The Fire Burns Blue

The Fire Burns Blue watercolor with pen and ink by Meera Rao 

Last week my brother informed me that the book 'The Fire Burns Blue - A History of Women's Cricket in India' co-written by my niece Karunya Keshav and Sidhanta Patnaik is among the five books short listed for Best Non-fiction work 2019 in India!  Proud Aunt suddenly remembered that  she  had sketched the book soon after Karunya gave it her in January during visit to India :)  I had shared a photo of the sketch with her,  but had somehow missed posting any of the sketches from that sketchbook on my blog. 

 

We are all incredibly proud of Karunya and that her book is vying for honors with the likes of Ramachandra Guha, Rajmohan Gandhi, Raghuram Rajan and Shantha Gokhale! Go get your copy from Amazon and read all about the stories of extraordinary women who while competing in 'the gentleman's game' made history. And all the while as one of the players said : "We play because we love this game"

Sketchbook Time

Chrysler Building  pen and ink by Meera Rao

I have too many sketchbooks going on at the same time, and I have sketches tucked away in them that I have missed posting. These three are from my Pentalic traveler 5x8".  

We were in NYC first Sunday in  November cheering our daughter's NYC marathon run! A clear view from hotel room window of the iconic Chrysler Building was hard to resist sketching.  I pulled out the sketchbook onto the windowsill and took my time drawing.  From the 34th floor window of the hotel I could clearly see the sculptures on the 61st floor of the Chrysler building which I had not noticed as eagles till I started sketching ! I was reminded of this quote by Frederick Frank : 

Drawing is the discipline by which I constantly discover the world. 

I have learned that what I have not drawn, I have never really seen, 

and that when  start drawing an ordinary thing, 

I realize how extraordinary it is, 

sheer miracle!

~ Frederick Frank~

Pirate Days watercolor and pen Meera Rao

These two sketches are from Arrrtober Fest at the Mariner's Museum in October. While volunteering for the Peninsula Chapter of the Virginia Master Naturalist booth, I sketched this little totally adorable kid in his pirate costume. He was determined to put the rings on the boat 'masts', and made his own luck by slinging it from all around the game mat :) 

Aaartober Fest Lady Pirates watercolor and Pen Meera Rao

The ladies in the next booth were also dressed up for the occasion and I quickly sketched them  before the gates opened for the festival goers. I think I am getting a little more comfortable sketching in the public these days :) 

Small Works at Charles Taylor Visual Arts Center

Central Park  acrylic on NYC-MTA card by Meera Rao 

Grand Central Station acrylic on NYC-MTA card by Meera Rao 

Central Park, Grand Central Station - both acrylics on New York Metro cards and Figure 2, watercolor on Yupo will be on exhibit at the Charles Taylor Visual Arts Center Small works Exhibition in Hampton,  December 10 2019 to January18, 2020.  Holland Wentz Etheridge is judging the show and a big thank you to her for selecting three of my art works. 

I continue to  use the expired MTA cards as canvases for tiny paintings.  This is my way of  bringing awareness and curtail environmental damage by upcycling the plastic cards that would otherwise end up in trash and landfill. Painting on tiny cards in acrylics is a daunting task and has pushed me out of my comfort zone but has been a very satisfying experience. These days I always leave some visual markers to draw attention to the card's previous life. 

I am aware that the MTA by the end of 2019 is planning to test the next generation fare-payment cards, phasing out these cards that have  expiration dates. That makes these NYC MTA paintings my special small contribution to environmental conservation. 

Figure 2 Watercolor on Yupo

I am happy to have this painting also included in the show ! Painting watercolor on the slick non-porous, acid-free, pH neutral  synthetic polypropylene  'paper' Yupo is always challenging and fun. It stretches my skills and challenges my creativity as I manipulate the paint that is not absorbed by the paper and sits on top of the surface. The surface calls for experimentation and fresh directions, building up nuances that are unique to Yupo. The translucency of the Yupo gave the Figure that particular aesthetic I was looking for. I think it helped tell the story yet keep her secret. 

