Enchanting Alchemy of Art

Enchanted City  mixed media on wood 6x6" by Meera Rao 

Trapped mixed media on wood 6x6" by Meera Rao 

Color is the keyboard,

the eyes are the harmonies,

the soul is the piano with many strings.

Artist is the hand that purposefully plays

touching one key or another

and sets the soul vibrating.

~Wassily Kandinsky~

It is always a lot of fun painting with the  mixed media Pebeo oil based liquid alkyd colors.  I continue to be amazed  at how 'Prisme' gives honeycomb effects that reveals itself only while drying -so to be patient and give it time to divulge its' secret.  I am still astonished when the hammered effects of 'Moon' with textured pearl finish is unveiled instantly.  I love the glossy transparent and luminous 'vitrail' colors; and the smooth enamel effect with lacquer finish of the 'ceramic' paints. And mostly, I am totally enamored by the exciting mix of art and science: using the chemistry of these liquids to paint, to bring about different effects and looks.  I wish the photographs showed even more clearly the wonderful textures and dimension of the art works. 

Enchanted City and Trapped were done on wood panels by pouring paint and deliberating on when and how much to manipulate the paints by keeping in mind their reaction styles and times.   On the whole,  it has been exhilarating to attempt to conquer the fear of the uncertainty and abstraction :) 

Only Different Kinds of Good Weather

India Sketch Journal Page 29 by Meera Rao 

Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, 

wind braces us up, 

snow is exhilarating; 

there is really no such thing as bad weather, 

only different kinds of good weather.

John Ruskin

India Sketch Journal Aug 3 by Meera Rao 

The 'windy month' brings out the kites and kids.  The stores stock colorful kites of various sizes. A favorite after school activity for some is making their own kites. Regardless, many spend hours trying to launch their kites- inexperienced as they are-  in hopes of seeing their homemade or store bought kites fly high in the sky. 

India Sketch Journal Aug 2 by Meera Rao 

As the rains continue, and the temperatures dip, the blanket peddlers roam the streets.  I had to peek out of the balcony to figure out what their loud calls were for and what is it that was being sold now! I do appreciate that even now blankets, vegetables, household items, toys are sold by peddlers roaming the street --it is always nice to have the market come to you ! 

For us wind, rain etc are just different kinds of weather but check out this TED talk video on Art made of Storms by Nathalie Miebach   - She  "takes weather data from massive storms and turns it into complex sculptures that embody the forces of nature and time." The talk opens with a sculpture  and musical scores.  It is fascinating to see and hear her explain how science, art and music intersect creatively for her. “Weather is an amalgam of systems that is inherently invisible to most of us, so I use sculpture and music to make it, not just visible, but also tactile and audible.”