Picture these concepts

1. The other self-The earlier post titled two worlds showed how we all live in two worlds, the sleeping-the waking; the real-the imagined. In fact we are two. One self is the space and time bound being living the earthly existence(shown in green), the other is its twin self, the seeker, the one that is detached from time or space (in Black) and seeks the experience of being the absolute self. The black depicts the darkness symbolising that seeking God or the absolute self is like entering the darkness,or the dark night with its mystery and fear of the unknown. The absolute self is depicted as the fish which is the symbol of infinity. This experience of the absolute is the experience of light and the eyes are shown as closed for there is nothing more to be known, it is the state of "being" the all seeing...

2. Seven Heavens and the Horizon - In the second painting the yellow clouds are symbolic of the unseen worlds or seven heavens and the purple is the seen world. Many religions have the concept of Seven Heavens (and Seven Earths!) or "the many worlds of space and time" (both Abrahamic and Hindu religions). From this concept it is understood that there are unseen universes where 'form' is. Even beyond this is the state called "Nirvana" where there is no form.(This I believe is the state called the Divine Throne which is said to be in or above the seventh heaven in most Abrahamic religions). This is the one power that is coursing through the seen and unseen universes which I have depicted as a bird and its mount, the sustainer, the binding force, the overseer or maybe in one descriptive word the Horizon. The point where Earth and heavens can actually be seen as meeting...

Two Worlds

1. "The Think Sleep" was adapted from a photograph(from a photo collection of my brother which I often refer for inspiration) in which I liked the way the child seemed to be thinking in sleep. Sleep time is a world of its own, strange dreams, different lands, and often a place where the thoughts of the day are arranged and settled...all ready for the other world..the one that opens when the eyes do....
2. "The Play Universe" This is the Universe of Kids, where everything is larger, is different. The curtain may become the window to a world like the one "Alice" visited. There are fairies, there are dwarfs...

and all these are so much more fun when there is a like minded friend to travel the wonderland with... (This is a picture of my girl and her friend)

Colour Portraits I love doing faces. I love doing wrinkles too. It makes the face more fun to work on with lot of shading to do! The first colour portrait I did, I think was of my paternal grandmother and the medium was poster. That was during school. She turned out slighly dusky where she had been reasonably fair! But the wrinkles and eyes were perfect if I may say so myself. I could see her departed soul in those eyes...My mom decided it wont give her rest so I don't have it now. The next was at the wish of my much loved hostel warden during graduation, Dr Aruna Parihar, a poster colour portrait of her. But I rather liked the crayon coloured portrait of her better which I did as a parting gift for her. The next was a request for a portrait in oil and now this wasn't something I could mess up! So I learnt the basics of oil portrait for one month at a Kala Kendra and managed a good one! With regard to portrait in water, I have only the memory of a book by Milind Mullick (on water colour in general). But I have to say study of the way a medium works is necessary and I wish someday I will understand water colour better...

Self Sketch..Version I and II

 

Sketching faces is my favorite when it comes to the topic of sketching as there is an unparalleled joy in getting the face right. I have sketched a lot of faces over the years, but only one or two feeble attempts at self sketch. I haven't really succeeded in self sketch before this. I have a strong suspicion that self sketch is more difficult, maybe because we often correct 'that loud nose' etc and put the picture in our mind on paper which often is far removed from what we look like! I tried with a few photos of myself but this one was what I managed to get correctly, maybe it matched my view of myself! My family agreed it looks like me and so did my friend Priya.

I have a problem, I sometimes overwork and so I uploaded the first basic sketch in Tagged Artlover Group (which had required self sketch from members) and then worked on it again after another look at the original picture....Oh I don't have that tamed hair! Its more of an unruly self willed bunch which has its moods every day (and I have to go with it and set myself accordingly). The "right" picture is my hair in one of its airy moods.

Experiments with Water...

