Sunday, November 4, 2012

Artful Lives

India Art Journal Sept 8 2012 by Meera Rao
 
There is something about buying fruits and vegetables from the street side vendors, from farmer's markets etc rather than from a supermarket! I really enjoyed the daily marketing in India and loved the different ways the sellers arranged their wares on various carts or stands to make them attractive for the buyers. And it is very impressive to see them calculate the prices and totaling the sale without ever resorting to calculators  or even paper and a pencil! 
 
India Art Journal Sept 9 2012 by Meera Rao 
 
This beautiful 'tent' was erected by the roadside on a grassy patch right outside a building gate. It was made by skillfully weaving palm fonds and decorated with orange marigolds and some purple flowers that I couldn't identify.  I am not sure what the tent was used for but I passed it on my walks for a few days wondering about the celebration that must have taken place there! 

India Art Journal Sept 10 2012 by Meera Rao


 
Just about anything can be bought or sold in the tiny stores on various streets and this particular store sold colorful bedding rolls and pillows. As always,  I admire the creative ways the store owners arrange and display their stock!
 

India Art journal Sept 11 2012 By Meera Rao
 
I watched  this construction worker as she worked for a couple of days - her movements were really delicate like a dancer even as she scooped sand into bags and carried the heavy load over towards the building site.
 
Below is the full page with the four sketches  altogether:
 
 India Art journal Sept 8-11 2012 By Meera Rao
 
Once again these sketches are from july when I was posting only the pages and not individual sketches.  I wrote about these on my post An Eclectic Mix
 
 India Art journal July 14 2012 by Meera Rao
 
India Art Journal July 16 2012 by Meera Rao
 
India Art Journal July 16 2012 by Meera Rao
 
 
 

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Meera, these are so beautiful and you have captured the daily life and mood in India so beautifully in your paintings :)) Amazing that you did one a day everyday that you were in India...congrats !
Shyamala

AK said...

Love the way you find emotions and pleasure in small and routine things around you. Great!

Hema Penmetsa said...

Your beautiful sketches are making me want to hop on a plane to India right now, Meera! Keep them coming!

B said...

Are u back Meera? That pumpkin looks like Kabocha, will remeber to put in Sambar next time and u must give me the recipe for the chutney made out of the skin

padmaja said...

Chappara looks so cool! I love the veggie vendors too. but when it rains, cant bear what they go through..abbaa,nimma kannu enu churuku :-)

Meera Rao said...

Thank you very much Shyamala. Knowing that I had support of so many of my friends really kept me going. so happy you have enjoyed them!

Meera Rao said...

AK, thank you ! that is what kept me going -noticing the many little joys and pleasures giving a new perspective to life all around. I am really glad you appreciate my little efforts.

Meera Rao said...

Hema, thank you very much :) i do have a month and a half of sketches left to post! Now trying to figure out another project since I am feeling a bit lost upon my return.

Meera Rao said...

B, roast 2 table spoon of urd dal, 1/2 tsp jeera, pinch of hing and 2-3 dried red chillies; cook 'small sweet pumpkin' skin; use a cup of cooked skin to grind the masala along with a little grated cocconut. Add salt and tamarind to taste season with mustard seed, urd dal, curry leaves and red chillies. I save the rest of the cooked skin in freezer and take as needed or make a big batch of chutney and divide and freeze :) This can be used as chutney for dosa, idli, or served with rice or even as a dip - delicious ! Enjoy!

Meera Rao said...

Padmaja, thank you for your appreciation --means a lot to me. Those chapparas are so beautiful and skillfully made too - and they retain their charm even when the fonds are dried and brown !

Unknown said...

I really love this series of 'A Day in The Life...' of this special city. You have done such a wonderful job of conveying the energy and flow of this place. I really think it should be published in a book! Speaking of book, thank you SO much for suggesting the Phi book. I'm going to look for it!

Meera Rao said...

kathrine, Thank you ! I would love to have it published -- have to see how to go about it :) I am happy that you have enjoyed it!

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