Happy New Year 2019

Wishing you all a very happy and prosperous new year 2019 ! 

May the new year days be as bright as the sunshine and as calm as the moonlight. 

Have a wonderful year ahead!

Scar

The Godfather

"I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse." 

- Don Vito Corleone (The Godfather, 1972)

Medium- FC Pitt Pens and black marker pen on A4 paper

'Still I Rise'- A Portrait of Maya Angelou

Tried Derwent Pastel Pencils today. Pastel pencils are far more easier than bar pastels for these provide much control and neatness. The paper used is Brustro 160 gsm A5 pastel paper. This paper is not smooth but is slightly dotted in texture which I think, is not very appealing.

This is a pastel portrait of Maya Angelou, the great American writer. Her poem 'Still I Rise' is one of my favorites!

A Little Sin!

How I fancy being Satan’s chick!

I am dead certain we will click

I’ll be a beat in his hollow heart

And the muse of his demonic art 

Lucifer, my darling, count me in!

For what’s life minus a little sin?

An old one, penned a few years back 

Wings

'Far and wide my wings I spread

Cutting the untamed winds I fly 

Calm is my mind, high is my head, 

This whole universe is my sky'

I did this work using masking tape (for this indicative bird)

Done in watercolor and Pitt pens on 5*7" watercolor paper.

Grapes

 

Done with mixed media on 5*7" watercolor paper  

A Motherless Child

Stars gleam together

Moon wanders alone

A motherless child

Fish in Net

Traps are always luring and attractive.

I have tried to play with form and style in this piece of abstract work.

I am against fishing as it is animal cruelty and do not endorse it through art in anyway

Be YOU

Be different

 Be Unique

 BE YOU

Dear God, let people flock wherever they wish, please grant me the strength to chart my own course with confidence. 

In Pitt pens 

The India Art festival, Delhi 2018

Few days back, on one wintry morning, I came across a front page article about the India Art Fair at the Thayagraj Stadium, Delhi and decided there and then that I was not going to miss it! The three day festival (23-25 Nov) showcased more than 124 artists and galleries from across the country and yes, it was The India and not The Indian Art Festival, as most people, even participants mistook it for! So, on Sunday, I visited the place as for being an art lover and artist, I had no reason to miss the short and wonderful event. However, what I observed was different from what I had been expecting and given below are my personal observations. These are not meant to hurt or criticize anyone or any work.

Firstly, most works were only paintings that too mere renditions and I was disappointed that not much conceptual art could be spotted. Art is not only something painted on a canvas but the use of other mediums like metals, glasses, mixed media etc to reflect thoughts. Some metal and stone works were available but they were too few to be reviewed. The paintings looked amazingly well done but lacked original thought as well as concept. Beautiful renditions of nature, birds, nature and temples were a treat to the eyes but starved the soul. Only a few artists had focused upon concepts and innovation. I believe these two aspects, skill and thought, make up a good artwork. Sadly, almost all works were overflowing with the former but lacked the latter, although some pieces combined them in different proportions. I believe that a good artwork brings a change in viewer’s mindset. The message that it gives out subtly is always more important, for art can change the world.

Secondly, the dominant theme was that of Hinduism and art can rarely flourish when it is restricted in anyway. Most of the works showed Hindu symbols like temples, ghats, bells, worship, and deities mainly Shiva and Ganesha and too much of Buddha also. The theme of cow was especially noticeable. I think we need to be innovative and open up a bit. Art stems from artist’s subconscious and it shows that religion is occupying unfairly more space in society.

Thirdly, I noticed many works were lacking in basic elements like perspectives, proportions, symmetry and angles.

Lastly, the prices were exorbitant. Ordinary renditions were in lakhs and small canvasses with usual sceneries painted upon were in thousands. Also, the arrangement was shoddy and unplanned, food was overpriced yet unsavory and I feel the stadium itself is in a dire need of a good cleaning.

I did enjoy the festival but I feel religious themes and renditions were abundant and what lacked was what art basically bring out, that is original thoughts, breakthrough ideas and messages. But then, it is also true that in India it is difficult to make a good living out of art so artists have to align their works as per the market where mostly renditions are demanded mainly for beautifying the living spaces. I feel we need to give art some space to grow and bloom, for visual media is indeed the most powerful one.

Here are some pics

 Art depicting good looks but cruel heart.

By the inmates of Tihar jail

 A rendition 

 In pencil, a rendition

 God Shiva

 Small pieces of art

 The M F Hussain prints

 M J in paper rolls

Art says it needs to spread its wings!

King of Pop

'King of Pop' Michael Jackson. I am still a fan of his awesome dance slant! The secret lied in his patented shoes! :)

This rendition is done in Pitt pens

Buddha in Sky

बुद्धं शरणं गच्छामि/ Buddham Saranam Gacchami / I go to the Buddha for refuge. 