If you are in Hampton do stop by and visit the Small Works Exhibit - you will find 450 wonderful art works by 140 artists :)  

Repurposed

Repurposed 12x16" watermedia by Meera Rao 

One day in April while on my daily walk (before the fractured foot!) I came across a lush green plant growing inside an abandoned and marooned falling apart boat . I just loved the resilience of the plant and the colors still hanging on to the boat.  There was so much drama  and beauty! Nature never hesitates to creatively repurpose  :) 

I used transparent watercolors, casein, and watercolor pencils. 

Bone-afide Good Story!

My Gucci Boot!  watercolor and ink By Meera Rao 

Change afoot 

Bone-afide good story

Even with a Kneerover,

fractures are still what they are cracked up to be!

Brace-ing myself for a few more days 

before I am

foot-loose and fancy free

Till then Lame  jokes & puns 

keep me hopping around! 

Funny bone and humerus acting up ;) 

It is has been almost six weeks since the 5th metatarsal on my left leg broke - a "dancers' fracture"(it doesn't care that I am not a dancer!) I keep busy sketching, painting, reading, surfing the net, napping and coming up with puns! So far I have done two sketches recording my status- one of my 'kneerover'  and yesterday of my feet in their respective 'boots'. I am walking with 'boot' more and more now- using the kneerover  only when I get tired. 

My New Wheels pen and ink by Meera Rao 

London Days Part 10 History is Never Dull

Ornate light pole by the Thames River Promenade 

Watercolor by Meera Rao 

I was fascinated by the ornate light poles by the Thames River during our walk on the promenade on the banks  opposite side of the London Eye. It is a beautiful stretch with parks on one side and river on the other. We walked past war memorials all the way up to Big Ben -which was undergoing renovation then. There are huge trees along the street and Thames with 'Sphinx benches' under their shade to sit and watch the river as well as the buzz of city life.  

Of course there is history, controversy and more behind these lamps. From the website Paul Dobraszczyk Rag-picking History : 'Built in stages between 1862 and 1874 by the Metropolitan Board of Works, the Thames Embankment transformed London’s riverscape by reclaiming marshy land next to the river and constructing wide carriage- and foot-ways and a high granite retaining wall, stretching over three miles in total.' After much deliberation 'a dolphin lamp designed by George Vulliamy, architect to the Board of Works'  was chosen.  Please hop over to the website and check out rest of the designs, photos and more juicy factoids :) 

Skylon Marker  watercolor and ink by Meera Rao

A small shiny  marker on the footbridge over the Thames River sent me googling  'Skylon' and 1951 Festival of Britain.  Of course, even the smallest objects around the city have interesting history :) 

From Wikipedia : The Skylon was a futuristic-looking, slender, vertical, cigar-shaped steel tensegrity structure located by the Thames in London, that gave the illusion of 'floating' above the ground, built in 1951 for the Festival of Britain. The former location of the Skylon is the riverside promenade between the London Eye and Hungerford Bridge. Skylon was removed in 1952 when the rest of the exhibition was dismantled, on the orders of Winston Churchill, who saw the Festival and its architectural structures as a symbol of the preceding Labour Government's vision of a new socialist Britain. According to The Guardian  : The original Skylon, built in the last year of the postwar Labour government and immensely popular as a futuristic shape, was vengefully scrapped, cut in pieces and sold as ashtrays by an incoming Conservative administration. 

These are the last two sketches of my travel sketchbook from last September - finally all posted in the blog!  

London Days Part 8 Cattle Trough

Cattle Trough  watercolor and ink by Meer Rao 

When I came across this opposite the public library on Queens Ave in Muswell Hill, London, I just assumed it was for flowers for neighborhood beautification. Then I saw the inscription on the sides: 'Metropolitan Drinking Fountain & Cattle Trough'  it said on the long side and had this inscription on the short side: 'In Memory of the late David Kidd of Leyton.'  There was also a notice that confirmed its present status as a planter maintained by the local Association- and a request to enjoy the flowers but not take any of the plants. 

