What comes to
your mind immediately? Art or food? Are you a foodie? Do you draw food? Have you
ever tried food art? Arranging the table, taking pictures and then drawing
elaborate servings?
I started
food illustration fairly recently when I came across 'Still here still life' (they host a weekly challenge) though
I had been collecting some food pictures for some time now. And no, I wouldn’t
call myself a great foodie. Drawing/painting food is actually fun – the
volumes, the textures, the arrangement of varied pots and pans and wares,
the patterns, the play of light. A delicious still life!
My eating
habits are not one to follow. I eat to live that’s how it is as of now though
none would think so looking at me. There’s a common-tease back at my family
home that no one needs to worry over not having enough food if I drop by unexpectedly
during lunch-time. "You could just scrape the pan and that’s enough for her!" I
don’t enjoy the joke though (J). I eat part meals and I can’t have a proper quantity
at a time. I have problem with my digestion since I have undergone cholecystectomy
(it’s nothing serious but refer dictionary, in case J). Considering all that, I find food
illustration fun. I can’t seem to keep up the weekly challenge though. I just
intervene now and then when possible.
Are you into watching culinary shows? My daughter and I used
to enjoy it particularly a TV channel called Fatafeat (which is perhaps
obsolete now) that telecasted food roller-coaster rides of Nigella Lawson,
Jamie Oliver, Giada de Laurentiis, Ina Garten (very own Barefoot Contessa) and
many more. Later, closer home Madhur Jaffery (our very own ‘Godmother’ of
Indian cooking), Tarla Dalal, Sanjeev Kapoor, Vikas Khanna, Aditya Bal and so
on. Recently it’s my neighbour (from Bangladesh) Nadiya Hussain (on Netflix).
For one who isn’t a foodie, you may think this is far too
much of a list! I used to enjoy cooking and feeding, it has dampened these
days. Like
experimenting in art, I used to experiment with new recipes too after watching
my favourite shows of the said celebrity chefs.
All that said, in case you wish to check it out for the
pleasure of seeing all the wonderful food arrangements, the food itself,
variations in the submissions etc. do check out - Stillherestilllife
Here’s a couple of illustrations from the weeks I had joined:
(images 1, 2, 4 and 5 - gouache and 3 - sharpies)
my first food illustration with Still here still life
If you ask me what I love more - painting or
writing, it's difficult to decide. I love both, equally. Both have their
own merits. Sometimes my visions come out through painting,
sometimes through writing and sometimes both; some being repeated and
reinforced. It’s difficult to pick one! As I recently replied to *Sonia’s blog post - Did the form find me? where she talks about the process of her writing. Such conversations with myself had been there for a long time and what with Big Magic. I am coming to that in a while. I don’t start with the whole, I begin
with a vision/dream, catch-phrase, a sentence basically a fragment that keeps repeating
itself to me so much so that I have to let it free, out into the world of reality.
It takes a form and life of its own without any support from me, I feel. All the same, you are in a state of limbo until you finish it. You do not exactly know how it's going to go.
It’s
like what Elizabeth Gilbert says in **Big Magic
– it’s something external, something outside of ourselves that provokes us into
creativity. It was believed in ancient Greece and Rome that creativity did not come
from human beings but it was a divine attendant spirit that came to you from
some distant and unknowable source for a distant and unknowable reason. It was
called Daemon; a genius spirit. Even
Socrates believed that he had a daemon who spoke wisdom to him from far.
“I am subject to a divine or
supernatural experience… It began in my early childhood – a sort of voice which
comes to me; and when it comes it always dissuades me from what I am proposing
to do.”
Socrates as reported in Plato’s
‘Apology of Socrates’, around 399 BCE
Romans called it Genius which were magical divine entities who were believed to live on
the walls of an artist’s studio. There
was this distance, a psychological construct, to protect you from the results of
your creativity.
