peony-closed-bud-tamara-vitsenkova.html

I am looking forward for my next trip to Europe to use my new favourite subject flowers to paint and draw, both watercolour and ink.

A tender pink peony in impressionism style, watercolor painted

https://travelartblog.home.blog/portfolio/summer-flowers-pink-peony/

Bon voyage! Until the next travel:) Stay healthy.

All paintings belong to the author. No image is to be copied without permission.

You can visit my personal website pages here and find out more about the artwork I am offering in oil and watercolor paintings; purchase canvas prints, framed prints, and more artwork.

My favourite art store in Toronto Deserres, Spadina Ave

Tools used for my painting Watercolour used Charvin and Van Gogh brands, Pastel GrayPas Expressionist, Derwent watercolour pencils and Faber Castell artist pens. Paper Strathmore Watercolour and Mixed Media albums, 15×20 cm (6×8 in.)

Summer flowers, its magic and beauty. Pink peonies. Part 1.

ArtTravel

Still life and urban sketching. Art and travel

Do you like flowers? All different kinds or one specific type? Do you like your flowers bright or tender? With or without smell? Proud Queen-like flowers like roses or the humble but beautiful daisies?

https://pixels.com/featured/summer-flowers-three-peonies-tamara-vitsenkova.html

This summer I took a new painting watercolor graphics course called Flowers. Before this, still life and flowers in particular were not my usual subject for painting and drawing. These studies smashed many of my previous ideas about my favorite subjects, what I like to paint and what I don’t. In this course, I was trying to paint and draw different flowers and use new techniques for my new joyful studies. I will share my discoveries in combined bright flower posts.

Three pink peonies in a garden, watercolor and ink painted.

https://pixels.com/featured/summer-flowers-peony-queen-tamara-vitsenkova.html

Bon voyage! Until the next travel:) Stay healthy.

All paintings belong to the author. No image is to be copied without permission.

You can visit my personal website pages here and find out more about the artwork I am offering in oil and watercolor paintings; purchase canvas prints, framed prints, and more artwork.

Tools used for my painting Watercolour used Charvin and Van Gogh brands, Pastel GrayPas Expressionist, Derwent watercolour pencils and Faber Castell artist pens. Paper Strathmore Watercolour and Mixed Media albums, 15×20 cm (6×8 in.)

My favorite art store in Toronto Deserres, Spadina Ave

Rome, Seven Hills. The Palatine Hill

ArtTravel, Roman Architecture

Stay home and Urban sketching. Travel and Art.

Like many of you, I am staying at home this year and trying to use this time to learn something new, I started 2 new courses through Coursera. Both are about Rome:) Roman Architecture by Yales university and the course Archaeology and History of the Palatine Hill provided by Roman university Sapienza. This is why even staying at home in Canada, all my paintings and drawings this winter are about Rome, the Eternal city.

The Palatine Hill, which is the central of the Seven Hills of Rome, is one of the most ancient parts of the city.

Cobblestone roads from the Roman Empire to the present day. An ancient legend about a diamond mountain, to the top of which a raven flies once in a thousand years to sharpen its beak, says that only a second of eternity will pass by the time it exudes the entire mountain.

Next to the Palantine Hill is the Colloseum, I painted it in ink, sepia and coloured Christmas ball with a Christmas tree branch.

https://fineartamerica.com/featured/rome-colosseum-in-winter-tamara-vitsenkova.html

Centuries have passed since the first cobblestone roads were built – a short time for eternity, but in comparison with human life, it is huge. What allowed the ancient roads, albeit not in their original form, to survive to this day? Magic:)

https://fineartamerica.com/featured/rome-a-trunk-tree-above-eternal-city-tamara-vitsenkova.html

Bon voyage! Until the next travel:) Stay healthy.

All paintings belong to the author. No image is to be copied without permission.

You can visit my personal website pages here and find out more about the artwork I am offering in oil and watercolor paintings; purchase canvas prints, framed prints, and more artwork.

My favourite art store in Toronto Deserres, Spadina Ave

Tools used for my painting Watercolour used Charvin and Van Gogh brands, Pastel GrayPas Expressionist, Derwent watercolour pencils and Faber Castell artist pens. Paper Strathmore Watercolour and Mixed Media albums, 15×20 cm (6×8 in.)

