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! 

A Long Journey

View From Balcony Sketchbook India 2014 June 4-7 by Meera Rao

View From Balcony Sketchbook India 2014 June 6-8 by Meera Rao

"Then India, everyone has his own idea of India"

-Milton Hays.

I have been here in India almost two months and yesterday I did the last sketch in the small Moleskine Japanese accordion style sketchbook.  I have finally figured out (for now!) the quirks of the computer and the programs here and been able to successfully post the first two photos from my sketchhbook :) 

First few sketches in a new book are always tentative in nature as I am learning what will work best. On the opening page (which I forgot to photograph) I tried out color pencils, watercolors and Faber-Castell Pitt basic color  brushpens. I mainly used Prismacolor Verithin color pencils, Prismacolor fine line marker pens and micron pen on these four pages. The hard lead color pencils are good to sketch with but difficult to color and shade on the slick beige Moleskine paper. I may build color with my regular Prismacolor soft pencils once I get back home! The background washes are watercolor (Koi watercolor field kit) and I am yet to master using them on this paper! The accordion style sketchbook gave me freedom to sketch wide and an opportunity to link these different sketches.  The idea was to have continuity though here I may be only partially successful as I don't plan ahead of time and am not sure what my next day's sketch will be! I sketched everyday but often took a couple of days to complete a panel - so it has taken me almost two months to finish 30 panels in the book that opens into one long 5.5" x 105" page  :) 

About the sketches: As the title indicates its the view from second floor balcony. I was excited to see the papaya tree top laden with fruits of various sizes right by the balcony, the collection of little lamps, the electric pole with its wires and a branch of "Kadam" /Adina Corifolia tree sporting a badminton ball like composite flower mass.

Today I will start using the large Moleskine Japanese album sketchbook  (5x8" when folded). It has 48 accordion pages. If anyone reading this has suggestions, constructive criticism and helpful hints on using these sketchbooks please feel free to pass it on in the comments section :)

Passions

My Passions sketch by Meera Rao

I want to sketch something everyday but there are days when my muse doesn't show up or sometimes life gets in the way! Once in a while I will check daily painters lists for ideas.  'My Passions'  came about when I combined two different such lists. One listed sketch your hobby; sketch an heirloom said another . I decided to combine the two :I would sketch an heirloom and add my camera review pane around it ! I am feeling very clever and pleased  :)  

This sketch was done in couple of months ago and I did not post it then. I am in India now, my annual visit to take care my Mother-in-law.  I am unable to post the sketches done here as google platform and microsoft PC seem to be at odds when it comes to posting photograpahs :(  Blogger won't recognize crops and edits done in Windows and I can't seem to import into Picasa to do my edits there to upload to the blog!!! I hope I will find a solution soon or I will have to wait till I get back to my own computer to post my sketch book.

I am trying something new this time - using  Moleskine Japanese style accordion sketchbooks in two different sizes.  The smaller  one that folds into 5.5x3.5" is almost full.  I love how it unfolds and I can vary the width of my sketches depending on the subject and how the sketches are not in isolation but run into each other reflecting life itself. I am excited about how it feels and can't wait to post them. I hope I will know more about how to work this computer  soon!!!!   As the saying goes :Thunderstorms are as much our friends as the sunshine.” ― Criss Jami  Challenges make life interesting and I am banking on being a bit more computer savvy by the end of it!!!

Adjust the Tension

Adjust the Tension  Photography by Meera Rao

I am excited that my  photograph Adjust The Tension was selected to the  2014 Juried Photography Competition by Juror Jim Jones for the York County Public Library.  It is on display along with other selections at  the York County Public Library- Tabb Branch till July 11 2014. If you are in that neck of the woods please do stop by and check out the exhibit! 

