13 years and 620 posts !

 Vanilla cafe. Pen and Ink by Meera Rao 

November was a busy month and I did not get around to posting on my blog. I missed the blog anniversary - 13 years and 620 posts :) A big ‘Thank You’ to all who have visited, followed, read and or left comments. I have met many talented and generous artists who broadened my horizons inspiring me to do better.  I am really grateful for all the support I have received ! 

Having this blog has been a wonderful incentive to keep sketching and painting which in turn has helped me grow as an artist. Over the years I have become more comfortable sketching in public, experimenting and not minding imperfections in my work but seeing them as valuable guides to develop further.  Vanilla cafe  was sketched on location - we visited this cafe every morning for 5 days during our stay in London in late October.  This is a nice little memory of great soy lattes and vegan croissants during our stay :) 

Set In The Midst Of Knowledge

British Museum Great Court watercolor and ink Meera Rao 

‘And let thy feet millennium hence be set in the midst of knowledge’

This quote by Lord Tennyson is engraved in the floor of the beautiful and imposing Great Court of the British Museum. It is taken from his poem ‘The Two Voices’ . I read that he used to visit the Museum’s Reading Room often when it was still housed there (in the 19th century).  Above is the tessellating glass and steel grid roof giving it that airy open space look.  Check the Museum blog here to read and see photos of the engineering marvel the glass roof and the Great Court is. 

My sketch is from our visit there in 2019. The place was teaming with people but I opted to sketch just a few to show the scale. I hope to be able to travel again to see more of the museum sometime soon post Covid ! 

Entering the Gate of Blessed Space

 Passing Thru the Temple Gates, SriRangam by Meera Rao

watercolor 

The many gates in the Temple Complex at Sri Rangam are massive, ornate, tall and wide. Lot goes on under the beautiful arches. Venders crowd the space by the walls, a few temple offices are tucked between the walls and gate. People, two wheelers and animals pass thru freely. Every single building and object in the temple complex harps on the beauty, majesty, creativity, talent that is beyond awe inspiring. It is indeed a tribute to the Universe and transports one to the spiritual realm.

Sketching and painting the scene is a challenge. It is daunting to show in a few lines and colors on 10x7" paper the beautiful sculptures on the wall, the engineering wizardry in the majestic arches and the very high walls, doors, as well as  all who pass thru those gates. And the morning light was streaming in from both ends of the gate. I was glad I was there early in the day when it was relatively empty and quiet with time and space to admire the surroundings. .