Rome, Italy, Stay home and Urban sketching. Travel and Art. Winter mood

ArtTravel

Do you miss #Rome?Do you like #Rome?Did you cancel your travel plans to #Rome last year because of the lockdown?

This month all my art works are about my favorite places in this majestic city…


Rome in winter, Christmas lights in the evening near the Spanish Steps.

https://fineartamerica.com/featured/rome-in-winter-christmas-lights-in-the-evening-tamara-vitsenkova.html

Christmas in Rome is a fairy tale that, having seen it at least once in your life, you will never be able to forget. At Christmas Rome is transformed: it literally drowns in New Year’s decorations, all kinds of garlands and graceful holiday sculptures.

https://fineartamerica.com/featured/rome-the-capitolini-hill-with-iconic-parasol-pines-tamara-vitsenkova.html

Rome, the Capitolini Hill. The streets are scattered with buildings from different architectural eras from antiquity to the present day. It is a good idea to have a horse carriage ride:) Rome’s iconic parasol pines with their top-heavy parts this is one of many things what makes the city so unique

Happy Holidays, Rome:)

Bon voyage! Until the next travel:) Stay healthy.

All paintings belong to the author. No image is to be copied without permission.

Links

You can visit my personal website pages here and find out more about the artwork I am offering in oil and watercolor paintings; purchase canvas prints, framed prints, and more artwork.

my personal site http://tamara-vitsenkova.pixels.com

https://www.artincanada.com/gallery/tamara-vitsenkova/ https://www.artwanted.com/tvitsenkova/slideshow/ https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/tamara-vitsenkova/shop https://www.facebook.com/tvitsenkova/ https://www.instagram.com/tvitsenkova/

My favourite art store in CITY

Tools used for my painting Watercolour used Charvin and Van Gogh brands, Pastel GrayPas Expressionist, Derwent watercolour pencils and Faber Castell artist pens. Paper Strathmore Watercolour and Mixed Media albums, 15×20 cm (6×8 in.)

My Toronto. Stay home and Urban sketching. Travel and Art. November, Winter mood. Part 10

ArtTravel

This part as an addition of my month of October daily sketches.

City of Toronto has the winter period, with snow, wind, when you might sit at home and enjoy the view from the window, with ice skating and the festive atmosphere of Christmas and New Years.

All paintings in this post were done in previuos seasons.

Ontario Place, Toronto, winter. Oil painting. Very far away is …yes the CN Tower, you might see this 0.5 km height landmark almost from any point in the city.

https://pixels.com/featured/happy-holidayscanada-february-in-ontario-place-tamara-vitsenkova.html

The winter season of Toronto Music Garden downtown is very nice and shining neighbourhood with lots of lights, and a view of CN Tower. There are couple bright yellow summer beach chairs near frozen Ontario lake, waiting for the next summer season.

https://pixels.com/featured/holidays-greetings-from-harbour-downtown-toronto-tamara-vitsenkova.html

Queens Quay West street and Spadina. The streetcar is in hurry to the next year! This imaginary art includes the Toronto tram that is coming for next New Year with Christmas sled dears with gifts is in the air. The bucket of champagne is on the trams’ way. Happy Holidays will be welcoming … especially this year:)

https://pixels.com/featured/seasons-greetings-toronto-tramthe-bucket-of-shampaigne-christmas-sled-deers-with-gifts-tamara-vitsenkova.html

Another Toronto Music Garden’s warercolour painting. The snowman is sitting with CN Tower background and the silver christmas ball nearby. It was completed in previous winter when we had lots of snow even on the south of Toronto, nearby of Ontario lake. Not very often snow in this area of the city.

