Showing Tricolor Pride

Showing Tricolor Pride watercolor and ink by Meera Rao

India Art Journal 2015 

Come festival or national holiday, the tiny Mom and Pop stores that line the narrow roads near the local market come to life with the colors of nick knacks and sundry items for the occasion.  On this particular day the tricolor flags and banners and streamers were flapping in the wind in this little store in anticipation of the Independence Day celebrations. The little girl was looking at the items for a long time - I am not sure if she bought anything in the end! Cars, buses, motorcycles, bicycles, tiny tricycles, rickshaws  doorways and storefronts are all decorated with flags or banners celebrating the day. Even though a holiday, this store was open for business for last minute shoppers !

Showing the Tricolor Pride 8x5.5" watercolor and ink on 140 lb Strathmore visual Journal

Threads that Connect

Threads that Connect watercolor and ink by Meera Rao

India Art Journal 2015 

I was attracted to the orange cloth glowing in the sunlight and all the shadow play I encountered at the top of the Chamundi Hill (Mysuru) near temple premises.  There were a few others who were also selling these threads(Mauli) but only one was in the traditional sacred orange clothing and working diligently organizing his threads of different colors. Each color sacred thread has significance of its own in Hinduism. They are usually tied to right wrist (usually for both genders) or left(certain occasions for women) to ward off evil eye or for prosperity and good health and for smooth completion or progression of any important ceremony.  The threads are used during pooja by the devotees, by bride and groom during wedding, and for "rakhi bandan' by sister on brother's wrist  as a talisman - for protection and well being. The threads tether us to other humans, to the sacred spirits; to the yearning for a universal connection. 

In my research I discovered that this custom is followed by others as well - around the globe, across cultures and religions: From wikipedia : Wearing a thin scarlet or crimson string (Hebrew: חוט השני) as a type of talisman is a Jewish folk custom as a way to ward off misfortune brought about by the "evil eye" (Hebrew: עין הרע). The tradition is popularly thought to be associated with Kabbalah and religious forms of Judaism.

More interesting information from Sean Doyle's article on Sacred Thread: 

"Throughout Indian history the exchange of a thin cotton, wool or silk thread tied kingdoms together and sealed political alliances.  In one recount of the Battle of the Hydaspes River, it is said that the King Porus refrained from striking Alexander the Great, because the Alexander’s wife had tied a scared thread to Porus’ hand, urging him not to hurt her husband.

A scarlet or red thread runs through many cultures.

The red string of fate or the thread of destiny appears in both Chinese and Japanese legends. According to myth, the gods tie an invisible red string around the ankles of those that are destined to meet each other or help each other in a certain way.  In one myth, two people connected by the red thread are destined to be lovers, regardless of time, place, or circumstance. The cord may stretch or tangle across the years, but it will never break.

In traditional Tibetan Buddhist ceremonies, the tying on of holy cotton threads restores the natural order of things and brings people closer together. The red thread is specifically associated with bravery.

And this sacred tie is not limited to East Asia.

In Greek mythology, Theseus rescued himself out from the labyrinth of the Minotaur by following a red thread that was given to him by Ariadne.  Nikos Kazantzakis, in making myths modern again, points to the scarlet tread that runs through and connects all people, friends and strangers, regardless of culture.  It is our common humanity.

In Judaism, wearing a thin red string on the left wrist is an old custom thought to ward off misfortune brought about by the “evil eye”.  Rahab tied scarlet rope to two scouts so they could enter Jericho unseen.  Jabob’s wife Rachel, the mother of Joseph and Benjamin, wrapped a red thread around her son’s wrist to protect him from evil.  Still today, we tie a long red string around her burial stone.  This sacred symbol recalls Rachel’s selflessness, reminding us to emulate her modest ways of consideration and compassion for others, while giving charity to the poor and needy.  More than a way to protect one from evil or harm, the crimson thread is an internal reflection that inspires good deeds and kindness."

