Catching up

 I travel so much and as a result I have collected so many reference pictures, with a thought of creating a painting. Since there is a need to paint again I have started working on them again. 

We had a wonderful visit to Hampi…. The seat of the ancient Vijaynagar kingdom. A magical place full of amazingly well preserved monuments. The caves at Pattadakal filled me with a sense of wonder at how these were built, dug into the huge rock faces with detailed and perfectly carved statues and carved roofs. It was worth the challenge of climbing up 100 steps with creaking knees! The rocks were magnificent  

Painting again!

 I have picked up my brushes again after a really long hiatus. I have also totally ignored this blog. So much has happened in the last few years….the Pandemic, that totally changed our lives plummeting us into a new and often frightening reality. It’s almost as though the human race is on a path to destroying itself. But through it all the sun still shines, the trees grow, the flowers bloom, the birds fly………………!!!! And my need to ‘capture moments’ remains strong, be this with thread or whatever! 

I discovered the joy of expanding my skills in quilting and needle work, of crocheting of writing, so the painting fell by the wayside. But now I’m back and hopefully will stay focused! 

We are visiting Naeeda in The Phillipines. She lives in a perfect little ‘village’ as gated communities are called here.  Dasmarinas is in the middle of Makati in Manila, and an amazing oasis of green, old homes and stunning trees, some really ancient, but all well cared for. My early morning walks are a joy! 

A year later!

A year later and I decided to reconnect with my blog, and then ignored it again! Have a Facebook page now and that seems so much quicker! But I feel I neèd to try and  rejuvenate it again!
I haven't painted much this year! Just that life takes over and the mood doesn't arise. Settling into a brand new city and our own home took all my time. Some sketches happened, but not with the same fervour!
In the past year, Sketch Book Skool was a great inspiration! I learnt a lot and seemed to have been able to get rid if some of my inhibitions while painting.
An incredible  holiday in Paris! It's a city that totally inspires one to sketch. The highlight was meeting up with the Urban sketchers in Paris! 

A recent holiday to magical Kashmir! What a fantastic trip, rich with experience and emotion. There is so much in this State and  yet it seems to have been left behind! The people are incredibly warm and friendly, opening their homes to us and sharing their food. The nomad shepherds seemed to be filled with generosity and genuine hospitality while the women made us hot bread and tea in their simple stone homes! 

Connecting with my blog again!

It's been such a long time since I posted something on my blog....shifting and settling into our new home, also doing a lot of sewing and crochet has taken up a lot of my time.....not the the painter in me has really rested....have been doing bits and pieces. I joined a wonderful course called sketchbook skool ( www.sketchbookskool.com ) and have been motivated to keep a visual journal. So these are some of the sketches done

Sketching in Bangkok

I am now in Bangkok with Naeeda and David. They have just had their first baby and I am being doting grandmother again! So there is a lot of time to sketch, and of course I am using the iPad. The Bamboo paper app is really great as it has a water colour and charcoal options as well. I use my finger and a stylus! Just love the fluidity and ease. The colours are rather restricting though! 

Painting on the ipad!

Its been 6 months since I posted anything here. Its been such a chaotic time and I have just not been in the mood for painting. Re locating from Kolkata to Bangalore after 40 odd years, and hoping to settle into our new home was a challenging, but exciting decision...But of course nothing goes according to schedule so here we are into May with little hopes of moving into our own home till July!!!
Anyway a recent trip to Matheran, in a wonderful house in the middle of an un spoilt forest, surrounded by wonderfully old trees, brought on the urge to paint. Since I didn't have my paints, decided to use the APP on my iPad. I am hooked!

Rickshaws!

I have done this for a friend, a farewell present since we are relocating to Bangalore. Rickshaws are so symbolic of Kolkata, and what most people associate almost as a symbol of this city! This was done from a photograph I took while on an early morning walk into the old parts of the city in North Kolkata!
As we get ready to leave this city after almost 40 years, there is some sadness and a lot of nostalgia!