Upon googling, I discovered the fascinating history of these troughs and what lead to the government takeover of the water supply for the citizens from private suppliers, paving the way to the modern sewer and water systems. According to Wikipedia : 

The Metropolitan Drinking Fountain and Cattle Trough Association was an association set up in London by Samuel Gurney, a Member of Parliament, and philanthropist and Edward Thomas Wakefield, a barrister, in 1859 to provide free drinking water. Originally called the Metropolitan Free Drinking Fountain Association it changed its name to include cattle troughs in 1867, to also support animal welfare. In 2011, as the Drinking Fountain Association, it began to support the Find-a-Fountain campaign to map the UK's drinking water fountains.  

I also found out that the troughs that have survived over the years are mainly granite and they are mostly now planted with flowers. Cast iron or Zinc lined timber were also in vogue - but were too easily damaged.  The write up was really fascinating - amazing how any one thing can have so much history and be a part of the culture of the place! 

London Days: Part 6 Street Art and Fine Arts

National Gallery of Art - Trafalgar Square  watercolor by Meera Rao

There is art right outside the National Gallery of Art too.  Many street artists come early, stake out a patch of concrete to draw on the 'civic space' in the Trafalgar Square. They draw with chalk, with coins; do performance art as living statues. There are musicians singing, playing instruments. You can get your portrait done in pencils, charcoal or pastels.  A few are political protestors broadcasting their cause via street art. All this definitely adds color and character to the square making the gray day a bit more lively!  I admired their drive to create art that would be gone at the end of the day while also hoping to earn a few pounds from tourists or catch the eye of a patron. 

London Days Part 5

Trafalgar Square  Watercolor By Meera Rao 

The day we were at the Trafalgar Square was cloudy and cold.  Since we were there early in the morning there weren't too many people around. The imposing and 145' tall Nelson Column  was built in 1843 to honor Lord (Admiral) Horatio Nelson who died at the battle of Trafalgar in 1805. The British won that battle against the French. The Trafalgar Square itself dates back to 1830. I read that the four lions guarding were made by melting the defeated French  Navy bronze cannons.  I found an interesting connection there to the United States : "In Trafalgar Square there are also various statues of well-known people such as George Washington, given to the English by the State of Virginia. The statue is placed on cement brought specially from the States, as Washington had sworn he would never set foot on British soil again"  

I am sorry we missed -by a day or so- seeing the 'Please Feed The Lions' an interactive sculpture by artist and designer Es Devlin, who is known for her innovative projection-mapped sculptures that fuse light, music and technology. There was a companion red lion on the square and visitors were encouraged to 'feed' words to the lion which was then mixed with others' words and 'roared' out to the public, and displayed in light on the Nelson column at night.  Check out the Lonely planet link to it here.   And a video of it here. 

London Days, Part 3

Alexandra Palace watercolor by Meera Rao

Alexandra Palace is an entertainment and sports venue in London, located near Muswell Hill.  "The People's Palace" is fondly referred to as "Ally Pally", and serves as a public centre of recreation, education and entertainment; North London's counterpart to the Crystal Palace in South London. It has beautiful gardens and facilities for  fun paddle boating. 

Birds Trees and Flowers  watercolor by Meera Rao

I sketched some magpies that were hopping around,  a row of trees, and some flowers while sipping  hot tea by a cafe on the grounds of the Alexandra Palace. 

London Days Part 2

The House at Muswell Hill  watercolor and ink by Meera Rao 

The House on the Hill watercolor and ink by Meera Rao 

The Ornate Fireplace  watercolor and ink by Meera Rao 

I am always wondering how loose or tight I ought to sketch or color. Mostly I get carried away and want to put down all colors I see!  Here, the solid feel of the towering  brick house  with the overgrown bushes was as much fun to sketch as the delicate ornate years old fireplace. 

I used  Koi  travel set and Pelikan transparent watercolor paints.  I also quickly learned that the texture of paper was too rough and not made for much detailed work.

