21 Days in my Art World #4 - Final post!

The final post of Tara Leaver's 21 days in my art world...You can see my #1, #2 and #3 here.

Day 16 - Smallest painting

I am comfortable working in small format and I love it! My smallest are ATCs (Artist Trading Cards), of which I don’t have the images. This is the image that was readily available right now, from the Folk series that I had done 2 years ago. It’s a Madhubani painting and is 5x5 in.

In case you are interested in looking at my ATCs from 2009, you will find it HERE.

Day 17 - Largest painting

As mentioned above, I am more comfortable working small scale but since my first curated-coordinated show I started working on bigger pieces. Not very huge though. My biggest in canvas is probably this one which I can’t yet reveal in full.😊 I had done a wall mural in my daughter’s room when in Dubai, don’t have a picture though. That’s my largest!!!

“Waiting” (detail), 

acrylics on canvas, 91.5x91.5 cms.

Day 18 - Celebrate 

Art in India is rich and diverse. Each region/state has its own traditional/folk forms that one is mesmerised by the simple-looking yet complex details that go into it! I am a huge fan of our treasure trove and there’s always a phase when I go back to the roots just to have a feel of that richness and extravaganza that makes our arts so special!!!

 Details of Madhubani painting, 

my own attempt at Sree Padmanabhaswami temple

and Mughal motifs

 Kolam (Rangoli) and Kerala mural painting

Day 19 - From the archives

I had been drawing since a child so I don’t actually remember my earliest drawing nor do I have a picture. It must surely have been scribbles! 😊 

I started archiving when I started blogging in 2009. And if I go back to that time I was engaged in a couple of mediums like digital art, folk art, glass painting, mixed media and acrylics. Art no longer was just a hobby, it turned into my passion. I took art seriously and started working every day...that was in 2011 when I was in Dubai. Since then I try to do art almost every day. 

There's no specific reason for selecting these...I was at a loss to pick from my archives...so these are random choices. All these dates back between 2009 to 2011.

 The 'Houseboat' picture is one of the first pictures that sold, bought by a dear friend Soji in Dubai.

'Faces' and 'Song of the Lotus'

digital works

The girl was my first profile pic that I had used way back in 2007 - 2009 in Orkut, blog and some sites.

The second I had done for teaching a poem on Lagoon while I was working in a school.

Day 20 - Favourite technique

The raw unfinished look with textures and bright colours is what attracts me the most. I keep experimenting with different techniques and different mediums though. I love the burst and blooms of watercolours and acrylic inks...the dribble and drip of acrylics, the texturing too...love the lines and curves of the pen as well as charcoal. So many options... 😊

 Blogpost

 Blogpost

Blogpost 

Day 21 - Big Dream

Finally, the Big Dream! Of course, there are many!!! Become financially opening up independent totally as an artist, taking art workshops particularly for kids (love interacting with them)... able to travel and be inspired by the changing locales and people and gain more experience and insight, be represented by a gallery, engage in more productive and proactive art, be an eternal learner...take up residencies where I can devote myself entirely to it....and some I can’t reveal right now as they’re still seeds!😊

From “Eye of the Soul series” - study. Sold.

Thanks a ton Tara Leaver for this challenge as it really opened up so many aspects for contemplation and discourse and to understand my own process as I seriously pondered on it. It is the first time I am writing and posting on all these aspects. It was also wonderful to see so many artists and their varied styles. It’s truly an amazing community!💕🙏

Back to Haiku and IF

"Lonely, lovely songs

That nature sings rise from depths

Her bosom holds holy."

Madhubani  in A5 sketch book (Winsor & Newton)

This is the 26th Haiku from my Haiku collection  (posted only two or three here ). I started it way back in 2009 with Aniket and Amritorupa's inspiration when we used to post Haiku's at intervals. It's been a long time since I posted anything poetic, though I keep jotting down some from time to time. I love to do that as a way of unwinding, relaxing!!! It is extremely essential for me!!! 

Also this week I am thinking of taking part in Illustration Friday as well since it has been a long time having dropped there too! I am completely occupied with my projects one after the other and above all the internet connection is a mess since the last two months!!! Sent complaints after complaints but in vain. I have not been to make my usual visits too to my dear blogger friends...I will be hopping by soon.

This week's IF topic is TOY. I have decided to go with  Krishna's, my daughter's , favourite one - 'Rocky'... digitally modified :)

'Toy'

Linking it to Paint Party Friday

Please do not use/reproduce the content (words as well as images) without the written consent of the author.

New Hopes, New Beginning

New year brings so much hopes for a better year than the previous one. How much ever it was bad, chaotic, disheveled it be...we always long for things to change with the arrival of a new year...I am an optimist! What are hopes and aspirations for than to realize them!!

