Ishita Bandyo Art Blog

Electronic Sketch Pad and Grid Painting

2011-07-27T12:37:00.000-04:00

I was not really excited about my iPad...... It was a mother's day gift from my hubby and I was happy to get the newest toy to hit the market but seriously do I need one more "toy" to keep me connected to the world? But this was before I discovered the astonishing world of sketch apps! I can't believe how many are there! One of my good friend suggested a number of them and I got all of those and some extra to boot! Finally I got hooked to my iPad and became one of those strange people who brings out their tablets in the grocery store! The fact that I can sketch anywhere and anytime is such an exciting thing! And I did not need to carry my sketch books, pens/pencils or anything other than my handy dandy iPad!

Anyhow, for last couple of months I have been trying to distill my art into two categories: color and shape. Well, I throw in texture for good measure but my main focus is to capture simplest of forms. And now that I have my "sketch" pad with me at all times, I can jot down my ideas in a jiffy, whenever inspiration strikes me! Here's my very first electronic " grid"sketches:

Ishita Bandyo, Electronic Sketch 1


Ishita Bandyo,Grid 1, Mixed Media Collage,16"x20"

This collage evolved from the sketch even thought the final product is a bit different.....
I gotta say though, in my research I came across late Margo Hoff's astounding collages! She explores the same ideas even though her's more evolved and involved ! Lisa Call, a quilt artist has the same idea of exploring grid shapes in her works. I feel, I have references for now and can't wait to come up with my next project!

Missed you too!!

2011-06-01T12:45:00.000-04:00

I saw the dreaded line on top of my blog: last Posted on May 4th!!!

Alright, I dropped the ball on this one. My goal has been to write at least once every week but it seems this time I went for almost a month without writing one! Not that I have any dearth of ideas! They are always swimming in my head and making my nights miserable. I always feel my head is like this antenna with all these vibrations coming through but sadly most of them just vanish……. But nonetheless, as I was saying I have notes strewn around with ideas for new posts and more than enough ideas for paintings to fill up my entire year! So you ask, "What happened then? How come none of your ideas and sketches materialized?" Umm, I say, it is allergies!! For last month I have suffered as no human should. Sneezed for 60 times at a row and had my brain matter come out of my nose!! And I was denied the luxury of breathing of course!! Ah to breathe! Even with one nostril, seemed like a treat!

Well, now that the pollens and other natural pollutants are taking a break, it seems I am getting my breathing back! And hopefully I will be able to get back to my easel and my notebook soon.
So as not to bore you with my struggle with allergies I just wanted to include this line from one of my favorite book, Art and Fear,

The seed of your next art work lies embedded in the imperfections of your current piece. Such imperfections (or mistakes, if you’re feeling particularly depressed about them today) are your guides -- valuable, reliable, objective, non-judgmental guides -- to matters you need to reconsider or develop further.” -- David Bayles and Ted Orland, Art and Fear.

Food for thought……And yes, I am sort of feeling depressed about the last months output……And I am going to use today, a relatively allergy free day, to regroup.

See you!

In Honor of Moms

2011-05-04T18:13:00.000-04:00

This blog post is in honor of all the mom's in the world! Some of my fellow mommy bloggers are taking part in this blogging adventure (Blog Hop)!

Pieta, Michaelangelo

I am a mom and like all mom's I am always terrified that my baby might get hurt......Whenever she is not with me and the phone rings, I am pretty sure something awful has happened to her! To my horror I am becoming a "helicopter" mom! You know, the one that always hover and rushes to their children when they get even the slightest boo-boo (I talk baby talk these day......including horsey and doggy)!! I don't like my own paranoia and my daughter who has recently turned three is starting to resent my intrusions! She even called me "bad mommy" when I asked her to get down from the jungle jim!!

Whenever I think of a mom suffering because of her child getting hurt, I think of Madonna and Christ! I am not a religious person at all(and not even sure of the historical occerance of the event) but I shudder when I think of a mother having to witness the massacre of her child....... And to me one of the best work of art that captures the pathos is the Pieta by Michaelangelo Buenorati. I consider the sculpture as one of the most beautiful one in the world.....Someone of course might ask why would a sculpture that shows Mary as a young and unperturbed mom should make me cry everytime I look at it!

