For A Little Hope And Loving

Carrying on with my recent foray into paper collaging alongside acrylics, I created a couple of paintings last month based on another favourite flower - the poppy. Only this time I added some lettering to the pieces to give forth a message.

So this first painting has the words 'Hope' showing up. Somehow the colours and message in this one remind me of Easter; only lilies would have been more appropriate instead of a poppy. The special bit in this painting - the black speckles that you see in the middle of the flower are done with paper. Yes, it was painstakingly done and required loads of patience. :) But as they say, when you love something, it doesn't feel like work at all.

The second painting carries a message we should all imbibe in our lives. Especially in these days when big words like Secularism and Tolerance are being bandied around to get some extra votes at the polls. But of course, Love is something we all need to open our hearts to, and this doesn't just refer to romantic love. Enough moralising! The distinctive feature of this painting - the leaves are imprints of real poppy leaves from my garden. I love how they have come out....

Let me know if you would like to have one of these, or something similar; write in to me at creativerumblings@gmail.com. Hope you've noticed the new Twitter link in the right panel. Go on.... show me some tweet love too @CreativeRumbles! And while you are at it, carry on with some hope and lots of loving....

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....