Like many others I long for it too, hoping everything would happen for the better and many more pleasant surprises are in store, also wishing that each and every dream turns into reality adding that extra touch of phenomenal eccentricity to life :) 

Even when one indulges in oneself, one shouldn't forget or ignore that which surrounds us, the beauty around us. People, environment, nature...everything is a mix - a hint of this, a tinge of that. It would also be great if people would tend and nurture that beauty rather than destroy it. I really long for those days when the newspapers would give us happy and incredible news. 

If you had been following my blog you will get to know quote cards that I had been making now and then...if not, check here. This is one I made a few days back... sometime in December last year. I have it a bit photoshopped...wanted to see how it looks and I think it looks good. What do you say???

To dream is to take the first step to creating a world of one's own. There are times when one would like to be left alone without any noise or distraction or meddling with anything...save you and your loneliness (mein aur meri tanhayi as they say in Hindi) when you are the most with oneself and one enjoys one's own company! I am my Best Friend at times (when you don't have anyone else around you - of your wavelength/frequency!!!)

I have a fascination for illustrations. I also these phases

when I keep doing a genre for a period of time thenI go onto yet another and so on. This was done during theillo phase. You can see that in black and white here.

I simply wanted to color it and I had no patience and space to lay out my colours so opted to do it digitally. It was my first try with digital colouring. 

Horses are powerful, graceful and skillful creatures and I think anyone would fall in love with them...the speed, the free spirit, harnessing it's powers both for the majestic and the magical. Hope we all adopt and adapt to that spirit and power the beautiful animal possesses. Hoping that all these materialize in this fervent year!  I would like to remind you that I am a huge Jamini Roy fan and all his works are my favourites. I have done a few reproductions of his earlier in 2012. I need to do more when I get enough time. You can view my other Jamini Reproductions by clicking on the TAG Jamini Roy on the sidebar.

I have taken up new projects and wish that I can fulfill them with utmost gravity and gusto. I will reveal it, along the way, one by one.

Hope you all have an Amazing, Dreamy, Fulfilling year ahead :)

Hop over to Eva and Kristin's Paint Party Friday...It's FUN!

Please do not use/reproduce the content (words as well as images) without the written consent of the author.

Madhubani Art - Twin Peacocks

Folk art is something I can always go back to and I enjoy every bit of it. I love to dabble with paints, paints and paints. Whatever genre I resort to, I love all of it. For the past few days I haven't been able to indulge much due to various personal reasons - mom's health, daughter's cultural fest rehearsals etc. Glad to announce that my girl & team won second place in group dance competition. They did every iota of it without any teacher's guidance and it was my lil one who taught them after learning it from a CD herself (bearing in mind that they are just 10-11 year olds with not even a month's time to practice!)

This particular piece is something I made for a dear blogger-friend, Wyanne, as a good-will token. She means a lot to me and so it flew her way :) 

No more talking from me today, my pictures are to speak...and that would suffice I feel ;)

What is that one thing you resort to???

 Twin Madhubani Peacocks

Thanks again everyone for taking time, visiting this space of mine and for leaving wonderful comments :)

Linking it to Eva & Kristin's PPF!

If anyone's interested in the dance that the Lil girls presented...click HERE. The one standing in the center is my girl :D

Please do not use/reproduce the content (words as well as images) without the written consent of the author.

Back to Base and Shortlisted!

Namaste My Dear Friends!

I guess one needs a boost once in a while to get back to the track of one's life's goals...

Which is exactly what has happened to me at this moment...

I was out for a while as I was preparing for an exam which got over by the end of the Dec. I was totally on it for the past 4 months and I am exhausted...to rejuvenate I lovingly messed up my hands with my paints...So I am back on track...a Huge nudge was BlogAdda's shortlisting of the blogs for their prestigious Awards...when I found a mail from them in my inbox day before yester' and I was all thrilled. Now that DID BOOST ME UP and I am back to my blog base.

I need the support of everyone here which happens to be a small request to you guys...
PLEASE VISIT THE LINK BELOW AND CLICK 'LIKE' THERE...

BlogAdda

Thanks Guys
You can also spread the word by sharing it :)

A New Year with lot of new hopes and aspirations! I definitely want it to be different from what it was last year...artistically not a very good one for me coz of our moving and taking time to settle. BUT I was on Cloud Nine when Hues n Shades was chosen by IndiBlogger for their revered Award. This year my focus needs more on developing my Art.

As a first step towards something simple with a touch of folk art which was basically my intention...need to work more on it. Let me see how this turns out. Please do give me your honest opinions dear friends...

Threesome!

With watercolour and pens

Lots more coming up...stay tuned. My Blog Anniversary is approaching and I have a few things scheduled for my friends here...