Of course I can go on and on........ But in short, the contradictions in the sculpture makes it so interesting. In terms of formal contradiction: even though it is a very symetrical work of art with a pyrmaidal structure as well as the circuler pattern created by the vortex of Mary's drapery, the drama comes from the interaction of the figures! Only a master can marry the stable formal elements with the disproportionate figures and make it work. If we look at the sculpture carefully and think about the relationship between the two figures, we can see how disproportionate the figures are! A grown man cannot fit on the lap of a woman in real life. But by creating the volume in Mary's drapery, Michaelangelo has effectively turned the viewer's attention from that fact!

Another contradiction is that the artist has represented Mary as a young girl rather than a older woman that Mary should be (and Christ as a much older and gaunt man). The artist has an explanation for this! He is known to have said this about his interpretation of Mary's youth:

Do you not know that chaste women stay fresh much more than those who are not chaste? How much more in the case of the Virgin, who had never experienced the least lascivious desire that might change her body?

In other words, Mary, being untouched by any sin, is shown as the young innocent with all her virtues intact! In one art historical interpretation, it has been pointed out that we are experiencing two different passage of time: a young Mary actually holding the Christ child and being content, while the viewer is experiencing the future. Anyway, I really did not want to talk about other's interpretation but my feelings about this work. A serene Mary holding the dead Christ is probably a symbol of resignation and the belief the mother has of her Son's resurrection. That face in its other worldly beauty is puryfing and calming to our soul.....

I would like to be resigned to the fact that things will happen in my daughter's life that I will not be able to fix. She will be hurt by friends and perhaps her dreams will not be fulfilled..... But as a mom I will always get hurt when she gets hurt, whether physically or emotionally! I wish that, this representation of Mother and Child will give me courage to deal with whatever befalls my child. If the God's choosen vessel Mary could endure the pain of holding her son's broken body, perhaps, I should be able to endure my baby's bruised knee........

(My heart goes out to all moms around the world who has lost their children through meaningless violance.........)

And here are my fellow Blogger Mom's with their takes an "mommyhood"! Lets start the Blog Hop(Claudine Itner's brain child!)

May 1st – Claudine Intner

May 2nd – Melissa Liban

May 3rd – Lynn Krawczyk

May 4th – Ishita Bandyo

May 5th – Jeri Greenberg

May 6th – Kathleen Mattox

May 8th – Amanda Ruth

May 9th – Judi Hurwitt

May 10th – Kathleen Murphy

May 11th – Hannah Phelps

May 12th – Helen Hiebert

May 14th – Hannah Klaus Hunter

May 15th – Claudine Intner

Have Tea with an Artist

2011-04-21T16:08:00.001-04:00

We all have our blah moments....... Not only creatively but personally as well. Well, for artists the personal and professional are so intertwined that creative blah generally leads a personal one!! In one of my earlier blog post I have talked about "how to get out of creative funk"...... But as I was dealing with a sense of apathy today I thought one of the best way to renergize myself is through connecting with people who are completely passionate about what they do!! That is, other artists.

Surrounding oneself with passionate people has direct influence on psyche of another. I have noticed that after spending time with one of those neurotic, " about me" people for sometime my spirit droops and I also start to think in that negative way...... Not to talk about the headache they give!! But when I am surrounded by artists (or anyone who is completely passionate about something) I come out with a sense of excitement!!

Their passion transforms me into a better artist. I can't wait to get up in the morning and head for the easel with that residue excitement! So if you are feeling strangled, find someone who is brimming with excitement about art or life and that infectious feeling will get you bouncing! I think painting groups are a great way of inspiring one selves! I have learned more from my fellow artists than all the professors at the art school! Some artists feel that they are isolated from other artists because of their locations but at this age of social networks that is such a non issue! I have met some of the most passionate people on social netwoks than I could ever have ever imagined!!

Off to the easel for now! Have a creative week, my friends!

Criticism is Easy, Art is Difficult*

2011-04-11T14:24:00.000-04:00

Soar, Mixed Media Painting ,6"x6" 2011

"Criticism is something we can avoid easily by saying nothing, doing nothing and being nothing" -Aristotle

It is hard for creative people to be criticized. Most people who are artists have rice-paper thin skins and negativity can erode their confidence to shambles! I for one have a very thin skin when it comes to criticism (even though I am my worst critic)! But when I am thinking rationally (and not crying or asking people to fuck off) it has occured to me that many criticisms are coming from people that actually want me to improve. Well, some are just jerks!