Measuring and Selling 5.5x8" watercolor and ink on 140 lb Strathmore visual Journal

Water Break

Water Break watercolor and ink by Meera Rao

India Art Journal 2015 

Selling fresh betel leaves directly to the customers at the street market, this lady seems to have a good business sense for displaying her goods and controlling her expenses. All she needed was a small blue stool to sit on and a big basket  of fresh leaves stacked in neat piles! Behind her were clay pots balanced carefully and the rickety table held small clay pots etc. The Betel leaves are important in Hindu religious ceremonies, a main ingredient in 'pan' for chewing pleasure, and also used for medicinal purposes. So the business is usually brisk for leaves and the pots as it’s much simpler to stop by a stand while commuting to work or running errands than to plan a special trip to the store.   

Water Break  5.5x8" watercolor and ink on 140 lb Strathmore visual Journal

Textures and Colors of Life

Textures and Colors of Life watercolor and ink by Meera Rao

India Art Journal 2015 

A side alley with a bicycle; the buildings, walls, doors - all textured with neglect; colorful water pots waiting to be filled were hard to ignore!  Sketching, painting and photographing almost everyday when I was India, was a valuable experience. I developed a curiosity and great respect about my surroundings and learned to savor life. 

I was torn about just recording the scenes I come across,  but I also felt an urge to capture the fast disappearing lifestyle as India is hurling itself towards things more 'modern'.  I also found myself attracted to the special beauty in the simple surroundings --always colorful and full of textures. I know my sketches and paintings only give a glimpse of the country showing an extremely incomplete picture. 

Last week when I went to the preview of the opening exhibit of the brand new MET Breuer Museum in New York, I was struck by how architecture and surroundings influence an artist. Drawings and photographs by Nasreen Mohamedi, captured the geometry and abstraction from her surroundings. She saw only the beauty of lines and minimal color! 

It was also wonderful to see the 'Unfinished - thoughts left Visible.' on its third and fourth floors - unfinished paintings of artists over the past few centuries. I was excited as if I was peeking over their shoulders while they had paused and were mulling over the next brush stroke.

From the museum's website: Celebrating one of the most important artists to emerge in post-Independence India, and marking the first museum retrospective of the artist’s work in the United States, Nasreen Mohamedi examines the career of an artist whose singular and sustained engagement with abstraction adds a rich layer to the history of South Asian art and to modernism on an international level. The retrospective spans the entire career of Mohamedi (1937–1990)—from her early works in the 1960s through her late works on paper in the 1980s—exploring the conceptual complexity and visual subtlety that made her work unique for its time, and demonstrating why she is considered one of the most significant artists of her generation. Together with the thematic exhibition Unfinished: Thoughts Left Visible, Nasreen Mohamedi inaugurates The Met Breuer, which expands upon The Met’s modern and contemporary art program.

Here are Google images for Nasreen Mohamadi's art 

Check out the NYT review of Unfinished here 

Textures and Colors of Life 5.5x8" watercolor and ink on 140 lb Strathmore visual Journal

Dance of Life

She Moved Like A Dancer watercolor and ink by Meera Rao

India Art Journal 2015 

She was a vegetable vendor.  Everyday she sat by the roadside with a few crates of produce. She always dressed in simple though beautiful sarees with matching stylish blouses, bangles,  flowers in her hair, and eyes rimmed with kohl. She also had a ready smile for her customers.  This particular evening she was moving her crates to a storage area near by before calling it a day.  As she lifted and carried her crates she moved like a dancer, light bouncing off the folds of her saree, face and body. I was captivated by the beauty and grace of her movements.    

"I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn't say any other way 

- things I had no words for. "

~Georgia O'Keeffe~

She Moved Like a Dancer 5.5x8" watercolor and ink on 140 lb Strathmore visual Journal

Afternoon Siesta

Afternoon Siesta  watercolor and ink by Meera Rao

"Only mad dogs and English men go out in the noon day sun"

-Rudyard Kipling

When I saw this fellow taking a power nap in the middle of the day, looking quite comfortable on a mattress propped inside his autoriksha, I had to sketch him.  He was on a side street - directly in view from my balcony ! I quickly took a couple of photos just in case he woke up and went off, then set to sketch him. I had enough time to finish the sketch but colored it later.   