I would share my Most Memorable moment in December and perhaps of 2014: When we had our English Dept. Alumni Association, Togetherness, as part of 125th Anniversary of our prestigious Govt. Victoria College... The BEST thing I got to meet and hear my Favourite Prof. - Vijay Nair(Blue shirt - Seated- right end)!!!! He was the inspiration behind my writing the exam... for which I became a student after a long span of 14yrs!!!!!!

With that,

Be back soon :)

Linking it to PPF

Glad to be back and taking part in PPF!

Please do not use/reproduce the content (words as well as images) without the written consent of the author.

Madhubani Lakshmi

Taking Madhubani a step further and trying it out on glass felt good.... I liked the effect of it the lines and paints and the color that got added in it. To give an extra Oomph, I used stones and sequins and I am pleased with the result. What do you think?

Madhubani Lakshmi

Glass Painted, 6x4 inches, clipped glass frame

Available (Within U.A.E)

Linking it to Paint Party Friday.There's an Auction going on for Sandy Hook Elementary School...if interested you can drop by and have a look. There's some Fab Art there :)

Please do not use/reproduce the content (words as well as images) without the written consent of the author.

Heart Bookmark and Mail Art Swap

Exams! Its a hectic time! Anu's, my daughter's, exams are on and the schedule has tightened up... It will go on until 10 March. I am posting this after giving a model paper for her to write :) Do you also get worked up? I always like to do everything organized.... plan and be ready for it but my daughter is somewhat different and she has taken after her dad who thinks "I will handle it whatever comes my way as I move along..." So moving along....:)

I love reading and many a times I end up making bookmarks whenever I see left over charts or card stocks or materials suitable for it thinking I would use it. But then after making them instead of using it, I collect and preserve it in my 'bookmark box'. Here's one I made for Anu for this Valentines. She had gone to school demanding something special for her by the time she came back home. I practically made this in 10 minutes...the melted crayon sheet was prepared beforehand. So this is pretty easy to make!

To make this, I used a hair dryer to melt the crayons - red, blue and yellow. After it cooled and settled to form a pattern of its own I incorporated it in the bookmarks by cutting hearts out of it. Add a bit of glitz by using sequins, beads or anything of your choice. I have made use of tiny shiny hearts *L.O.V.E*

Postcards that I sent during the first week of February has started reaching its destination. I received news from two of my fellow Mail Art participants. I received two out of three postcards as well. I had displayed it in my previous post here.

As for my postcards, they are these....made with love and care :) Do leave your ever valuable comments; I do read and cherish them! Sorry, am unable to answer back each and every one as I sit before the laptop with a specific time schedule! Earlier when I wasn't this busy I used to, but now-a-days everything seems to be speeding off like a super fast mono train (that's in Japan, right?)!!!!

 Journey - Gond style (Featuring Magazine)

Life Within Life - Madhubani style (Featuring Magazine)

Neon Flowers (Elsia Choi)

 Friends (Mandy Michehl)

Blu Bird (Manuela Giffels)

 Birds - Chikan kari Style (Hrissi Haldezos...she's not part of Postcard Swap...this was sent as a gift with the art that she bought from me)

 Postcards waiting to be mailed...

Seeing all the excitement and buzz, Anu also wanted to do a postcard for Mail Art and she came up with this...and I think it's pretty Stunning for her age with a folk art. I also think the title is apt for what happened behind it's making :) The first two of my postcards along with this went to the Featuring Magazine office; as per their call for Mail Art.

 

Following Suit.... Gond Art by Anoushka, the Lil Artist! (Featuring Magazine)

Anyone interested to see more of her art can visit her space here....Anoushka's Kaleidoscope.

A big thanks to Artists in Blogland for this wonderful opportunity to connect with various like minded artists.

Linking it to Paint Party Friday, to see more of amazing art please do pay a visit :D


Please do not use/reproduce the content (words as well as images) without the written consent of the author.

Diwali Crafts

Few Diwali items that I created over the past couple of weeks...I had them exhibited along with my paintings at ARTE Souq. It's a tedious process though to make these items as there will be beads, stones, sequins, diyas etc etc etc spread all over the place and it will continue to be so until you finish it! But the result is satisfying when you hear people say they loved it...just like paintings! Yes, I had a small Home Fair for the very time and it went well than I expected...thanks to some loyal friends and well wishers :D A huge thanks each one of them!!!!

Here's a sneak peek...hope you like it...in case you did, you can leave me a comment. It's a morale booster! You could even join in my Morale Boosters list :D

 Tealight (diya) holders 

  Small tealight (diya) plates

 Small tealight plates

 Madhubani Fish bowl

 Madhubani Bird bowl

 Red tealight holders

  Decorated hexagonal mirrors with tealight holders

Tealight holders

Linking it to Artists in Blogland

Please do not use/reproduce the content (words as well as images) without the written consent of the author.