Maybe it was a family that had fun time together, playing in snowballs and making the snowman.

https://pixels.com/featured/seasons-greetingssnowman-winter-activities-and-cn-tower-christmas-ball-tamara-vitsenkova.html


A beautiful frosty twilight of the downtown of Toronto with a view of featuring of the Financial district and its high risers, CN Tower and Thompson Hall. I added a gold powder to the painting.

https://pixels.com/featured/holiday-time-in-toronto-cn-tower-thompson-hall-and-christmas-balls-tamara-vitsenkova.html

Gold fantazy with the CN Tower and Thompson hall and large christmas balls.

https://pixels.com/featured/seasons-greetings-clock-champaigne-and-cn-tower-tamara-vitsenkova.html

The romantic holiday painting with the beautiful night view of Toronto, featuring cheerful downtown during the holiday season. Clock countdowns minutes to the New Year, Champagne is ready.

…and winter sunset skyline of Toronto downtown with CN Tower and Rogers centre. My dream shows lots of Christmas balls up in the air with my favorite places in Toronto – CN Tower, Rogers centre, Zoo, ROM Museum, Thompson Hall, Union station, AGO Museum, Pearson airport balls. Everybody can find their interesting places and buildings in the city.Watercolour painting with the landmarks and museums  of the City on the christmass balls, impressionism

https://pixels.com/featured/seasons-greetings-toronto-christmas-balls-up-in-the-air-with-cn-tower-and-rogers-centre-tamara-vitsenkova.html

Nightly blue colour of the Music Garden, Toronto

Blooming branch with flowers,drops of water. Impressionism.Still life

Hope that my posts about Toronto show the beauty and welcoming city:)

Bon voyage! Until the next travel:) Stay healthy.

All paintings belong to the author. No image is to be copied without permission.

You can visit my personal website pages here and find out more about the artwork I am offering in oil and watercolor paintings; purchase canvas prints, framed prints, and more artwork.

Tools used for my painting Watercolour used Charvin and Van Gogh brands, Derwent watercolour pencils and Faber Castell artist pens. Paper Strathmore Watercolour and Mixed Media albums, 15×20 cm (6×8 in.)

My Toronto. Stay home and Urban sketching. Travel and Art. Music Garden, downtown. Part 9

ArtTravel

This the last part of my daily “travel and art” journey of my home city Toronto in the month of October. This post is about my neighborhood and the local piece of nature called the Music Garden.

https://pixels.com/featured/toronto-harbour-spring-tamara-vitsenkova.html

The current unusual year with #stayhome and #lockdown is giving me opportunity to discover the bright and friendly place I live in.

https://pixels.com/featured/toronto-street-art-impressionism-tamara-vitsenkova.html

This painting is mostly for fun:) Honestly the main subject is the bright yellow street note for the pedestrians to be careful – “Sidewalk maybe slippery”.

I used to go this way every morning to my office. Not this year…Almost all locals are working from home except our essential and frontline workers, thank you! This is the bridge on Spadina avenue at Front street.

The garden is still blooming, very warm autumn this year.

https://pixels.com/featured/romantic-weekend-golden-fall-tamara-vitsenkova.html

My fall “travel and art” in October’s Toronto ended. There are many lovely places in and around the city.

https://pixels.com/featured/canada-golden-fall-in-toronto-high-park-tamara-vitsenkova.html

I did photo of some daily sketches this month, some editing tasks in my art “office”:)

Bon voyage! Until the next travel:) Stay healthy.

All paintings belong to the author. No image is to be copied without permission.

You can visit my personal website pages here and find out more about the artwork I am offering in oil and watercolor paintings; purchase canvas prints, framed prints, and more artwork.

Tools used for my painting Watercolour used Charvin and Van Gogh brands, Derwent watercolour pencils and Faber Castell artist pens. Paper Strathmore Watercolour and Mixed Media albums, 15×20 cm (6×8 in.)

My Toronto. Stay home and Urban sketching. Travel and Art. Old Toronto. Part 8.

ArtTravel

My daily sketches’ journey in October 2020 is very close to the end. The next chapter is Old #Toronto.

Gooderham and Worts Distillery National Historic Site of Canada with industrial skyline of pitched roofs, turrets, chimney stacks and parapet.

https://pixels.com/featured/toronto-industrial-and-new-buildings-tamara-vitsenkova.html

There are abandoned buildings with modern city’s buildings as background. Paintings were done as mixed of watercolour pencils, watercolour paints and acrylic, above added oil to add some texture for bricks.