Afternoon siestas used to be the norm everywhere in India.  I remember my father, grandfather always came home from work for lunch at mid day, took a nap and then went back to work during the cooler part of the afternoon and evening.  Now it is a luxury enjoyed by few who can rearrange their day to their liking! Whoever is home during mid day, the elderly, the retired, the housewives, kids  and a few lucky folks who are their own bosses, all take a nap almost everyday. No one goes knocking at  someone's door during the afternoon! 

I quickly adapted to mid day power naps too during my stay in India.  It has to be power naps  because longer naps makes one groggy the rest of the day and wide eyed awake at night! I always set an alarm but it was so hard to make myself getup when it went off! As recent studies show, the mid day nappers especially in the tropics were on to something. They are not lazy slackers. As this article "7 surprising benefits of an afternoon nap"  explains they knew its power to influence the overall wellbeing, boost energy and increase productivity among other things :)  And more importantly, for us artists: 'Daytime sleep can, “enhance creative thinking, boost cognitive processing, improve memory recall and generally clear out the cobwebs," James Maas and Rebecca Robbins, co-founders of Sleep for Success, wrote in The New York Times.  :)  That ought to be a good reason to squeeze in my nap habit now that I am back in USA!

Btw, I am the Artist of the Month displaying at the Poquoson Public Library during February.  I am sharing the wall with a friend who is showing his photography for the first time. Here is a photograph showing the half with my paintings.  Please stop by if you are in the neighborhood :) 

Wall with my paintings at Poquoson Public Library  as February Artist of the Month 2016 

time for afternoon siesta  5.5x8" watercolor and ink on 140 lb Strathmore visual Journal 

Traces of History

Water Gate at Tippu's Fort watercolor India sketchbook 2015 by Meera Rao 

This idyllic scene ‘Water Gate’ is at the northern wall of the King Tippu Sultan's Fort in Sri Ranga Pattana near Mysuru, India, The gateway opens to the shallower portion of the river Cauvery. The residents of the fort passed through this gate to fetch water from the river. Back in 1799, this shallow archway with guard houses on either sides and a temple at the right, was the location of a deadly battle with the British (East India Company). Tippu Sultan was killed and it changed the course of history for the British and for the south Indian principality of Mysore. Colonel Wellesley, the future Duke of Wellington, established his military reputation during this military victory. The gory details of the siege of SriRangapattanam can be found here. 

City of Mysuru, and the surrounding area is full of historical sites and ruins.  It attracts a steady stream of tourists who come to see its gorgeous palaces still in their full glory, the beautiful temples that are artistic and architectural masterpieces and the natural beauty of the area.  Here is a link for virtual tour of the area. 

'Water Gate at Tippu's Fort'  watercolor sketch, India sketchbook/Art Journal 2015 by Meera Rao .  Strathmore Watercolor 140lb Visual Journal

Lost In Time

Lost In Time watercolor sketch 2015 8x5.5" by Meera Rao

It was a tiny tiny shop. There were clocks and watches in various stages of repair on the work surfaces and walls.  He was totally absorbed in his work.  I had about half a dozen wrist watches that had stopped working and wanted to check if any could be revived.  I had been told they were not worth the time and trouble in my town in USA.  He had worked his magic on all except one when I returned to pick them up a week later.  He was so humble, unassuming and hesitated to charge next to nothing to have them ticking again. He was someone who was at peace tinkering with the clocks and watches!!! Please check here for another sketch of a different clock repairer in a similar tiny shop from my 2013 sketchbook.  

His sketch is the first one from my trip to India this summer. I am finally getting around to photographing and uploading the sketches.  I used a 44 page 5.5x8" Strathmore Visual Journal with 140 lb watercolor paper.  I sketched on one side only and needing more than a day or two to sketch and color each one as my days were quite busy.  Soon after I returned, I had to make another trip back as my Mother-in-law passed away. She had lived a full life for 93 years. And, I would have never discovered the joy sketching and keeping a journal daily had it not been for my stays with her every summer for the past four years to take care of her. I hope to pick up the habit of daily sketching once again  - may be make it my New year's resolution to get back into wonderful world of creativity.

Time changes everything 

except 

something within us

which is always surprised

by Change.

~Thomas Hardy~

A Way of Life

Embracing The Ephemeral India 2014-15 Moleskine Japanese Album(large) Sketchbook By Meera Rao  

"The real voyage of discovery consists not on seeing new landscapes but in having new eyes"

Marcel Proust. 