Buddha's teachings light up the universe. The word 'Buddha' means 'enlightened one'.

This work is done in mixed media- Pitt pens, white gel pen, watercolor and touch ups with color pencil.

Buddha

This is a rendition of 'Head of the Buddha', a sculpture dating back to 4th-5th century AD which belonged to the frontier region of Gandhara. Ref pic from 'The Story of Art' by E H Gombrich.

Medium- pencil

Discobolos

This is a rendition of a famous artwork named ‘Discobolos’ by the ancient Greek sculptor ‘Myron’. The original was a bronze one that was unfortunately lost. However, an exact Roman copy is still preserved. Greek artists were experts in sculpting movements and muscle tones. The winners of the Olympic Games commissioned their statues from famous artists of that time. This young man must have won a prize in the game of discus throw.

I have intentionally used the black paper as I wanted to recreate the look of ‘old marble’ and display muscle tones that ancient artists so deftly sculpted upon the marble stone. Medium is color-pencil.

I love reading about ancient cultures esp Greece and Egypt and nothing fascinates me more than the ancient art! I hope you will like it. 

Inktober-2018 / Day 29

My very first 'Inktober' sketch!! The the prompt for day 29 is 'Double'

Vampires live amongst us and roam around wearing charming masks. They suck all happiness, hope, excitement, will and reputation so one must be careful of the company he/she keeps. Janus faced people are very toxic and sadly are so ubiquitous these days.

Medium- Pitt pens

A Blind Date with Art!

Travel is a not a dessert, it is the proper meal. I mean it is not optional; it is something I cannot just do without! Travel opens mind and takes to a world you had only imagined. It is that bridge that joins dreams and reality. To travel to familiar places like that to relatives, acquaintances and friends does not really give something to write home about. So, what makes a travel special? It is definitely the suddenness of the trip and novelty of the place that makes it memorable.

This world is like a garden, open and inviting with variety of plants- some thorny from which I would rather stay away from, some lovely and charming, some shady trees that can relax mind and soul, some tall and stylish ferns that can only be admired while some carnivorous plants that can swallow you up in a moment’s notice. This is a garden that has its own peculiar beauty that can be described only with a language called as ‘travel’. Another thing that travelling does is that it opens the mind and makes us realize that life is not only short and uncertain but that we live in a pigeonhole from which we must get out for the world is like the very universe, it is too vivid, fascinating and vast to be described in one life. Moreover, travel can make a place immortal. Travelers like ‘Ibn Battuta’, ‘Marco Polo’ have documented and as if captured a place in a particular era. We can, through their writing, always visit that place in that era, hundreds of years back. I love to go on impulsive travels, such surprises break the slumber and make me excited for something unknown and enthralling. As an artist and writer, travel is nothing short of oxygen for it pumps life into my works and makes them far more relatable and interesting. I have heard a lot about the sculptures of Italy and the canals of Venice. Being an artist, I am open to all the influences hence I would love to visit Italy to explore various forms of art. So here is my #TheBlindList  ready

The Last Supper (1520)

Now, I imagine I am on my way to Italy, the heaven of art and sculptures. The genius ‘Leonardo Da Vinci’ belonged to this place. Another sculpting genius ‘Michelangelo Buonarroti’ was an Italian too! Works like ‘The Last Supper’ by Da Vinci at Santa Maria Delle Grazie in Milan is a miracle. It is said that during World War II when Milan was bombed, the room was almost in rubble but the Last Supper’s wall remained standing! ‘Raphael ‘was another young artist of Italy and died only at 37. His painting ‘Transfiguration’ at the Vatican Museum is considered as a groundbreaking work that introduced a new style. 

David (1501-1504)

There is much more to see like the 17 feet tall statue of ‘David’ by Michelangelo at Galleria Dell’ Accademia, Florence. It was completed in less than three years!  This little European country has a rich history of art. I can imagine myself living and growing through this enriching experience and thrill that it gives me is priceless.

The Doge's Palace

My next stop will be Venice, the city of gondolas! This city attracts me like moth to a flame. It was built on more than 100 small islands in a lagoon in the Adriatic Sea and there are only canals and surprisingly no roads to connect one part to another and that’s what makes Venice different. My blind date allowed me to live the experience of stepping out on a boat and not land. Imagine you step out of the house and as you open the front door, a small boat is parked instead of a car! It is as exciting as it could get! There are various places to visit like ‘The Doge's Palace’ which is a palace constructed in the Venetian Gothic style. An example of the Italo-Byzantine architecture, ‘The Patriarchal Cathedral Basilica of Saint Mark’ will be a fest for the senses and soul. Apart from these places, ‘The Grand Canal’, ‘The Rialto Bridge’ and an 11-kilometre long sandbar in Venice, ‘The Venice Lido’ where the ‘Venice Film Festival’ takes place! There is much to explore and I have just started. I feel like a little fly in the deep forests of Amazon!