I added cum clouds for peaceful sky and keep the interest in the scene to substitute buildings’ pipes that do not smoke anymore.

Recreated the historical district, currently touristy place with preserved spirit.

Canada Malting Site .It is one of two remaining silos in Toronto’s Harbourfront in Ontario, Canada. It is almost 100 years.

https://pixels.com/featured/ontario-lake-boat-tamara-vitsenkova.html

The museum and house Sir William Campbell is a vibrant public space where members of Toronto’ communities giving life to the words “freedom of expression.” Painting was done as combination of fountain pen with watercolour paints.

Toronto CN Tower, its reflection on the downtown’s builfing , the landmark of the city for the last 45 years , it is old enough at least for our young country and city:). CN is originally referred to Canadian National, the railway company that built the tower.At more than half of a km (555 m) the CN Tower held the record as the tallest building, tower, freestanding structure for over three decades.

https://pixels.com/featured/toronto-cn-tower-reflection-tamara-vitsenkova.html

I decided to be original and painted this famous building CN Tower not directly, but as reflection  of the standing high risers nearby to the tallest landmark in Canada:)
I added deep blue with nice raspberry colours for some romantic feeling. The early dawn’s colour painting was done in the morning, before work hours.

Bon voyage! Until the next travel:) Stay healthy.

All paintings belong to the author. No image is to be copied without permission.

You can visit my personal website pages here and find out more about the artwork I am offering in oil and watercolor paintings; purchase canvas prints, framed prints, and more artwork.

My favourite art store in Toronto is Deserres @Spadina avenue.

Tools used for my painting Watercolour used Charvin and Van Gogh brands, Derwent watercolour pencils and Faber Castell artist pens. Paper Strathmore Watercolour and Mixed Media albums, 15×20 cm (6×8 in.)

My Toronto. Stay home and Urban sketching. Travel and Art. Weird statues-2. Part 7.

ArtTravel

Daily sketches in downtown Toronto with some funny sculptures. In this post I am adding 3 interesting sculptures and architecture that are located at one park, very convenient for the artists, locals and tourists:)

Dog Fountain at Berczy park. 2020 new reality. I saw some disposable masks on the sculptures of dogs. It is still one of the favorite meet point for friends in the city:) I added coolers of sour cream, tobacco and cappuccino to add warmth of the last days of the Indian summer. 

https://pixels.com/featured/toronto-dog-fontain-at-berczy-park-tamara-vitsenkova.html

Toronto downtown beautiful Flatiron building by architector Derek Besant. It has a narrow angle from one side, but I like its facade on Berczy park, overlooking the square, like the wrapped edges of autumn leaves. I using colors salmon + rose + vanilla

https://pixels.com/featured/torontoflatiron-building-at-berczy-park-tamara-vitsenkova.html

And another weird and fanciful sculpture of hands out of the ground. Maybe they are life-giving hands of the Earth?:) In my painting I used matte and very deep black with indigo, grass is an autumn shade of flax. The background is the peach-colored building Flatiron building at Berczy park.

https://pixels.com/featured/torontohands-sculpture-at-berczy-park-tamara-vitsenkova.html

Bon voyage! Until the next travel:) Stay healthy.

All paintings belong to the author. No image is to be copied without permission

You can visit my personal website pages here and find out more about the artwork I am offering in oil and watercolor paintings; purchase canvas prints, framed prints, and more artwork.

My favourite art store in Toronto is Deserres @Spadina avenue.

Tools used for my painting Watercolour used Charvin and Van Gogh brands, Derwent watercolour pencils and Faber Castell artist pens. Paper Strathmore Watercolour and Mixed Media albums, 15×20 cm (6×8 in.)

My Toronto. Stay home and Urban sketching. Travel and Art. Weird statues. Part 6

ArtTravel

My “travelling and art” journey in my city of Toronto, and the next chapter is some… weird sculptures:) The idea is to enjoy a city and study its history and architecture while walking around the city and making sketches.