So here is whole book in all its glory :) I am very pleased with the way my second sketch book from last year's India trip turned out. Took me a while to post them!  Ever since four years ago when I decided to keep a sketchbook/journal while I spent time in India each summer taking care of my mother-in-law, I found life and surroundings reaching out to me in generous ways.  The daily vignettes I sketched and painted helped me remember more than what I saw every day with my new 'sketching eyes' ! The sketches are not perfect - I found remembering a quote from Salvatore Dali : "Have no fear of perfection, you will never reach it!"  let me just enjoy the process! 

The format of the Japanese album let me decide how many panels to devote to each idea as I sketched along.  The cream color of the paper did not bother me but I did not like the feel of the paper- it did not take watercolor washes well. My first sketchbook from last year was a smaller Moleskine Japanese album which I posted from July 29 2014 to November 30 2014 in my blog. This year I used Strathmore mixed media journal with 140lbs watercolor paper for one sketch book which I will start posting once I get back to US.  I hope to fill up a second book this year - a multimedia 340 gm USK Sennelier accordion book -- may be then i can decide whats the best sketch book for me or my favorite way to sketch :) 

Anticipation

Waiting - India Sketch Journal 2014-15 by Meera Rao

Quite often while the main streets are congested and busy, the side smaller streets are quieter and hold unexpected scenes! The 'jataka' - quaint very colorful, highly decorated horse drawn carriages can still be found in cities like Mysore and are loved by the tourists ! I love to photograph and sketch them.  The side streets are where they rest and recoup between rides. I have not ridden on one since I was a child and just might try again soon! This was a windy day and the two ladies were trying to hold on to their flying/flowing sarees and hair !

Anticipation - India Sketch Journal 2014-15 by Meera Rao

The lanterns for the festival of lights "Deepavali" were crammed into this tiny store.  There were all different sizes, colors, hanging, stacked one top of another, in boxes, bags, in every nook and corner of this store.  They were also a few traditional clay lamps in boxes as well, along with packets of sparklers or firecrackers.  There was so much color, shapes and textures,  I had a hard time deciding where to start - it was indeed a challenge to sketch it!  

This is the last panel of my second, larger accordion sketchbook - and the scene is from my unexpected short trip back to India last year. This is the only panel from that trip and it was a few long months before I picked up the sketchbook again to finish the coloring, tinting and lettering etc. (hence 2014-15). 

The sketches are done in Moleskine Japanese Album(large) in watercolors and pen. 

Service to the Devotees

For Sale - India Sketch Journal 2014-15 by Meera Rao

Festivals and devotees means an opportunity to sell - from beetle leaves for 'puja' or pleasure to colorful plastic pots, earthenware and sundry household goods galore. The streets are lined up with vendors who anticipate a brisk business around holy days. 

Devotee will get Hungry! India Sketch Journal 2014-15 by Meera Rao

And of course, there has to be freshly made mouthwatering delicacies! A simple stove, couple of gas cylinders, a big black cauldron with hot oil, a pot or two and some utensils are all that was needed for this enterprising cook to open a stall by the footpath! The smell of hot 'pakodas' was inviting and a line was forming even before the first batch was out of the oil! If only I could have scratch and sniff strip right here to complete this vignette!  

Mehendi For the Lady - India Sketch Journal 2014-15 by Meera Rao

A few tubes/cones of 'mehendi' paste and this fellow was in business drawing beautiful elaborate designs on the hands and arms of ladies eager for the stunning look.  I stopped to chat and found out the girl was a muslim bride happy to be taking advantage of the opportunity around a Hindu festival to have 'henna' done couple of days before her marriage ceremony. 

The sketches are done on Moleskine Japanese album (large) in watercolors and pen. 

Making the Mundane Sacred

Blessed Vegetable stand  watercolor India sketch Journal 2014-15 by Meera Rao 

During the festival season in Mysore, every vendor gets into the spirit by decorating their little section of the footpath. On a quiet Sunday morning walk, I spotted this red onion stand with an elaborate huge 'rangoli' design on the road itself next to a tree turned into a shrine. With a lot fewer vehicles and pedestrians, the stand by a 'petrol bunk' (gas station) could not be missed.  The rangoli done in white powder on the road stretched to the median line!

