Fun With Colors

When I have been away from painting for a few days, I usually pull out a 'failed' painting and mess with it before I feel confident again to plunge into new work. The still life with the potted plant and a stuffed toy cat is one of those. It started out as a watercolor and and got reworked with color pencils. The painting had been out of sight for many years and since I couldn't remember much of the set up, decided to just play with colors. I see a lot of problems with piece but had fun anyway as I experimented. And I don't know why the background photographed as shades of blue and orange!

Here is a part of a poem by Antonio Machado that seems to fit my aspirations.

Last night as I was sleeping

I dreamt - marvelous error! -

that I had a beehive

here inside my heart.

And the golden bees

were making white combs

and sweet honey

from my old failures.

Still Life watercolor with color pencils 12x9"

Hurry up and Wait

I am finally getting a little bolder about opening my sketch book and recording a few things (as discretely as possible) while I wait at various places. We did a lot of 'hurry up and wait' at the different airports on our recent trip to India and this time I kept my sketch book handy. But, I discovered that I need to learn to 'speed sketch' so that I may quickly capture people on paper as they don't stay still long enough for my skill level! Of course, I pretend to be thinking and writing in a journal as I try hard not to appear to stare at anyone. So, I only used an ink pen to draw and that also meant I couldn't erase and had to live with any and all lines that I put down.

As I keep a sketch book more regularly and diligently, I am trying to decide if I want to record ideas and not worry about how my drawings look like or work on renderings that are presentable. I have been spending a lot of time browsing Urban sketchers looking at how artists around the world do it.

Or, I should just get over myself, not worry about the end result and enjoy the process.

Cycle of Life

"The body is mortal, but he who dwells in the body is said to be immortal and immeasurable"

The Bhagavad Gita 2-18

The above photograph shows the rice balls offered as 'pinda' to my father-in-law who died the day after christmas, and to all the ancestors who passed on before him as we celebrated his remarkable 95 years of life. All the ceremonies emphasized our connection to the elements and to all of nature and once again reminded us the underlying unity of all.

Digital Photography