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

Creating And Sharing

Horseshoecrab2  color pencils by Meera Rao

My work Horseshoe crab2 has been selected for the Hill Center Galleries 2015 Regional Juried Exhibition that will run from June 25 through September 29in Washington DC.  I was super excited to read in the acceptance letter that 'Juror, Mark Leithauser, Senior Curator and Chief of Design for the National Gallery of Art, selected a distinctive group of pieces from a very large field of entries -- 500 pieces from over 100 artists.'  I am grateful and looking forward to the exhibit!

Equally satisfying was the wonderful interaction I had with elementary school students in our little town at their annual Arts Festival.  I had cut up a couple of my abandoned paintings into bookmark sized strips and had the students personalize them with their art work on top or the back with color pencils as they wished.  For most of them having a background already present meant no fear of the blank paper :) - they were very happy to create on top of it. They were excited at the challenge of incorporating the colors and patterns into their own design. 

Few others decided they wanted a to decorate both the sides and made use of the learn to draw reference books! I had so much fun with them - helping them understand art is what they decide to create and is very subjective.  They also saw how to recycle art :)

Lone Starling

Lone Starling photography by Meera Rao


a lone starling
no murmuration no aerial ballet 
etched with gold
 white sparkles
 shimmering iridiscent
watching
waiting 

~Meera Rao~
\

Tropical Heart

Tropical Heart watercolor 30x22" by Meera Rao 

This is a full sheet painting I completed some time ago but forgot to post  :) It was in the Peninsula Watercolor society show 2014  and is now at the end of six month hanging at the Hampton Convention center.  This painting was a challenge I took on - to paint full sheet after only sketching in 5x7 sketch books for four months in India! Painting those shadow backgrounds and layering paint on the banana heart was fun. I also learned how much easier the process is if I have all my values figured out ahead -since mostly I paint first and figure out a plan as paint ! I really loved the process and all I can say is that sketching everyday definitely improved my drawing skills!!

"A slow sunny day" watercolor 2.5x6.5" by Meera Rao 

On another note, my painting "The slow sunny day" won 'the award of excellence' at the TAA miniature show -- really surprised and pleased as it is also one of favorite paintings.  I am grateful for the judge for boosting my confidence :) No matter how many times I tell myself  'just paint' there is something to be said about being noticed! 

Just recently I read "The Art Mistakes: Unexpected Painting techniques & the Practice of Creative Thinking"  by Melanie Rothschild.  The book is about losing the fear of mistakes and to have confidence in one's own abilities. I liked what she had to say about creativity  : "Of all places, art is a spot where mistakes should be considered honored guests." I am grateful that a copy of this book was gifted to the Poquoson Public Library  by the Friends of PPL in memory of my mother who was indeed a very creative person. 

Hot About Chili Peppers

Red Peppers in Glass Bowl color pencils by Meera Rao

My color pencil piece 'Red Peppers in Glass Bowl' was selected for "Food For Thought"  show sponsored by the Capitol Hill Art League. I am grateful that Juror Bonny Wolf  has helped me to be a part of the DC area artists as we slowly make a home there.  The peppers were from our garden a few summers ago and though it took me quite while to complete, it was a fun piece to work on.  I really loved combining the abstract and realistic style in same painting.  

By the way here is a fun fact from a Smithsonian article "Whats so hot about Chili Peppers"  : According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the average American now consumes 5.9 pounds of chilies a year, more than the per capita consumption of asparagus, cauliflower or green peas.

If you happen to be in DC area before April 16,  please do stop by and enjoy the show :) 

Most Magical Love

Just Arrived watercolor by Meera Rao

Almost a year after the bundle of joy arrived, I finally got around to painting my newest grandchild. It was pure joy to paint and I wondered why I was hesitating for so long!  The First grandchild still steals my heart but this little one has me completely smitten and in love all over again :)  Who knew grandchildren give you totally new perspective on life ! 

Nature's Calligraphy

Nature's Calligraphy Photography by Meera Rao 

nature's calligraphy 

  brushed with morning glow 

glazed by soft mist

whispering 

a veiled secret

~Meera Rao~  

Sound Reflections

Sound Reflections 3 watercolor by Meera Rao

Procession of people full of exuberance, in colorful costumes, playing music with shiny instruments stopped me on my tracks.  It was a beautiful sunny day and the first thing I noticed were all those reflections in the instruments. I was fascinated how the colors and reflections vibrated on the polished metals.  The need to capture the moment was immediate  :)

Sound Reflections 2 watercolor on hot press by Meera Rao 

These are two miniatures I painted along with Sound Reflections1  All three were in the  "Small Works- Miniatures by the Tidewater Artists " show at the Charles Taylor Arts Center in Hampton from Oct 25-Nov 30 2014.  

If you wait for inspiration you'll be standing on the corner after the parade is a mile down the street.

~Ben Nicholas

"Catoptric Bends of Lighted Sound"

Sound Reflections 1 color pencils 4"x4" by Meera Rao 

This is one of my three pieces that was selected for the "Small Works- Miniatures by the Tidewater Artists " show at the Charles Taylor Arts Center in Hampton from Oct 25-Nov 30 2014. ( I know I am way late in posting! )  Poets were invited to write a poem inspired by the artworks in the exhibition and the Arts Center hosted a poetry reading on Oct 30th in the galleries. Below is the poem by Dave Lego and I am thrilled that my piece inspired him  :)  The link on the title of the poem should take you to the audio recording of the poet reading his creation.  Please let me know if the link does not work -- I have been working on embedding mp3 links on my blog which has been harder than I imagined.  My heartfelt thanks to Dave  for this poem.  

Sound Reflections 1

catoptric bends of lighted sound
golds and bronze, greens and blues
bright brassy banded all around
a field marches to rousing hues

hear the crowd in white-bleached stands
hear teenagers shouting loud approval
hear percussion, horns, marching band
hear Americana just being youthful

batons spin air from majorettes
pom-poms shaking pretty cheerleaders
believing it's as good as it gets
with play-by-play from a loudspeaker

half-time show a steeped tradition
for a hundred years or thereabouts
you may think of a better addition
but truth is, i have my doubts

© Dave Lego 2014-11-25

ekphrastic for 2014-11-30 at
the Charles H. Taylor Arts Center
for Meera Rao's "Sound Reflections 1"