The Flower Vendor and her stall watercolor India sketch Journal 2014-15 by Meera Rao 

This flower vendor was giving her thanks to the goddess in her small stall turned into a shrine decorated long strands of colorful garlands. The blue plastic tarp tent was a good backdrop for the colorful flowers! 

A Streetside Shrine -unfinished  watercolor India sketch Journal 2014-15 by Meera Rao 

This was the beginnings of what turned into a elaborate shrine by one more vendor. It is so much fun to walk around the city checking out all the different ways the vendors try to show their devotion and give thanks to their favorite deity.   

And an important notice and plea for help:

Please sign this petition at Change.org and get wallpart.com off the internet and off the business it is trying to do- sell artwork as posters without the knowledge and permission from the artists. Search your name/website on their webpage and you may be surprised you are being duped and compromised :( I came across the site via another blogger who posted about her works being stolen. I was shaken up to see all the pictures from my blog being offered at $5.59/poster!  

P.S:  I discovered this morning that it is best bot to even go to that site to check -- but be sure to sign the petition! 

http://peterandcompany.tumblr.com/post/124924181627/phishing-warning-avoid-wallpart-at-all-costs

I thought long and hard if I should continue to blog then decided to post but work towards getting wallpart off the internet.  I am hoping to alert other artists, photographers, art enthusiasts, customers and make them aware of this problem. Please spread the word about protecting artists and our work. 

Public Declarations!

Public Declarations  watercolor by Meera Rao

Huge billboards that dwarf people, vehicles, buildings and mighty trees decorated with thousands of tiny light bulbs that glow in the dark occupy major and minor intersections of the roads in the city during the festivals. These particular ones celebrate the Goddess Chamundeshwari, the patron deity of the city of Mysore along with that of Saint Raghavendra Swami.  They provide magnificent backdrops for all the parades and festive atmosphere.  Right around the corner from these bill boards are very very crowded flower, fruit and vegetable markets, where one can find just about anything for the right price :) I took the liberty to clear the streets of people and vehicles in my sketch book leaving only a a few to give an idea of scale and also a better look at the billboards! 

From my 2014-15 India sketchbook/art journal  :Embracing the Ephemeral in watercolors and ink on Moleskine Japanese Album (large)

Joyous Festival Processions

Musicians Heralding A Parade watercolor sketch by Meera Rao

Street parades and processions during festival season is a common sight.  In the southern India it is often lead by musicians playing Nadaswaram or even saxaphone,  mridanga and dolu -drums playing joyful hymns. The ensemble is called 'valaga.' They are followed by elaborately decorated floats carrying various deities. 

Hitching a ride with the Deity watercolor sketch Meera Rao

Children enjoy riding on the back of the ornate floats and being a part of the parade.  Prominently displayed on the floats are the names of the sponsors.  The floats are called 'vahana' and they carry the images of  deities. Devotees sing and dance as they slowly make way thru the streets. Here a vehicle is decorated with a pair of 'swans.'    

Vahana with Ornate silver Horses watercolor sketches Meera Rao

'Silver horses' decorated with flowers, silky materials and ornaments hide a car/truck that is carrying another deity! The sponsors take great pride in making sure their 'vahana' stands out in the procession. On the whole it is a fun diversion and joyous occasion for kids and participants and but a major traffic headache for some others :) 

The sketches are part of my sketchbook "Embracing the Ephemeral" done on Moleskine Japanese Albums in pencil/pen and watercolors. 

Embracing the Ephemeral

Yakshagana Performance  watercolor sketch by Meera Rao

 "Embracing the Ephemeral" is the title of the this series of sketches on Moleskine Japanese Album sketchbook 5 x 8 1/4" I started end of last summer while I was still in India with my m-i-l.  I stopped working on it when my mother passed away and only recently picked it up again, determined to complete the last few panels, text and lettering. I wanted it finished before my trip to India again this summer :)  

Musician with Chande Watercolor sketch by Meera Rao

The first few sketches are from when I went to watch the classic art form of Yakshagana at the Jaganmohan Palace Art Center at Mysore.  The last sketches in my earlier smaller Moleskine Japanese album were of this palace as I was waiting for the show to start. Click on these links to check them out:  A Palace for Art  and  Time is Life

Musician with Maddale  Watercolor sketch by Meera Rao

Yakshagana, literally Song of the Celestial Beings is an expressive art form: poetry, dance, drama, music and storytelling with elaborate costumes. Accompanying musicians are called "Himmela" - there are  usually atleast two artists playing the drums Chande and Maddale - very crucial to set the mood and a Bhagavatar, a singer narrator with cymbals in his hands.  Together they enact stories from the epics and mythologies, dispense morals and spiritual teachings too.  Always the good is victorious over the evil. 