Shaping that Artwork

Strewn watercolor and ink on Yupo 8x8 by Meera Rao 

See with one eye 

Feel with the other 

~Paul Klee~

I am always amazed how often during the painting process I feel my work is on the brink of collapse. And that often gives me the freedom to try out new possibilities. I feel I have nothing to loose.  I take on the challenge of seeing if there is a way out of the hole I have painted myself into ! In Art and Fear the authors David Bayles and Ted Orland write: "Look at your art and it tells you how it is when you hold back or when you embrace. When you are lazy, your art is lazy; when you hold back, it holds back; when you hesitate, it stands there staring, hands in its pockets. But when you commit, it comes on like blazes"  

Of course, I have a long way to go! Meanwhile, with brush in hand I explore - balancing my feelings of competency and inadequacy, fear and courage, passion and desire. It is a special moment indeed when I discover a different ending.

Off Season

Off Season  watercolor on Yupo 8x8" by Meera Rao 

During crabbing season, I see watermen in small boats cruising the waterways in our little town during the early part of the day pulling up crab pots and placing empty ones in their place. When a pickup truck stacked with crab pots passes me while driving, I often hope for  traffic light to turn red so that I may stop right behind that truck to snap a photo :).  I have known about their hard lives, seen photographs and read wonderful articles in our local paper.  This time when I passed this stack of crab pots in a yard, I had to paint it. My other painting of a crab pot can be found here

I had not thought much about crabbing as such until I came across this stack. Turns out, this year the season was from March 17 to November 30.  There is a "Chapter: Pertaining to Crabbing " in the website for Virginia Marine Resources Commission.  It covers in detail  license requirements and "daily individual, vessel and harvest and possession limits, time limits, season limits, peeler pot limits and peeler and softshell crab minimum size limits for commercial and recreational crabbing in Virginia."  My research showed that Chesapeake crabbers already supply up to a third of the blue crabs eaten in the U.S, but issues of overcrabing and climate change looms large in their future.  I read that last year the season was shortened by 16 days and bushel limits for the entire month of November was also reduced. This is a huge reminder how interconnected our whole world is !!

10th Blog Anniversary!!!

Silence Isn't Empty watercolor and Ink 4.5x4.5" by Meera Rao 

Today is the 10th anniversary of my blog!!!  498 posts to date :) What a wonderful adventure it has been.  My art and blog have nurtured each other. I have basked in the warm support of all who have taken the time to read my blogs, to leave comments or to follow/subscribe - for that I am ever grateful.  As I have indicated on my comment form,  it is the viewers who complete the circle of creating art :) As the Thanksgiving Day approaches, I am reminded of my privilege to share my art and I am extremely grateful for this opportunity.  Thank you all :) 

"Silence isn't empty" - It is full of answers is a small painting 4.4x4.4" (framed 9x9)  I am excited that it, along with Haiku in Red  and Thinly Veiled has been selected by Juror Carolyn Thompson Dudley for the Charles Taylor Art Center, Hampton,  Miniatures and Small works by Tidewater Artists Exhibition.  The exhibition dates are Dec 8th 2018 - January 20th 2019 

Thinly Veiled watercolor on Yupo 4.5x4.5" By Meera Rao 

Haiku in Red  watercolor 6x9.5" by Meera Rao 

Ni Hao Part 11 Some Everyday Scenes

Rental Bike with a solar panel ink and watercolor by Meera Rao

I noticed little things affected welfare of mind, body and daily living. There were dozens of bikes or some places just a solitary one with QR codes on the handles parked on the sidewalks. They are easy to rent  with just an app on the smart phone. People ride them to their destination and leave them by the sidewalks when they are done. The bikes are then ready for the next person (with an App on the phone) ! 

Country is Home ink and watercolor by Meera Rao

There are panels with cute illustrations and sayings on walls along the sidewalks all around the cities. I wondered if they were advertisements. We were told that they are government sponspored and convey pride for the nation and civic duties of the citizens. Once again I used my translation app to read this panel.   

Buddhist Lamas at Temple Gate  #directwatercolor #nosketching by Meera Rao

Buddhist temples are oasis of beauty, calm and quiet in the middle of the buzzing cities.  We saw groups of monks, visitors and devotees paying respects, praying or just enjoying the premises.  

