In 2015 early summer my friend invited to celebrate midsummer (one of most important Latvian culture celebrations in end of June) with her family at country side of Latvia. Before getting to all cooking and preparations, her aunt took us on a drive, showing the beautiful Cesvaine and places around it. We arrived at a charming country house, apparently a home to artists family. With no hesitation, she went in asking if ok we visit! For someone from city this was barging in during holidays and I would never do it on my own.. so thank God I wasn’t alone:) we went in and I was in love. It was the home of Russia-educated painters Valery Baida and his charismatic wife Maija Jakovich, and their children. Maija paints mostly with water paints while Valery – oil. His paintings portray the game of light, in an impressionists manner with an old world charm. His painting of a boat was my first ever purchase of a painting. We started talking and Maija was kind to invite me to participate in a plain air gathering couple of weeks later. So, I – no experience or proper academic knowledge of painting – went to join a group of professional painters and amazing personalities with stories and spirit I have never met in my life. I had the best time and for once a year I join the group in summer and am very great full for their warm welcome.
You can check out works and participants of Laisma plain air on our Facebook page, https://m.facebook.com/laismamadona/
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