Homer, Virgil and Ovid believed that they had no
talent of their own and that it was “breathed into” them by gods. Plato
believed that poets became possessed during creation like some soothsayers and
that it was some kind of divine frenzy. Vasari mentions Michelangelo as “directly inspired by God” in The Lives of the Artists. Einstein
called it “a sudden illumination, almost a rapture”. Liz calls it “downright
paranormal”. Even our very own ancient authors in the Vedic ages have attributed their creative outpour to God's voice and they themselves being merely a conduit.
Then came the era of rational humanism and the
individual, self became important and genius came from within. That was too
much of a burden for a mere mortal to handle according to Liz (and I do second
her).
I am so fond of her story of the famous American
poet, Ruth Stone who as a girl used to hear her poem thunderous and barrelling
towards her and the whole earth under her would shake and then she would start
running like hell to get a piece of paper and a pencil. Sometimes she would
reach her house on time to collect her poem sometimes she would miss it and at
other times as the poem moved away through her, she would grab it by the tail
while writing on one hand and drag it into her and then the poem would appear backward;
from the last to the first word.
Okay, now after all this talk about creativity and
genius, my intention is not to talk about all that is magical and supernatural but there are times when you do feel mysterious and magical; that which can not be explained in normal terms of the tongue. I don't mean it happens every time but there are some rare ones.
Without further ado, I just want to put forward my humble attempt at writing poetry. These
are the poems that were appreciated when I submitted it to the Asian Literary
Society. I have been contributing to the weekly and bi-monthly prompts since
June. I had been writing for some years but wasn’t showing it anywhere (until around 2018 when I started submitting it when some close friends and family encouraged me to do so) though
except a couple of them in this space here. You can check it under the tag Poems.
This post is to all my friends (real and virtual) who have been asking me
to post my poetry and of course to all my lovely readers. Please do read and
leave your feedback.
Below are 3 poems – Soldier (Certificate of
Excellence), Thunder (Third Prize) and The Haunted House (Outstanding
Performance). Titles are in bold letters. Images are all my digital manipulations from free photos.
The air rancid, smoky and scathing
Hills bellowing, mud floating, eyes
burning
To the acrid acids of burning tanks
and ‘broken wares’
Breath choking to the fury of both
sides
Bodies muddled in mud, bleeding wet
bond of blood
Facing death at each step, explosions
devouring the valley
Where we tread hushed through
barricades and trenches-
Like slopes of the valley at some
boys’ road trip on a heyday-
The town stands flaming, distant
shells bombarding
The land murky and scarred, battered
to dust
The soldiers walk stealthily cold
fear possessed
It’s a distant call, remote from our
legions
Prominent men make agendas for
conquering regions
In well-lit breezy rooms over a glass
of champagne
While life and will of the common man
is overstepped
No choices offered, martyrs made and
sidestepped
For personal glory and amassing a
fortune for conglomerates.
Like all
siblings they did compete in sport
In all
life’s adventures
The sky
their home, their favourite playground
They ran
hither thither
They loved
their company, always near
Never needed
any other
But there
were times when they fought
Losing track
of time
The sky
rumbled all day and flashes appeared
Lightning
wriggled like a snake
But sharp
and white, fiery in its form
Just behind
thunder roared
And rocked
the long and wide dorm
Thunder always a step ahead
Lightning
that shook the spell
Made her
despondent the way things fell
Yet once the
downpour cleansed their being
Like any
sibling, they become jovial twain
Until another
time when things went awry
And they
tended to fight again.
Each house
is a haunted house
With an
imperceptible story
From a prior
date of dwellers
In the past
who are now on the walls
The silent
pictures speak a thousand tales
Of hidden
secrets and stowed details
As you walk
from room to room, do you realize
The phantoms
cascading in invisible guise?
-Treading –
gliding – treading – gliding -
They tread and
glide without noise, they sit
On the
staircase by the door that creaks a bit
As I move
around doing my chores...sometimes less
Sometimes
more, I hear -- (heart pounding)
-Pounding –
pounding – pounding -
I hear them
in the silence of the night.