Travel is so enriching and a major self-exploration! Lufthansa is always there to connect me to my dreams! With Lufthansa, I can confidently #SayYesToTheWorld!

What are you waiting for! Go on a blind date with the world, travel, explore, fill your life with colors and enjoy every day to the fullest!

Just Say Yes To The World and go ahead!

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Pic sources-

atrl.net

Wikipedia.org

lufthansa.com

Book Review- A Basketful of Lies

Title- A Basketful of Lies

Author: Geetashree Chatterjee

Publisher: Creative Crows Publishers

ISBN: 9789384901687

MRP: Rs 199/-

When I received an autographed copy of this book, sent lovingly by the author, I was excited about the cover. You will come to know the reason by the end of this post. However, as and when I started reading the stories, the cover took a backseat and I could not stop wondering at the mesmerizing lyrical prose with which the author has clothed her brainchild. This work is her debut collection of short stories that revolve mainly around urban life and complexities in coming to terms with an inevitable change. Be it the old dignified ‘Maamone’, who chooses an austere life and self-respect over everything or a shrewd small town girl ‘Aninda’ who makes a whole career out of a yesteryear’s superstar, the characters in these 15 stories are very relatable and one can feel them popping out of the paper, for the portrayal is so real.

A few stories have spooky and surreal plots that are fun to enjoy and offer nail-biting twists. Some are about star-crossed lovers and those stuck in sepia memories buried under the nostalgia. Reading these, I felt a range of emotions, from a surge of sympathy for the sincere ‘Probir’ to pity for the old ‘Kaku’ managing a forgotten bookshop.

I will call this remarkable collection as a very ‘balanced’ one for many reasons. The plots are varied yet connected with a common thread, like beads in a string. The prose is lyrical yet it does not crash under its own weight; the passages are beautifully described yet the writing does not go overboard with unnecessary descriptions. The author has a very good command over the language too. So, in a nutshell, if you are a lover of meaningful, clean and well penned literature, this one is not to be missed. I am sure you will thank me after reading this book!

Regarding the cover, I am glad to have sketched the cover artwork. Each painting is done in color pencil and conveys the respective story-line. 

Rating- 4/5

The book is available on Amazon and Flipkart

The author blogs @ Panacea

A Basketful of Lies

I am excited to share this amazing news with you all!

Congratulations to Ms Geetashree Chatterjee as her debut book 'A Basketful of Lies' has hit the stands! In this collection, each short story is a gem presented in a lovely lyrical prose. Everything from concept to language and from flow to the ebb, has been handled very meticulously. I just loved reading her work!

I am so glad to have done the cover illustrations for this title.There are six illustrations in total, done in color pencil. Each one reflects the respective story line. I sincerely thank the author for putting her trust in me.

This book is available on Amazon and Flipkart. 

Get your copy now!

Sin

There is a thin line between luxury and sin; the former after a point turns into the latter. An item is purchased as a necessity, then a better one for more utility, then another version for style and aesthetic aspects. Next follows a bigger brand for status and then an even expensive one for luxury, but beyond that, our repeated purchase of that item becomes a sin and sinful wastage. This amount wasted on vanity can be easily used for charity, education or saving for rainy days. 

I know many people who are always under debt and loans for purchasing luxury possessions beyond their means, just for the sole purpose of flaunting. To me, longing for approval and applause from others betrays a lack of sense of self worth.

Adarsh Bahu

I have no appropriate words to describe how flabbergasted I feel at the news of Barkatullah University in Bhopal launching the ‘Adarsh Bahu Course’ (Ideal daughter-in-law Course). It is funny prima facie, but a serious look into it brings to fore some depressing truths. Even in these times when we find a pleasure in our non-traditional views and modern ways, such a course that aims towards training young women to become good housewives and brides is discouraging. We are pushing our women towards rut; forcing them to confine themselves into the space defined by the men with rotten patriarchal mindsets. We are manipulating them psychologically and making them visionless, dumb machines suitable only for domesticity, recreation and procreation. This course is a slap on our society that promises little gender equality. The overall situation remains as grim and gloomy as ever.

Also, the recent gang rape by a dozen men of a CBSE topper in Haryana reflects how low the already fragile male ego can stoop to any low to satisfy itself. The nincompoops who could achieve nothing have exacted this perverted revenge on a helpless girl who worked hard for her dreams. Intellectuals are leaving the country and brain drain is very high, colleges are struggling with lack of faculty and facilities, good health care is too expensive. In a nutshell, we are slipping into a dark one way ditch and the sooner we realize it, the better.

Help Kerala

It seems God is livid with His own country. With extreme floods all around Kerala, over 373 people lost their lives within a fortnight, while at least 280,679 people have been evacuated. The state is on a high alert. It is a time for us to donate as well as pray for the people stuck in such a painful situation.

White gel pen on black card paper