But, it is a fact that being an artist is being inevitably open to critics! When you are doing something other than being utterly ordinary, people will find faults with you, personally or professionally! And as Bertrand Russel pointed out:

‘Conventional people are roused to fury by departure from convention, largely because they regard such departure as a criticism of themselves!

So, how do we actually navigate this sea of criticism?

Firstly, say nothing!I gotta admit, I very rarely take my own sane advice! I remember, in one of our Art Crit class another student started to make scathing remarks about my art...... I should have taken a matured approach, but what I did was equally childish! I said equally nasty things about her work! It was immature and made me look petty! After all these years, I wish I was not so childish.

So, I would reccomend that you think about the criticiam and analyze where it came from. Was it made to help you or was it simply a jealous ranting? Or more often than not, some one might be having a bad day and you were caught in the cross fire!

Ooh, I think another way to deal with it is to engage the critic in a dialogue! Ask him why he made the comment that he did? And more importantly maybe also consider if it has any merit! If some one points out that your measurements of a figure is all wrong, than ask her how to improve on it! I mean, if someone is criticizing you than they must have the tools to help you! Do I make sense?

And you know what is the best way to answer a criticism? To be even more amazing! You, being an artist is exceptional anyway!You are a sensitive and a creative person and that makes you a stand out! Why not be even more amazing? Make art that blows your critics away! Make something so extraordinary that your critics will be ashamed that they ever doubted you.

You can never predict "success"! But just believe that being an artist is success in itself. And if your family criticizes you for being poor, just tell them that what you have, most don't! You have the gift of creativity! That should put your critics to place!

* Philippe Destouches

Here I wander in April.....

2011-03-28T14:48:00.000-04:00

Here I wander in April
Cold, grey-headed; and still to my
Heart, Spring comes with a bound, Spring the deliverer,
Spring, song-leader in woods, chorally resonant;
Spring, flower-planter in meadows............R.L Stevenson

An Abstract Take on Nature, Mixed Media 14"x14", 2011

Spring is here! That's what the calender keeps telling us ; as well as the racks at the departmental store, with their skimpy clothes already out! But here in Connecticut, old man winter just refuses to leave! We actually had a few inches of snow on last Friday! Ridiculous.But spring is in my heart, that's for sure. I decided to do a whole series of paintings on spring! Or in other words, what I associate with spring: Life! Floweres are bursting throught the hardened grounds, the birds are returning to my window sill and I anticiapte the warmth that is sure to come ! Hopefully soon. After the winter we had, no one should deny us the pleasure of bright sunshine, gentle breeze and heady aroma of floweres!!
Well, we might have to wait for few more weeks for that , but I am already there, though my paintings!

Spring's
First puff of perfume mingled, Mixed Media, 8"x10", 2011

Undertones of Life, Mixed Media 9"x12", 2011

Off to the land where dreams come true.Mixed Media, 12"x16", 2011

Bragging for Bliss

2011-03-15T18:18:00.000-04:00

How do you feel about bragging? Do you ever do it? If you are like me, probably you shy away from talking about yourself (and I do talk a lot!). Heck, I tend to shy away from people who brags! Nothing is more annoying than people who turns everything into self praise! I understand, if we don't promote ourselves, no one will.... But to be flagrant about it does not sit well with me.Obviously I want to know about other artist's work and accomplishments but I don't want to be assaulted by their" bragolouges" !

Author Peggy Klaus, in her book How to Toot Your Own Horn Without Blowing it, discusses how to effectively brag about yourself without boring people to death! She suggests that bragging can be pretty effective if you know how. If you don't like the word brag then she advises to think of it as advertisement. And the best way to do it is through stories. If you know how to weave your accomplishments in a story format you stand a chance of people at least paying some attention. As long as you are telling the truth and telling it in an entertaing way people will listen. Instead of saying, " I got into this prestigious galley", it might sound much better if you say, " I am very fortunate that the gallery has decided to show my work". You are basically saying the same thing but the second version doesn't make you look like a braggart!

