For Safe Travels

Ganesha on Dashboard watercolor 7"x5" by Meera Rao 

Almost every vehicle in India has an idol of the owner's favorite deity stuck on the dashboard for blessings and safe travels for the driver and passengers.  They come in all different sizes, styles and colors tailored to individual tastes.  I came across an article recently that there is an "Unique campaign"  going on now where  "deities in car dashboards being equipped with accelerometers, lending them pre-recorded voice."  urging the drivers 'to slow down or drive safely.'  According to the company Droom that sells these pre-fitted idols, " India is the 3rd country in terms of deaths due to road accidents and stands at the 67th spot in terms of number of Vehicles per person. There is one death every four minutes due to a road accident in India. Moreover, 20 children under the age of 14 die every day due to road crashes." and ".. our idea comes from that sweet spot between technology and a razor sharp insight on the Indian driver. We thought we could make the Indian driver listen to us. After all, god was on our side!"

This particular abstract green marble sculpture is of Ganesha, the remover of obstacles though not fitted with a accelerometer! It became the first sketch in my India sketchbook from my trip last November. I used Indian handmade watercolor paper that I cut to 7x30" and folded into an Japanese style album. It was the first time I was using that paper which is heavy and rough and took a while to get used to. 

Cool Inspirations

Jan 7-12 2018 Sketchbook by Meera Rao

The cold, the snow, the ice and more bone chilling cold! There was a huge cascading ice that formed from a water leak in one of the faucets from the school across our house.  For a week I watched it form and grow so I had to put it on my sketchbook. I escaped one day to the National Gallery of Art and next day to the National Postal Museum - best way to get color on gray days ! The mango from the grocery store supplied the taste of summer and lifted the spirits.  The squirrels were busy in the backyard and I caught one enjoying the snow to quench the thirst, I suppose.  

I finally discovered what that Victorian looking 'post' by the Lincoln Park was - the Police and Fire call Boxes from long ago.  Apparently this particular call box had missed its chance to become a "Art on Call" box in 2000.   Do check out the article and the videos on these 'call boxes'.  There is history in every corner in DC! 

Leafing Through

Meera Rao

Leafing Through Photograph by Meera Rao

This month I have my art on exhibit at three different galleries: 'Sunrise In The City'  in watercolor in the Capitol Hill Art League Juried exhibition at the Hill Center Galleries in Washington DC; three of my mixed media experiments in 'Small Works and Miniatures By Tidewater Artists' at the Charles Taylor Art Center in Hampton, Va; and my photograph 'Leafing Through'  in the  Capitol Hill Art League's 'Artists' Choice'. 

Sunrise in The City  By Meera Rao  at  Hill Center Galleries, Washington DC

Sunrise in The City , watercolor By Meera Rao

I am often told "you work in different media!" which makes me wonder if I should concentrate my efforts on one medium. Over the years as I play and experiment, I feel, to quote Alfred Stieglitz " The goal of art was the vital expression of self."  For me, it is as if each piece has its own distinct personality that seeks to expresses itself through me.  And somehow each medium lends to the understanding and use of another.  Dabbling in different things keeps me unstuck and for that I am grateful.  Thats permission enough.  

Gratitude  ink on handmade paper by Meera Rao

on exhibit at Charles Taylor Art Center, Hampton Va

Last Stop (NYC Rabbit Hole) mixed media on NYC Metro card By Meera Rao

on exhibit at Charles Taylor Art Center, Hampton Va

Exuberance mixed media on photograph by Meera Rao 

on exhibit at Charles Taylor Art Center, Hampton Va

“Here’s to freedom, cheers to art. Here’s to having an excellent adventure and may the stopping never start.” 

― Jason Mraz

Taking Chances in the New Year

Collage of sketches Jan 1 -6 2018 

The first week of drawings followed the "not every drawing needs to be a finished work of art" tip. So I filled the pages with bits and pieces of things in my day forcing me to be mindful about my surroundings and experiences. 

Sketch book page by Meera Rao

The excitement of a new sketchbook and trying to figure out how I wanted to sketch each day had me experimenting this first week with a visual journal model. I tried mini sketches the first three days - but soon discovered that was not easily sustainable over long term !

Sketch book page by Meera Rao

I also discovered this book takes only very light watercolor washes -- so I soon resorted to graphites, Prismacolor and brush pens.

Sketch book page by Meera Rao

I tried to add a quote some days to jump start an idea for the page-- as William Faulkner said " Take chances. It may be the only way you can do anything really good."   Looking at these pages, I feel I should give more thought to how to compose each page, to the writings and penmanship as well. But right now I am just sketching and hoping to keep up with it every day!

Sketch book page by Meera Rao

The past three days, I experimented with just one sketch each day to capture the essence of the day.  The 'Bomb cyclone' has meant very frigid temperatures but fortunately there was only an inch of snow in DC where we spent the week with our grandchildren. I sketched them doing a fashion show,  their art work,  toy etc.. Cooped up indoors with them, my husband and I supervised their melted crayon art, sketched with them.  I also was a scribe for their illustrated books :) 

Finally, this post is a start on my ambition of more regular posting on the blog.