On The Window Sill

Anyone who has been a reader of this blog would know about my penchant for nasturtiums. Every winter they are all over my garden, adding colour to the greens and joy to our hearts.

So how could I not paint them this season again? I'm including the original picture just to give you all a sense of how and where I get my inspirations!

This time I have used a knife instead of my brushes, and added paper collaging to achieve the effects in the background. Just love the outcome! Whaddya say, dear readers?

Abstract Landscapes

I have been working on a series of abstract landscapes, the kinds that begin with a blank mind and a mark on the paper. You have no clue about what is going to emerge, where you are headed. You just make a random start and then go as your instinct guides you.

The first one started with sticking bits of plain paper on the sheet at random. I had no specific scheme in mind.... just tore and stuck those bits wherever I felt like. Then I picked up some black paint and laid down a few casual strokes in between those paper bits. It looked a bit dull, so I added red to spice things up. Still nothing emerged.... Next came the printed paper bits, followed by the orange streaks and bubble wrap prints. Then I was on a roll; added all the other colours and finally stepped back to have a look. To finish off, added the scratches with my knife at the bottom and there was a landscape ready before my eyes!

The second one started by making black marks with the sides of a bottle cap..... yes, those marks that now appear as tree trunks. Then came the plain paper bits, followed by arbitrary strokes in blue, green and mustard. Still I was clueless as to where this piece was heading, so I picked up my knife and scraped on some purple paint. Added the blues and then I suddenly knew how I wanted to end it all. Added the greens with a sponge and the whites, and another landscape emerged.

This process is so magical that you actually have to try this yourself to understand the surprises it holds. Go on, make one yourself.... and remember, you don't need brushes or a good hand to create an abstract. Anything can be used as a tool; all that matters is a passionate heart!

The Yellow Lilies

Isn't it amazing how inspiration can strike you anytime, anywhere. The most innocuous event or occurrence can become the source of a painting, or a series even.

A few days back a friend posted some photos on Facebook.... of a bouquet of yellow lilies that she received on her birthday. She is a flower lover and so clicked pictures of the bouquet from various angles as they sat in a vase, probably on her table. One look at those pictures and I was hooked; I just had to paint those gorgeous lilies, bright and cheerful yellow, with their upturned faces spreading sunshine and happiness.

I got to work on the sketches almost immediately, and within a week had a bunch of lily paintings ready. As I started to paint I was struck by the idea of using new techniques. So first I let go of my brushes and picked up plastic knives instead. These knives are given out by a local baker whenever we order special cakes. :) What a fabulous tool they make! Next I returned to my old love of paper collaging and used that technique for the background.

 

The result? A set of fantastic lily paintings.... all because of those few photos on Facebook! :)

Now I'm working on a series of florals, taking liberal inspiration from the beautiful blooms in my garden. Will share all the pictures once I am done. Paper collaging has also led to some abstract landscapes but you all will get a glimpse of that in my next post.

Cabin By The Lake

Another landscape inspired by my visit to an agricultural research centre. The campus had many beautiful lakes though in my short stay I only got to see only a small one near my guest house.

But the calmness and beauty of the lakeside was something amazing, especially for a city weary person like me. The joy of spending a couple of evenings sitting on the banks of this lake, with only the gentle breeze ruffling my hair and the sounds of birds for company, was unparalleled.

Watching the sun go down, as the sky and water changed colours every minute, was an experience that will stay with me for quite a while.

Nowadays am swaying in the direction of florals again.... after all, what else do you expect when the blooms of spring are all around us!

p.s.- I think I'm still quite a novice at clicking pictures of canvases; this one has turned out even more grainy than the one in the last post. Any ideas or tips, dear readers? As a policy, I do not use the flash while taking pictures of my artwork.

Down The Road

One of the first landscapes I painted this year, inspired by a recent visit to an agricultural research centre that had acres and acres of soothing green fields gently swaying in gusts of cool, fresh air.

The road in the middle of the greens in this piece has some gritty sand particles mixed in with the paint, as you can see clearly in the picture on the right. Apologies for the rather grainy looking upload; I can't seem to figure out why the picture is not showing up too well.

On another note, I visited some awesome exhibitions this month at the National Gallery of Modern Art. I seriously consider myself lucky to have seen almost the entire official collection of Amrita Shergill and some interesting Subodh Gupta installations, all at one go!

Spring Bouquet

In the Valentine season, what better colour to paint with than shades of red! The vibrancy of red always manages to perk me up. And the blooming garden and yellow sunshine is making me paint flowers all over again.

This one is my abstract rendition of a lily and a gerbera in a spring bouquet. The special bit about this piece is that very little brushwork was used in this. Instead I put an old credit card to good use! The outcome has me pretty pleased. :) Hope you all enjoy the Valentine weekend with your loved ones....

Abstract Landscapes

I was always a huge admirer of landscapes, given the inherent nature lover that I am. Lately I'm leaning more and more towards semi-abstract and abstract depiction of landscapes.

Trying to capture the beauty of the world around us using the fluidity and freeform of abstracts is very liberating. There are so many different interpretations you can give to the same scene, thanks to the boundless quality of abstract and mixed media art.

Nah, what you see here is not an actual canvas; it is just a rough sketch I made on a 1"x1" square card. But I am currently working on a series of landscape abstracts, in small format (10"x10"), both on paper and canvas.

Some of my landscapes are derived from my own recent journeys, and some from pictures and settings that have left an impression on me at some point of time. Hope to share the results of my efforts soon.

On another note, I'm really enjoying the balmy weather these days. As the days get warmer, it is so obvious that my favourite season Spring is just round the corner. There is a song in my heart and a spring in my step that is making me want to paint more and more!