To effectively brag about yourself you should obviously be prepared to talk about yourself! And Klaus, provides a questionnaire on her website to help through the process. I have provided a link to the page. But just in case here is the list:

What would you and others say are five of your personality pluses?
What are the ten most interesting things you have done or that have happened to you?
What do you do for a living and how did you end up doing it?
What do you like/love about your current job/career?
How does your job/career use your skills and talents, and what projects are you working on right now that best showcase them?
What career successes are you most proud of having accomplished (from current position and past jobs)?
What new skills have you learned in the last year?
What obstacles have you overcome to get where you are today, both professionally and personally, and what essential lessons have you learned from some of your mistakes?
What training/education have you completed and what did you gain from those experiences?
What professional organizations are you associated with and in what ways_member, board, treasurer, or the like?
How do you spend your time outside of work, including hobbies, interests, sports, family, and volunteer activities?
In what ways are you making a difference in people's lives?

So, brag away my friends and do let me know how it is going! So far I am still tongue tied and embarrassed about bragging. Maybe you can help me with your insights!

Case for Not Setting "Goals"

2011-03-07T13:18:00.000-05:00

It might sound like a strange topic but do we really need goals to succeed? Most of you (and I) will say, of course! This quote by Bill Copeland puts it very succinctly:

“The trouble with not having a goal is that you can spend your life running up and down the field and never score”!

Without goals we will just float around and have no anchor to hold us to a vision! Our goals might be small or big, but I would say that we do need them, right?

Well, I came across an article in a blog I follow (Zenhabits), which states that we really don't need a goal to succeed! Actually, according to the author, setting goals limit us and binds us to a single path and kills spontaneity. Having a goal that was relevant for us a year for even weeks before, might not be relevant anymore. And doggedly following that goal will only make us miserable! This quote by the author sums up the crux of the whole article"

"Being liberated from goals means you will always be excited about what you’re doing. And yes, you’ll accomplish things. You’ll get somewhere great — you just might not have known you’d ever end up there when you started."-Zenhabits

The Zenhabits author, instead asks us to "focus" on what we want and that will help us get it (um, we need something to focus on : a goal, perhaps?). By being excited about something is enough to get it done!

I find this article contradictory. Focus to me is the handmaiden of goals. We need something to focus on! Maybe what the author means, is that we should not "laminate" our goals and put it on the mantle? That we should leave some room to evolve and as we change so would our goals? I agree that we should stay flexible but I can't agree that setting goals should be chucked all together! Specially for simple mortals like myslef! Without a beacon I would just flounder and probably sleep all day!!

So, what do you think? Should we set goals for ourselves or learn the art of "focusing" to get what we want?

Accidental Artist

2011-02-26T23:10:00.000-05:00

Are artists born? Or are they made? I have been dwelling on this question, on and off for a long time......Was Leonardo born an artist? Cezanne left his job to become an artist.......Did these artists (and many many others) knew what they wanted from the very beginning or art somehow sneaked into their lives? I can assure you, I am no closer to the answer than I was 5 years ago..... But I have come to the realization that art making is the result of an unique temperament. A temperament that seeks something out of ordinary! Whose daily existence is infused with excitement for creating something new..... I have always felt an unfulfillment in whatever I was doing. There was always an yearning for something "more". My parents always told me that, this was because I had ADD!! It never occurred to them or myself that maybe my imaginations needed an outlet and without the outlet it festered and made me feel disconnected from the world around me!

Candies, 18"x18", Oil on Canvas

When at last I stumbled into art, I found a a measure of peace. I could leave home without leaving at all! I could lose myself in daydreams without seeming dimwitted. And being paid for my dreams, is an added bonus!! I wonder how other artists feel... Did all of them know, they wanted to be an artist from the time they could hold a pencil? Or was it a slow realization? Or was it something like what happened to me? Like suddenly colliding with art and losing oneself? I know this post is sort of a rambling one and I might not be making much sense...... But I really want to know how you feel about it....... How did you become an artist?

Painting with Pigments-Pastel

2011-02-22T13:32:00.000-05:00

I am a restless soul. I wish I was not..... I wish I was one of those people who are consistent in their art. I, on the other hand thrive on challenge. Just when I started to feel I am sort of getting comfortable doing mixed media paintings/collages, I jumped into a completely new medium, Pastel!! I was a pastel "virgin", so to say! Never really worked with this medium before. We had to take pastel in collage as a mandatory course but I am sorry to say, I learned nothing from that class! First of all the teacher was not enthusiastic and as a result the course was more like a chore rather than being a pleasurable experience!

