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

Thirst

Thirst Watercolor Pen and Ink sketch  and collage 2015  5.5x7" by Meera Rao

India has made great strides in supplying water to most of her citizens but the population growth, weather patterns and climate change/global warming issues continue to challenge her efforts.  And the thirst among the people also extends to educating the children.  These two issues consume the average Indian.  

When I saw the water pot, with its exaggerated shadows by a wall with  peeling posters on 'coaching' on various subjects, I knew I had to capture the scene.  I enjoyed combining pen and ink with watercolor along with collage of torn ads from the daily newspaper. 

India sketchbook/art Journal 2015,  Strathmore watercolor 140lb Visual Journal 

Cool Blue

Cooling Off  Ink and Watercolor sketch 2015 5.5x8" by Meera Rao

Your acts of kindness 

are iridescent wings of

divine love  

which linger and continue 

to uplift others 

long after sharing.

~Rumi~

It was one of those very hot summer days.  I was hurrying home to escape the heat from an errand that had taken longer than anticipated. On one of the side streets outside a marble warehouse, I was most impressed by what I saw: someone thoughtful had filled  a big old blue bathtub with water for anyone who wanted to cool off by splashing water on feet or face ! 

Chilling the pulse points by running cold water over the wrist for a minute or so, splashing water on the temples or face are age old ways of combating the tropical heat. The amazing thing is that bath tubs are extremely rare in India but somehow one was out there propped up on old tires, filled with water !  Many men stopped by, scooped out water on their face and feet to cool off before continuing on their way.  Since then I have noticed the bathtub leaning against the wall dry and empty on other days when the temperatures were bearable.  

Sketching it later was very gratifying and even now the memory of the blue bath tub brings a smile to my face. 

India Art Journal 2015- Strathmore Visual Journal, watercolor 140 lbs, 5.5x8"   

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 Rare Special Opportunity

Admitted to US Supreme Court Bar May 2015 9x13.5"  watercolor by Meera Rao 

"Photography is an immediate reaction, drawing is a meditation"

~Henry Cartier-Bresson~

No cameras or cell phones are allowed in the United States Supreme Court and I was really grateful to my sketching ability to capture the exciting moment when our son was admitted to the Supreme Court Bar earlier in the year. I was happy the security let me take my sketch book as practically nothing was allowed into the courtroom. I desperately hoped to do a decent sketch of the event. 

As we had to wait in the courtroom for about half an hour before the court session began, I quickly and roughly sketched the columns, the big table, the nine chairs, the drapes, the flags, backs of lawyers and others connected with a couple of cases whose decisions would be announced, and the dozen or so inductees waiting in the courtroom to be sworn in.  Once all the justices came in and sat down, I got to work to get a quick likeness of each of them -- and yes, Justice Thomas really did lean back on his chair and spent the entire time looking up at the ceiling.  As I am short and was sitting up-close towards the front,  I could barely see Justice Ginsberg over the big wide table! Below is the sketch at the end of the ceremony:

US Supreme Court Ceremony sketch 5x12" by Meera Rao

Later, there was a reception and a meeting with Justice Ginsberg -who was eloquent and passionate about gender equality in the talk she gave to the attorneys newly admitted to the SC Bar.  She also generously answered all the questions from the inductees. During our tour of the building, I took a photograph of the model of the court room to help me complete the sketch. 

The final painting was done on handmade watercolor paper (rough, 270gsm) from India. I drew directly on the paper and outlined it in ink to capture the excitement I felt when I first sketched it on my little sketchbook.  

A work of art is a world in itself reflecting senses and emotions of the artist's world. (Hans Hofmann)

What I See Depends on What I Look For

What I Saw 1 photography by Meera Rao

What I saw 2 Photography by Meera Rao

What I Saw 3 Photography by Meera Rao

A Welcome Retreat

Shade Shack  Photography by Meera Rao

 A green canopy

majestic silent elegant 

no hot sun 

no cold rain

the little blue shack

a welcome retreat.

~Meera Rao~

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.