“Between the eyes” Toronto street sculpture, Ontario. We know how the smile of the Cheshire Cat looks like from the book Alice’s Adventures popularized by Lewis Carroll. My guess that the sculpture shows how the Cheshire Cat’s eyes look like:) I added some silver powder to my painting with sea-colored and raspberry paints for the buildings on Yonge street.

https://pixels.com/featured/toronto-megapolis-sculpture-between-the-eyes-tamara-vitsenkova.html 

Another weird and funny statue is “Rising” in downtown of Toronto, at University avenue. I would say that it is a combination of an animal …maybe an elk or.. a deer or… an elephant in combination with the branches of forest’ trees. The “Rising” like the Atlant carries on himself the whole colossus of a high rise building. I added spicy brown color to the wall that gives some warmth to the cold silver’s colour of the statue.

https://pixels.com/featured/toronto-rising-statue-tamara-vitsenkova.html 

The next interesting composition called “Fair grounds”, consists of four pairs of stainless chairs in the middle of a street Wellington W. at John st. One pair of the chairs is “looking” in the same direction, representing a “familiar/family” relationship. The 2nd pair is “arguing” as they are set back to back, just like when two people don’t want to look at or talk to each other. The 3rd pair is “friends”: they are set facing each other, just like friends who sit down to have a chat. And the last pair is set near each other but they are looking in different directions – just like “strangers” would.

Some of these chairs are elegant, some are simple, and each has a unique style, just like people… Next time you walk by these, have a seat at this unique composition. It’d be interesting to see which pair of chairs you would chose: “Family”, “Arguing”, “Friends” or “Strangers”?:)

And adding the bright sketch of Red canoe. Why I am adding this drawing to the post with the weird statues? Because this red boat is standing on top of my neighborhood’s hill!:) Nice warm weather is helping for outdoor art. Enjoying the sun and fresh air and local sketching exersises!:)

Bon voyage! Until the next travel:) Stay healthy.

All paintings belong to the author. No image is to be copied without permission.

You can visit my personal website pages here and find out more about the artwork I am offering in oil and watercolor paintings; purchase canvas prints, framed prints, and more artwork.

my personal site http://tamara-vitsenkova.pixels.com

Tools used for my painting Watercolour used Charvin and Van Gogh brands, Derwent watercolour pencils and Faber Castell artist pens. Paper Strathmore Watercolour and Mixed Media albums, 15×20 cm (6×8 in.)

My Toronto. Stay home and Urban sketching. Travel and Art. Ontario Place. Part 5

ArtTravel

Toronto daily sketches are continued…Mild autumn weather in Toronto helps my art activities.

https://pixels.com/featured/evening-golden-fall-tamara-vitsenkova.html

Ontario Place is an artificially created island park in downtown with recreation area, on the territory of which there are venues for various festivals, an IMAX cinema, a Budweiser concert stage, well this year they are quite empty..

https://pixels.com/featured/ontario-place-toronto-tamara-vitsenkova.html 

It has a small marina with snow-white yachts, and many pleasant paths for walking and cycling.

Lovely sunset in Ontario Place and its lonely standing windshare. It reminds me about its famous windmills near Amsterdam, or Cervantes Don Quichotte mills in Spain or a flour mill of my grandgrandparents as per our family’s legends in Belarus. Yes, I am missing so much our annual vacation in Europe, hope that this “stayhome” will be over soon…

Toronto’s fall is very soft and warm, so you can enjoy all this beauty, leisurely walking through numerous the local parks and the picturesque waterfront of Lake Ontario.

https://pixels.com/featured/trees-golden-fall-tamara-vitsenkova.html

Beautiful maples, painted in bright red and gold, are planted along the Ontario lake’s parks.

Bon voyage! Until the next travel:) Stay healthy.

All paintings belong to the author. No image is to be copied without permission.

You can visit my personal website pages here and find out more about the artwork I am offering in oil and watercolor paintings; purchase canvas prints, framed prints, and more artwork.

My favourite art store in Toronto is Deserres @Spadina avenue.

Tools used for my painting Watercolour used Charvin and Van Gogh brands, Derwent watercolour pencils and Faber Castell artist pens. Paper Strathmore Watercolour and Mixed Media albums, 15×20 cm (6×8 in.)