The night so
dark that it stares right back, in
The fabric
of that night – if you stare hard enough-
One can see
the forms pressing from the other side.
-Pressing –
pressing – pressing -
Intangible
impressions of the invisible hosts who
Dwell after
we bid adieu (we may join them too)
Each house
is then a haunted house.
*Sonia Dogra is an absolutely amazing blogger-writer I came across recently whose work Unlocked: Historical Tales in Verse was the first piece I read and was blown over simply because I never thought that anyone could write about history so beautifully in verse. It's apt for school kids and young adults to know more about the interesting facets of history. Sonia blogs at A Hundred Quills.
**If you are a creative and/or any human for that matter, you should read Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert at least once. This is one book I go back to every now and then. There's so much one gain from it and it's truly a work of genius. I am a HUMUNGOUS fan of Liz and her words are soul-stirring for me at least. Every time I listen there's something new to learn. So do give it a try. If you have already read it, do share your thoughts.
Watch this video On Fear, Authenticity and Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert and Marie Forleo.
I am linking this post to ISWG (Insecure Writer's Support Group) and PPF (Paint Party Friday).
Lately, I have been writing more often than before
now that I have not been able to engage in my art regularly. Not only the
pandemic but my health has also been affected a bit so taking a little time
off. These illustrations below are a collection
from inkredible
inktober that I missed to share as I could complete it
only by mid-March (began in October last year) when the lockdown started; definitely a
much-delayed post. I have used Daler & Rowney acrylic
inks on Strathmore mixed media sketchbook.
The only good side (since I am unable to do my art) is that I have been
taking part in a couple of writing challenges particularly poetry challenges, thanks to
Asian Literary Society for the engagement. They had also hosted an online Art
Exhibition, Navras 2020 - a nine days festival of art, culture and literature.
You can check my art hereon their official blog.
The prompts (of the inkredible inktober challenge) are not in this order though - adding a couple of my haiku too.
Spider gently spinning
Metamorphosis
Forest of Wonders
Berry Picking
Healing Roots
"Night in layers
Silence flows Stranger things”
Fireborn
Floating house
Foxy tale
The fog awaits
Inner warmth
"Stillness and silence
Go hand in hand, a quick
Drop
and rhythm breaks"
What do think? Which one did you like the best? Would you like to tell me the Top 3 or top 5?
I
thought it didn’t matter much, personally, since I had been living in a kind of isolation a
good part of my life. Being an artist it’s nothing new. Every artist is in
isolation most of the time, working alone, scarcely interacting, thinking aloud
at times probably, listening to music or podcasts, movies and characters to
give company...animate and inanimate objects around by and large...the foundation of a
“sound artist” not dependent on the money they make of course and does not
depend on the size of the studio too whether it be a whole complex or the
bedroom of a one bhk. Likewise, my days are moving onward, engaged in my work as much as time and energy
permits. I listen to podcasts, audiobooks and movies while I am at work. It
keeps me engaged not when detailing my work though. I need complete attention there.
Bearing this instance in mind, I thought of putting together a blog post on the podcasts I listen to...in fact podcasts I can't live without. There are some more than the one given below which I listen to on and off but the ones below are absolute gems! I am inclined towards women-oriented ones - I found that out while compiling this list!
In case you are interested, check them out.
Podcasts I can’t live without –
Bow Down: Women in Art(*Rating
- 4.9/5)
Bow Down is a podcast about
significant women artists from the past, hosted by Jennifer Higgie, Australian novelist, screenwriter, art critic and editor of the London-based contemporary art magazine, Frieze.
“Women have been expressing
themselves since the beginning of time. Yet, ask around and you’ll find that
most people struggle to name even one non-male artist from before the 20th
century. For each 20-minute episode, Jennifer invites an artist, writer,
historian or curator to nominate an artist to whom we should all … well, bow
down.”