Daily Tai Chi Practice #directwatercolor #nosketching by Meera Rao

Daily Tai Chi Practice #directwatercolor #nosketching by Meera Rao

The parks and gardens are lush and lovely. In all the parks in every city, many people - mostly retirees, get-together in groups or singly to practice Tai Chi or other martial arts, exercise to music,  give mini concerts, enjoy ballroom dancing,  take care of babies and children, play board games, walk and talk or meditate!  

Ni Hao Part 10 Guillin

Li River Cruise watercolor 2 page spread by Meera Rao

Mountain Peaks by Li River  Left page watercolor By Meera Rao

Mountain Peaks by Li River  Right page watercolor By Meera Rao

We reached Guillin in the late afternoon as the flight was delayed by a couple of hours. The guide in Xian joked that they say CAAC - 'China airlines always cancel' - but at least we were only delayed;). Beautiful Guillin apparently was China's first city to develop tourism after 1949. 

It was raining when we landed and the route to town was amazingly picturesque with lush green covered mountain peaks shrouded in fog all around. After  checking  into the hotel we went to explore the city by walking around.  There was a beautiful little Buddhist temple not too far and as we entered the premises they started their evening chanting and prayers. We watched and waited till the rituals were done - this was our first time watching and participating in Chinese Buddhist prayers and rituals. We then went over to the canteen next door - but unfortunately they were cleaning after the lunch session and would open only at 6 for dinner - an hour away. 

We decided to buy some bananas to snack on ( my google translator came in really handy! ) and find a bank ATM. The lonely planet guide book had high recommendations (one of two places mentioned in the book for places to eat!) for an Indian restaurant started by a man from Darjaleeng, India : Kali Mirch in the town square tucked behind Sheraton Hotel. With that as our guide we went searching and finally found it after someone recognized it as ‘indo canteen’  in an alley that was all colorful and lit up with festive lights  and lined with many many tiny restaurants.  The interesting thing in China we  have discovered is that everything and everyone has a English and a Chinese name - most locals know only the Chinese names - even English is ‘yīngyǔ’ in Chinese.  Btw- The food at Kali Mirch was excellent :) 

Cliffs by Li River  watercolor by Meera Rao

The next day our guide drove us to a wharf an hour away and we took a river cruise down a very tranquil Li river to see the mountains all around - it is a very beautiful and serene journey - even with a looong line of small cruise boats  filled with tourists making their way down the river! The hotel had packed us boxed lunches and there was plenty of tea served throughout the journey as it was a four hour ride.  Every inch of the journey was a digital moment - everyone was oohing and clicking away - I realized very quickly that photos just couldn't capture the awesome peaks all around - growing more mysterious by the minute with fog and drizzle. The twenty Yuan bill of Chinese currency showcases a painting of these mountains.  We passed  high cliffs,  rice paddies, quaint little villages, fishermen on bamboo rafts, water buffaloes and horses grazing by the banks. 

We got off at Younshu and again elbowed our way thru a narrow passageway packed with vendors shouting and hawking off the goods while thousands of tourists from the cruise boats tried to make their way to buses and cars and other means of transportation back to their hotels ! We tried our bargaining skills and did a little bit of shopping ! “You shop like Chinese ladies’ we were told by a vendor ;) 

Entrance to Guillin Tea Research Center watercolor by Meera Rao 

Hat Rack in the Walkway watercolor by Meera Rao 

We toured an organic tea plantation on our way back, saw demonstrations of Chinese tea fermentation of green, white, black teas. We tried out the huge stone grinder/rollers used in crushing and oxidizing  the tea. We posed for photos wearing the classic cone shaped hats as we watched ladies carefully picking tea leaves in surrounding tea plantation.   Of course, we were treated to another session  of tea ceremony - this time we tasted Osmanthus, white and Pu'er teas unique to that area. 