DIY (Guest Post) in Rangiru

Here's a quick post, actually a guest post in Rangiru. Thank you Saurabh for patiently waiting for this post to reach you. It's an honour and as I said I was completely excited to create and compile it.

"What I have tried here is an amalgamation of Warli and Madhubani style of art. Warli and Madhubani are two traditional forms of art that celebrates life in all its aspects. In a world where people have forgotten even to smile, such art forms can help recreate joy and rejuvenate mankind. All you need to have is the love for life and the time to pause. These art forms depict the association of man with nature."

This is how it goes... It's a tutorial, please do visit and do not forget to share what you feel about it.

Please follow the link to read and see more:
http://www.rangiru.com/blog/make-your-own-warli-and-madhubani-art/

Please do not use/reproduce the content (words as well as images) without the written consent of the author.

Vote For My Art : Cast Your 'LIKE'

Just a reminder to all my dear friends to vote for my art at the Against The Tides - Artists Community site where the works the contest is ON for the MOST LIKED ART. So please do FOLLOW THE LINKS BELOW to cast your LIKE and please do SHARE it too... Do not forget to ask them to follow the link :)

Last date to cast your LIKE is Friday, 4 May.

One:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=334727939913787&set=a.328310203888894.79330.317603094959605&type=3&theater#!/photo.php?fbid=334727939913787&set=a.328310203888894.79330.317603094959605&type=3&theater

Dis-Harmony

Two:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=334727939913787&set=a.328310203888894.79330.317603094959605&type=3&theater#!/photo.php?fbid=328312267222021&set=a.328310203888894.79330.317603094959605&type=3&theater

Harmony - Warli Life

Thank you for your immense support and inspiring comments....:)))

Against the Tides - Save The Planet

‎28th April, Saturday - Mark your calendar!!!...you can see some amazing art and handmade/recycled stuff in an exclusive Art Show in honour of our Mother Earth on 28th April on the yacht, Lady Bella, in Dubai Marina. The event is organized by (Woman2Woman) Against the Tides - Artist Community.

If you are in Dubai, then please consider this as a personal invitation and do make it to the event as I am participating as well :))) I will be there from 4:30 pm to 10:00 pm.

Whether in Dubai or not, you can always support me through your 'Like' and 'Share' in FB. Please follow the link below to cast your 'Like'...

This is a fusion of contemporary and Madhubani style... Discord and Harmony; Dis-Harmony!

Dis-Harmony - Acrylics

One:

https://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?fbid=334727939913787&set=a.328310203888894.79330.317603094959605&type=3&theater



You have seen this earlier in one of my posts...Warli style. Harmonius existence of man and nature.

Harmony - Warli Life, Acrylics

Two:

https://www.facebook.com/Hues.n.Shades#!/photo.php?fbid=324260640960517&set=a.317606944959220.77339.317603094959605&type=1&theater

Thank you for all your suppport through your comments throughout... I have been engaged in the preparation of this event that I have not been able to comment to each one of you... So here I am thanking each and every one for continued support :)))))))))))
Prayers and Warm Wishes!!!!!

Linking it up to Paint Party Friday by Eva & Kristin

Damsel - Madhubani Painting

My First Madhubani painting

Acrylics - 9x12 inches

Don't you think the damsel is in perfect harmony with nature? If only everyone listens to their heart and remain pure and fresh like nature....with nature.

 

Madhubani painting comes from the Indian villages of Madhubani and Mithila in Bihar. Madhubani literally means ‘Forest of Honey’. There are paintings for each occasion and festival such as birth, marriage, holi, surya shasti, kali puja, Upanayanam (sacred thread ceremony), and durga puja. These paintings are done on various mediums such as cloth, handmade paper and canvas. The main themes of Madhubani paintings contain images of Hindu deities such as Radha, Krishna, Ram, Shiva, Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati. Also you will be able to find beautiful Madhubani paintings of sun, moon and tulsi or the sacred basil plant revered very much by the Hindus. The themes of daily activities, nature, flora and fauna and Hindu Gods are the most prominent. They are characterized by the vibrant and bold use of colours and traditional geometric patterns that supports the main theme. Madhubani painting has been done traditionally by the women of villages.

The gift hamper I received for getting mentioned in the Friday Magazine on Mar 9th. We are totally excited!!! It was the first time I was winning something from a Magazine. The gift was sponsered by Marks and Spencer. You can see the publsihed artwork here.

Thank you Friday!

I had the chance of meeting the famous personality and an amazing sand artist, Sri Babu Edakunni, last week in a programme, Thouryathrikam, organized by Thiranottam. Can you believe that all the above works are created with coloured sand?

Finally, Happy Easter Wishes to one and all :)

Hope you have a Great Day!

Linking to Paint Party Friday

& Artists in Blogland

Natasha May is hosting a giveaway...Please check out the details here.