This feels more of an academic podcast where Jennifer takes the listeners through the lives of the said artists through brief episodes and yet is seeped with information about each artist that one will get hooked to it instantly. She has her fingers on the pulse of the art
world and it’s rightly said so. She can gauge the rate and rhythm at which it
beats and set the tone right. Their first season is now over with 9 episodes and am anxiously waiting for their new season. You
can check on what they already have by clicking the link above.
The Great Women Artists (Rating 4.9/5)
Hosted by Katy Hessel, a
26-year-old curator, writer, and art historian.
“The Great Women Artists
Podcast interviews artists on their career, or curators, writers, or
general art lovers, on the female artist who means the most to them.” and
celebrates women artists on a daily basis. “Writing about art in an
accessible and fun manner, my goal is to readdress the gender imbalance in the
art world by reinserting women of all backgrounds back into the canon of art
history.”
Katy is a cheery and delightful host replete with a zest that she definitely will impart to the listener. One can feel her curiosity in all her episodes, so full of life and knowledge and with intense desire to spread the same. She is sure to make us sit on the edge of our seats asking for more. Katy surely thinks out of the box and her quiz that she holds live on Instagram is one of my favourites. Her unquenchable thirst for knowledge and determination to bring it all together is sweetly infectious.
Season 2 is currently on and you
have 28 fantastic episodes there.
ArtCurious (Rating 4.8/5
“...where we explore the
unexpected, the slightly odd, and the strangely wonderful in Art History.” This podcast is by Jennifer Dasal, a
contemporary art curator with nearly twenty years of art-historical studies
and experience.
“Think art history is boring?
Think again. It's weird, funny, mysterious, enthralling, and liberating. Join
us as we cover the strangest stories in art. Is the Mona Lisa fake? Did Van
Gogh actually kill himself? And why were the Impressionists so great?”
Art Curious is the first podcast (and the oldest in this list) I
started listening to a couple of years back particularly during my commute between
Palakkad and Ernakulam and back when I was in India. It is a kind of art detective podcast where Jennifer takes us on an adventurous trip into the not-so-known-regions of the art world. Her words are enticing and you go along with her, through the dark corridors, looming shadows and mysteries of the artists' world while she unravels the secrets for us. I absolutely love the signature music, the tagline and the intro every time I hear it.
Currently, Season 7 of The Coolest Artists is on. Rivals, Shock Art, True Crime are all my favourites; Art Curious has a total of 91 episodes.
The Jealous Curator
(Rating 4.7/5)
Hosted by artist-curator,
Danielle Krysa.
“ART FOR YOUR EAR brings you stories from some
of my favorite contemporary artists. When I studied Art History, the best part
was, well, the gossip. I loved finding out why artists did certain things, what
was going on in their personal lives, and behind-the-scenes details about other
artists they knew and worked with. This podcast is exactly that ...
inside-scoop stories from the artsiest people I know. You'll hear first-hand
from these talented, successful, full-time artists (who also happen to be
regular people with hilarious stories) BEFORE they’re in the Art History books."
Danielle Krysa, one would feel, is the next door girl who you know so well. Her episodes are light-hearted conversations with friends (but mind you they develop into real intense stuff too) who sometimes come on air more than once showing us their progress over a period of time. One would get to know all there is to know about the artists. The episodes are around one hour long and really good to listen to when you are developing time-consuming works. Sometimes she invites her son and husband too and it's wonderful to hear them together.
TJC has 100 episodes to their oeuvre.
Art and Cocktails (Rating 4.9/5)
An art podcast by Ekaterina Popova, artist and founder of Create! Magazine.
“Casual conversations about art, creative business and
more" is how the podcast has been described and it's totally true.