Evening we were on our own and this time we went back to the temple canteen ( again lonely planet recommendation) and had the best Chinese vegan buffet- tried all kinds of noodles, dumplings , steamed buns, vegetables , pickles and many varieties of fruits!! Two days in a row dinner was excellent for us us vegetarians and vegans!  We ventured out for more little shopping for Chinese-English children's books for grandkids at street side stores. Thanks again to the google translate app we were able to find what we wanted in a small stationary store:)

The sun and Moon Twin pagodas  

Last day in Guillin,  we had till noon  to ourselves - so armed with a map we went to see Sun and Moon Pagodas in the Shan Lake that could be reached by a scenic winding path from the hotel. The two pagodas are connected by a beautiful underwater tunnel. We climbed 8-9 floors up each pagoda  for gorgeous views from above.  We even managed to visit The South Sea Pearl Museum and Showroom before heading to the airport for our flight to Shanghai. 

Ni Hao Part 9 The Terracotta Army

Terra-cotta Army of Qin She Huang  ink and watercolor by Meera Rao

From Xi'an City wall, after cheering the marathon runners, we drove to the archeological excavations site and museum of the  famous Terra-cotta warriors discovered in 1974 by local farmers. The subterranean life size terracota army(210-209 BC) of Emperor Qin Shi Huang was awesome to see. The sight of more than 5000 of  the dug up and restored warriors, horses, carriages, artifacts in the excavation pits took my breath away! There were three huge pits and a few warrior statues were displayed away from the pit on higher floor where we visitors could see them up-close.  The excavations and discoveries are still in progress.

Co-incidentally, I had recently watched a documentary about the discovery this archaeological site, the history behind it and also had visited the US tour of a small part of the Army and artifacts at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts at Richmond, Va. That helped me understand the scale and importance of this site. Again crowds here were just HUGE - had to squeeze and elbow our way to the viewing balcony to be able see anything at-all:) 

Terracotta Soldier ink and watercolor by Meera Rao

The details on these warriors, horses etc. were very impressive - no two are alike! This archer  was probably holding a bow and arrow ready to defend at moments notice by the looks of his pose.  

Stretching dough for handmade noodles   watercolor -no sketching  by Meera Rao 

For lunch we were treated to handmade noodles that were prepared right on the premises in the museums restaurant. It was fascinating to see how by just stretching and twisting repeatedly within minutes the dough is turned into to long noodle threads!!! They are then cooked in boiling water for a couple of minutes, drained and served. 

This last painting is not in my sketchbook but a part of the #30x30Directwatercolor, #nosketching challenge  :) 

Ni Hao Part 8 Xi'an

Cheering the Runners at Xi'an   ink and watercolor by Meera Rao 

Xi'an City Wall Marathon ink and watercolor by Meera Rao 

After a sumptuous breakfast, we set out early to explore Xian. Xi'an, an ancient capital of China has the oldest, largest and most well preserved fortifications.  Our guide was excited and flipped our itinerary a bit.  She drove us to city wall and gate (built in the 14th century) much earlier than planned because it was Xian City Wall Marathon day ! We too climbed up the city wall to watch and cheer as the runners went by. It was the very festive and Chinese version of the Rock and Roll marathon - with mostly retired elderly ( and mainly women) drumming and leading the cheers with ribbons, flags and colorful scarves as the runners breezed through.  We also had a great view of the city from the wall.  

China Post ink and watercolor by Meera Rao

Among the things that caught my attention during our trip to China were the green Chinese post boxes, mail vans and post offices. The mail delivery and pick up vehicles especially in the cities were all small and  three wheeled.  This one had a big basket on top.  

Umbrella for Motorcycle ink and watercolor by Meera Rao

Electric scoters with covers ink and watercolor by Meera Rao 

To tackle transportation and  environmental problems, China has millions of electric motorbikes and scooters - electric are the only ones allowed on the roads now. I saw a number of them being charged by the curbside with electric wires running from stores or houses.  They run very quiet and walkers have to be vigilant and  watch out for fast moving vehicles that sneak up suddenly in their path! Many of the bikes and scooters I saw had colorful umbrellas or covers to protect them from rain and sun :) 

Another interesting feature was how they used coats/jackets or special covers for their hand and vehicle handles but not the rest of the body!