Sketching Outdoors

"Matteson Trail" En pleine aire sketch by Meera Rao

One beautiful day early in spring, during my daily walk I was inspired to stop and sketch the scenery. I usually carry a small 4x6 book of Arches post cards with me and on that day I had a pack of brand new Faber-Castell 6 PITT artist landscape pens that I wanted to try.  The trail was quiet with not too many walkers.  I leaned against a tree and spent a few minutes taking in the scene and then set to work. I was somewhat satisfied with my results. I later gave it a watercolor wash for sky and water -mainly to test and see if the pen marks would bleed. 

Here is a shaky photo I took with my phone before I continued with my walk -it was a challenge to hold the camera in one and the sketch in the other and manage to click :) 

  

I just finished reading an article 'From sketchbook to Studio"  by Iain Stewart in the June issue of Watercolor Artist. I like what he has to say about sketchbooks : "A sketchbook has no other responsibility than to serve you. It is completely private unless you decide to share. Safe from the critical eye of jurors, it is a place where you can explore with abandon all your ideas. It's also the best tool I can think of for preparing to work in the studio. "    His advice is to be 'an observer, an editor and a recorder'. He writes: " When I return to the studio, I find that those observations can serve as well or better than any of my photographs"   

Most importantly he states :"Don't let anything you do early in your process limit what decisions you make later in your painting. Be willing to change anything, but remember your game plan." 

More or Less

Window Reflections 2  watercolor on Yupo by Meera Rao 

Last month I was deciding on which paintings to select for my library show.  When I saw Window Reflections I felt it needed some more reflections and enjoyed added more shapes and deepened some shadows!  Below is the 'before'.  I am hoping my new touches were worth it ! It is always fun to experiment and try out 'what if I...' and its so much easier on Yupo to keep fiddling :) 

Window Reflections  watercolor on Yupo by Meera Rao 

Halls of Art XIII

Irony  watercolors by Meera Rao 

I am very pleased that my painting 'Irony'  (on full sheet of Arches watercolor paper) is hanging in the Halls of Art XIII  show at the Hampton  Roads Convention Center. The description on their web site says: Halls of Art, a display throughout the Hampton Roads Convention Center, celebrates the talent of Coastal Virginia artists.  Each work was chosen by members of the Hampton Public Arts Steering Committee, a group of Hampton citizens from various professional backgrounds, including the business community, Hampton Arts Commission board members, and residents, among others..  The show will run till end of Oct. I missed the show opening  but I went in last week and enjoyed it very much. 

I wrote about Irony in an earlier post and if curious please feel free to check it there. 

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 :) 

Secrets of my Soul

My Paintings at Poquoson Public Library May 2014

"Art is a microscope which the artist fixes on the secrets of his soul, and shows to people these secrets which are common to all."

~Leo Tolstoy~

I am grateful once again for the chance to have my paintings displayed at the Poquoson Public Library for the month of May as the 'Artist of the Month.'  It is a very nourishing, humbling and exciting time for me. If you are in this neck of the woods, please do stop by the library! 

What color is a happy cat?

Purr Ball  watercolor on Yupo By Meera Rao 6x8.5"

I have many photographs of cats but actually have never painted one until now :) Past couple of months I have been reading "Cats -Drawing and Painting in Watercolor"  by Lesley Fotherby.  Since I don't have a real live cat in the house, I practiced by sketching the cats from her book, learning their curves and their anatomy as I recovered from my encounter with shingles.  Most interesting was studying and sketching their head from various angles, learning how their pupils behaved. I now know that in bright sunlight the pupil will be a narrow slit, in the dark or when a cat is concentrating on its prey or if it is excited or angry, it can open to a circle! I decided I wanted to concentrate on the eyes and the head, not worry much about the body or the legs.  I lightly sketched the eyes, and the rest of the head.  Yupo is wonderful to play around to bring out the softness and texture when painting wet on wet with loaded brushes and then when the surface is dry go with the script brush to define the eyes, nose and mouth. I used a very limited palette and loved patterns the colors brought about. 

So what color is a happy cat? Purrple of  course :) 

Have a purrfect day!