Jumping and Whirling watercolor sketch  Meera Rao

The elaborate costumes and face paints 'Vesha' clearly indicate who the actors are playing.  Even though now the performances are indoors, and last only a few hours, until a few years ago they were all night outdoor affairs with climax happening around 4 or 5 am in the morning ! I remember attending only a couple of them when I was a school girl, dozing off most of the night and woken with a start when the drums beat with vigor! The jumping and twirling by the actors are spectacular. My brother and I would try to emulate them for the next few days! Check out this link for a taste of the art from a 2-hr performance in Washington DC by a visiting troupe.  Traditionally all parts were performed by male artists only but now there are all female troupes too! More information on Yakshagana can be found here. 

Rajavesha watercolor sketch by Meera Rao

A palace for Art

India Sketch Book 2014 panels 27,28 by Meera Rao 

The last four panels of the sketch book are filled with details from the Jayachamarajendra Art Gallery and Performance center at the Jaganmohan Palace.  The performance hall has many beautiful stained glass windows. The beautiful building is unfortunately crumbling and in dire need of renovation and restoration.  

India Sketch Book 2014 panels 28,29 by Meera Rao

The arches on the many doors on the hall were also decorated with colorful paintings and sculpted relief.

The circular motif sketch is from the front facade of the building - there were about 10 motifs on each of the pillars and each was different scene.  This was the lowest one that I could see clearly :) 

India Sketch Book 2014 panel 30 by Meera Rao 

I was able to sketch only a couple of the stained glass windows before a 'Yakshagana ' performance started.  I did not sketch on the back side of the pages as the sketches had bled through to the other side on a lot of the sketches. 

Sketchbook spread out on the floor 110" x3.3" 

I tried to take a picture of the sketchbook all spread out little over nine feet long ! This was the best I could do  :)

On the Road

Sketchbook India 2014 Panels 19-22 by Meera Rao

Sketchbook India 2014 Panels 23-25 by Meera Rao

Road scenes in India are always so very fascinating. Once I started sketching I began noticing all the little details and interesting things that take place. I am attracted to unique vignettes that tell a story. I have learned not to look for perfection in my sketches but hope to capture the emotions.

The scenes get etched in my mind once I start sketching like the time I saw the horse 'checking' out the autoriksha -his competition - while his owner was chatting with the riksha driver! Or the pleasure on the face of the tripple riding motorcyclists -living dangerously with no helmets! The Mother -son pair in the back of the little truck with all their possessions exuded the excitement of moving day.  This time I was pleased I was sketching on the accordion/ Japanese album sketch book :) It was a challenge to keep the sketches connected to one another. 

I needed a couple days to finish each of the sketches- drawing one day and then coloring them the next day. Drawing and sketching in a journal like this make me explore different styles as well as ways of seeing that I have not tried before :) 

Sculpting Devotion

Sketchbook India 2014 by Meera Rao panels 5, 6, 7, June 9-10

Tulasi Katte and Ratha (Festival Car)

The trip to Mysore from Bangaluru takes around 3-4 hours. When the taxi driver discovered that I had not seen a couple of beautiful temples along the way and that I did not have to be in Mysore by a certain time, he took it upon himself to make a few stops! (We still made it to Mysore by 3pm!) I took  photographs and during the next few days filled over dozen panels of my sketch book.   

Most every Hindu home, and all temples have a special place for the tulasi (sacred basil) plant. The 'pot' that holds the plant is sometimes very simple and most often very ornate.  

Ratha is a huge chariot used during festivals to take the temple deity on procession pulled manually with ropes.  It is decorated colorfully and towers over all the devotees assembled.  Check out Google images  to get a taste of the festival excitement!  