1. The depth called soul seen in the eyes- There are two pair of eyelids (red lashes and blue lashes). So its like opening another layer of the eye. Symbolically I have also intended the whole eye (shape) and the conch like symbolism (the pupil) to depict what the conch represents in hinduism- luster, brilliance, purity and auspicious beginning. It is also blown to announce arrival of a diety etc..So it is a double symbolism. The portion below the Eye, I intended to look like a mountain (..seated high up). I liked Fhers interpretation too- the All seeing Eye of Horus as it seemed to form the triangle. Depicting a concept in "Painting" I felt had the advantage of often touching the similar concepts of all societies
2. A tarred road through the thick forest-This was what I thought for the cover of my book if ever published...The Thick forest representing doubts. The road through doubts, tarred so that seeds of doubt would never take root on it, even if there might fall shadows (of doubt).And again as Fher added his perspective..A road Going to the Right...
3. Cosmic Dance- I am glad that both my abstracts were very well recieved along with the landscapes. This one "Cosmic Dance" symbolises the unity of the concept of WORD/Logos and Aum, the vibration through which all things were created. A-U-M :- Creation- Sustenance- destruction, Alpha-omega, Beginning- Middle- End. In the painting, the 'Chandrabindu' of Aum represents the eyes and Nostrils. The nostrils breathing out the word-AUM which, creates (right hand symbols) sustains (centre breath or lungs) and destroys (left hand symbolism). The cyclic movement of hands depicts the cycle of creation sustenance and destruction.All colours have been used, to show everything emerges from nothing just like all colours emerge from white light" The Forever and Ever Cosmic Dance..
4. The Red tree by the Lake- Its simply my love for the Water bodies and Nature,..and my desire to capture the translucent effect of water colour. Lack of professional training in mediums is an impediment though and water colour is not my forte, though water is quite a convenient medium to make a quick work, whereas oil is a bit lengthy work. Oil is the medium to use if the concepts in mind are half baked, the picture in mind is not totally clear while starting the painting which is often my state of mind while doing abstracts (so I did try to be as clear in mind as possible for me with art, before doing these). But I am glad and encouraged that still, all four were well received in the arty circles! ...

The First love...Oil

My Old Paintings from college days, on the walls (Oil)

The top one is Angels symbolising Love, faith and hope, depicting the verse "And Now Abideth Love Faith Hope these Three.."1 Corinthian 13:13. It is tough to have an unclear picture in mind and proceed with it. It takes long to become clear in mind and in canvas. Even now almost a decade from when i first painted it I would still want to work at it and I would have, had it not been nailed in frame...

The second one is My View of Baby Jesus and Mother Mary, Looking directly at us. Most paintings have them looking down or elsewhere and I used to feel their eyes should be on us looking with love and care..Eyes were my focus and I feel they look on in love; and it is my personal favourite.

The third one is the favourite in the family.Oil on Hardboard. Its quite a big one as I had a desire for huge nature paintings on the wall. I had painted from a picture which to me had conveyed feelings as Fher put it "A kind of seclusion, Oneness with self, with nature." I dont know how Fher came upon the words that had not even formed in my mind but rather I had just felt something like that... A Meditation in beauty and wilderness.....

Truth hurt me (Lament)

Whoever said truth is good
Honesty a virtue..
Didnt see me, didnt know me
How truth hurt me..

Whatever said from my heart
was not argued
it went like a thorn and came back at me
Why! truth hurt me!

Am I loved for my truth
not for long
truth often bitter, hurts, hate me
My truth hurt me

Angels Carry Petrol!

I was coming back from work when over the flyover my scooty slowed down. I thought maybe it was having its usual problems even after the recent repair. It went a small distance and then just stopped and to my horror I discovered that actually the petrol was over. Why didn’t I notice the petrol, I cursed myself and considered my options. The nearest pump was a good 15 minutes drive from here. Surely I cant drag the scooty till there! The only option was for my husband to bring me a bottle of petrol. A minimum of 2 hours lost I thought and I had just moved four paces with the intent to drag the scooty down the flyover, when I noticed a Man on an Activa coming from the front heading right towards me! He stopped near me and asked. “You are out of petrol? I will give u.” I was amazed! It really looked like somebody sent him. I was reminded of a scene in one of Paulo Cohelo’s books in which the author speaks about angels coming in human form to help during the most dire of circumstances. I began wondering how he is going to give me petrol and watched as he took out a bottle half filled with petrol! Now it really seemed like someone sent him!“Take enough to last till the nearest pump” he said.
“Do you always carry petrol!” I asked surprised. I offered him money for the petrol but he refused. “I am so indebted how can I thank u”. I wondered aloud. He just took his bottle nodded and went off..in the direction from which he had come! Now the haze cleared in my head. So he had crossed me and had come back wondering if it was petrol I needed!!! Hmm…yet it is very low in probability that someone carrying petrol should be passing by you just when you run out of petrol.
To me he will always be “The angel who carried petrol...”

PS- I neared the service road to the pump and was afraid I might not make it, what with an unprecedented block around the entrance to the road. I managed through to the service road and it cleared as I reached the pump. As I got the petrol filled, I looked back at the main road... It was a Jam Pack! I would really have lost more than an hour in that block! I realized that the events of the day had rather... saved me time!!

…Sometimes favourable things come under terrorizing disguises....!!!