Art & Cocktails speaks not only about the artists' journey in the art world and their processes but also about the struggles, handling disappointments, the nitty-gritty of business involved in art, the tips and techniques
of various aspects. It speaks about anything and everything related to art. Ekaterina is a strong believer in community-building and renders guidance and support through her podcast and her empowering work at her magazine, Create! She herself is an amazing artist.
A&C recently completed two years and they have 100 episodes to their credit.
'Aside': I have a wish to meet all these gorgeous women, who herald such incredible shows, in person. Some day! And some day it would be!
Books and Audiobooks:
Aside from these podcasts, I had been reading and listening to a couple of books and audiobooks. I am following Reese Witherspoon's book club on Instagram, I always check out her recommendations and they suit me fine. So some of the books were from her monthly picks. Audiobooks are from Scribd (it involves a subscription fee). You could choose Audible too. We took Scribd for my daughter’s project and then I came across a collection of wonderful audiobooks and I got habituated. So the site now serves me more than her.
Only the ones I liked the most, so far this year:
1. Big Magic – Elizabeth Gilbert (Absolute favourite - every human must read it!)
2. The Far Field (debut) – Madhuri
Vijay (Debut?! Seriously!! Awesome)
3. The Dutch House – Ann Pachett (Tom Hanks' narration and Ann's book and the "delicious" book cover!)
4. The Scent Keeper – Erica
Bauermeister (I can still smell the fragrances! Magical)
5. The Shopkeeper of Tehran – Marjan
Kamali (Old world charm!)
6. State of Wonder – Ann Pachett (Still in wonder! Amazon - I have to come to you!)
7. Letters to a Young Poet – Rainer
Maria Rilke (Some incredible advice!)
8. The Unlikely Adventures of
Shergill Sisters – Balli Kaur Jaswal (Wow! Three NRI sisters reuniting in India at Mother's funeral...what a journey!)
9. The Henna Artist – Alka Joshi (almost a decade after independence, people enjoying the newly acquired independence, the art of henna, Jaipur and sensuous ladies...so much to talk about this!)
10. The Signature of All Things - Elizabeth Gilbert (Lack words!! Incredible research, stunning characters and a jaw-dropping tale of a wonderful woman in the 1800s!)
11. Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine - Gail Honeyman (again an awesome debut of a not-so-ordinary woman. Waiting to see Reese as Eleanor!)
and
12. Story of
your Life - Ted Chaing (Story of the movie "Arrival" Read it as soon as I finished watching the movie, literally. Such a meta-physical delight!)
I hope these lists help you to engage in a positive way during this lockdown.
Do leave your comments/ recommendations/ podcasts -books-audiobooks suggestion if any... All eyes and ears.
* Apple podcast rating
image courtesy from respected sites which I photoshopped along with the picture of the host.
I am taking part in the Art Chain India movement, an initiative that intends to assist and encourage the development of the art community through peer support in this uncertain period. I do believe it's a wonderful way to support each other at this point in time, a program where sale culminates in a buy and that idea is actually good and feasible. If only we had more of such initiatives and I do pray this movement succeeds whereby we can help each other out.
These artworks were all part of the DISTANT and PERSONAL group exhibition of September 2019 that happened in the Lalithakala Academi Gallery in Kozhikode. All these are landscapes from in and around my native land like Nemmara, Malampuzha, Alappuzha, Kawa and Nelliampathy. They are original works and not prints. Details are given below:
🔗 Titles -
1. Feel the Light
2. Songs of Blue
3. Kawa
4. Island Home
5. Malampuzha in a whimsy
6. Winter Breath
Size - 24.13x17.18 cm (unframed) Medium - Acrylics on Linen paper Year - 2019 Price - 4000 INR each (52 USD)+ courier/shipping charges
Please comment below or email me at deepagopal.pkd@gmail.com if you are interested in purchasing the artworks or even prints. These works are part of #artchainindia. I am sharing some works by myself priced under INR 10000/- Every time I reach INR 50000/- I will use INR 10000/- to buy a work of another artist under the Art Chain India and support a fellow artist.