Sketchbook India 2014 by Meera Rao panels 8, 9, 10, June 12-16

Temple premises

Sketchbook India 2014 by Meera Rao panels 11,12, 13 June 18-19

Outside the temple

Sketchbook India 2014 by Meera Rao panels 14,15,16, June 19-22

Temple gopura, Utsava Murthy

Gopura is a towering gateway, entrance to southern Indian Temple. An architectural wonder, it is ornately carved, sculpted  and decorated with stories from Mythology connected to the main deity. There is also a massive and again beautifully decorated door through which one enters the temple complex. Check here to see images from google search of the gopurams.

The main temple deity  is never moved - so, for festivals special  'Utsava Murthy' are created by sculptors. After divine spirits are invoked in them, they are carried in a procession, either on the Ratha Festival cart, a palanquin or sometimes on the head of one of the priests. 

Sketchbook India 2014 by Meera Rao panels 15-18, June 22-27

garuda utsava murthy and stone wall in the back

Most of the temples are all ancient - several centuries old, some better maintained than others. It is  very common to find beautiful carvings, statues and walls in heaps covered in dirt around the premises.  Its heartening see that the citizens are beginning to understand the value of the art that surrounds them and efforts are being done to restore them.  

I think the beauty of the temples is a testimony to the creativity of the many anonymous  artists that sculpted and built them to make the ephemeral quality of spirituality and devotion more concrete, grand and immediate.  To visit a temple, to be surrounded by the beautiful statues, to take in the burning lamps, sounds of conchs, bells and invocation, the scents of the flowers, incense is a memorable and stirring experience. It did not matter that there were worldly business happening too. I really am awed by the incredible power of art that has lasted centuries! 

Sharing the Joy

My India Art Sketch Journals at the Hampton Roads Artists Groups Juried Exhibition.

I am excited to be part of a wonderful and unique art show during the month of May at Hampton's Charles Taylor Arts Center!  As the Hampton Arts Magazine Diversions explains : "This invitational group exhibition features artworks selected and submitted by sixteen diverse artists' groups based in Hampton Roads.  These groups pre-selected entries from their member artists, which were then juried into the final exhibition. The exhibition presents both two and three dimensional artworks in a wide range of media, style, and content.  ......The resulting combination of talent, media and subject matter entered by our participating artist groups provides a spectacular exhibition experience."   And the exhibition is a beautifully curated feast for the senses and I feel humbled to be a part of it. 

FYI : The show runs May 3-June 1 2014 - a delightful way to spend an hour or two enjoying art :) 

Everyday is a Celebration

2013 India Sketch Journal page 39 by Meera Rao 

"There are exactly as many special occasions in life as we choose to celebrate"

~ Robert Brault~ 

A small celebration as I post the last page of my 2013 India sketch journal. It was my second year of  doing the sketch book. I am amazed and tickled to see over 200 sketches of everyday scenes and incidences in the two years.  I hope some of them will end up as full paintings soon. The biggest lesson I learned is to just plunge in and draw rather than try for that perfect sketch. As I have mentioned before, the best thing I discovered is looking at everyday things with new sketching eyes as I look for ideas. I became adept at squeezing sketching time when I was in India.  Now to make that happen everyday the rest of the year ! 

2013 India Sketch Journal Aug 23 by Meera Rao

The wedding venues are usually a riot of colors elaborately decorated with fresh flowers and foliage. The creative and labor intensive designs are often awe inspiring - sometimes bordering on gaudy. I definitely did not do justice in design or perspective when I sketched this one and as I was finishing it by memory, my skills lagged behind :) 

2013 India Sketch Journal Aug 24 by Meera Rao

Basava - decorated bullocks and his master go house to house asking for alms in -between farming seasons. The bullock's bells and the woodwind instrument the master uses signals their arrival at the doorsteps.  Rice, money or old silk sarees are donated by most the householders.  Sometimes I think this has become a way of taking advantage of the sentiments towards holy cattle and make quick bucks - especially when I see the master curse when he is asked to just move on! The animals though, are decorated beautifully and it is a pleasure to look at the peaceful majestic beasts.