I wanted to really learn this medium and thankfully I met Claudia Post, a master pastelist, exhibiting at the same gallery where I show my work! Under her guidance, I am learning so much!! I had no idea that you can actually paint with pastel! We used turpentine with pastel to actually block in the shapes before we went into the" pastel"(hatching, scribbling, pointillism, etc) aspect. Once washed with turp, the under painting doesn't look that different from a oil painting in its initial stage.......I learned that pastel can be used as flatly or as texturally as we want!

I love to draw, so drawing with color appeals to me!. Combining my love of color and drawing to create an artwork seems like best of both worlds. The fact that soft pastels are mainly pure pigments, can give a painitng such depth that it fascinates me! It is just a start but I am going to pursue the medium till I get comfortable with it and its many nuances. The response I am getting for my pastel work is very encouraging and that will keep me going! Not that I will stop my mixed media works! It will always be my primary medium..... They appeal to me for completely different reasons! I can use unrelated objects to make a cohesive painting and at the same time do my share, in a very small way, to recycle products that has been relegated to trash.....It is such a cerebral enterprise, like solving a puzzle and who doesn't like puzzles??

Onto the studio for me and a happy creative week to you!

Pear and Citrus 12"x16", Pastel, 2011

Arrangement in Blues, 12"x16", Pastel, 2011

Green Jar, 11x14", Pastel, 2011

Creeping Shadows, 8"x10", Pastel, 2011

Overcoming Pricing Pain

2011-02-13T13:21:00.000-05:00

Pricing a painting is painful. I am always at a loss about how to price my work. I can never figure out whether I am under pricing or over pricing.....Theoretically I know what I should be doing when pricing a piece. But when it comes right down to it, it is always hard. Most of us would rather just make art and not worry about the business end of it, but sadly we gotta make a living out of our art!

I think the first thing we should try when pricing is to distance ourselves from our work.We should look around and figure out how other artists with our experience level (and doing similar works) are pricing their work. I mean, in the end people not only pays for a particular piece of art but our past accomplishments/experience as well. They want to feel they are not only getting a piece of art but also getting bang for their buck. They want to invest in an artist who has been around for a while. We have to practically judge our standing in the community where we are marketting our art and then price our's competively. My mom might think my painting should be priced in thousands, but seriously unless I am taking a broader view of the art community I am are just setting up myself for failure.

I don't know about others but many times I end up pricing my art proportional to my emotional attachment to it. Just because an artwork has a special meaning to me, does not mean a thing to the dealers or customers! If we do that, we might end up looking like amateurs. This is something I am trying hard to overcome. If I charge $500 for a little painting because I love it and $300 for another, it will just make me look silly! I have come up with a way to deal with this dilemma: I just don't put the work I am particularly attached to up for sale! I assign it as "Artists Collection". Ingenuous, huh?!!

Over pricing can be avoided but what about under pricing? Specially emerging artists like myself tend to under price their work. We want to please the buyer and make a sale and end up treating our work as orphans! Again I think the best way to price is to look around and find out what artists of our experience/niche are charging.

Recently, I chanced upon a way to price my work! What I am doing is actually giving myself a salary. If I charge say, $20 an hour and spend 10 hrs on an work, the price of the work will be about $200. And we might also want to add the cost of materials. That's a sensible approach, even though a little depressing. But when you are an emerging artist, you have to start somewhere. When I have acquired that experience and that CV, I will probably end up with a different formula to price my work.

I was talking to another artist a few days ago, and she told me how she prices her work. She calculates the square inches and multipiels that by 4 and comes up with the price. So, if the work is say 10x10, the price is 100x4=400. Of course there is always a little twicking involved. It seems like a practical way to do things!
So there! I would really like to know how you price your work. Maybe that will give me some clues on pricing......!

Give Up, "Giving Up"

2011-02-03T18:57:00.000-05:00

I am a quitter. I admit it! I give up all the time! Heck, one of my resolution for 2011 is to give up giving up! I quit dieting because I did not shed that 10 lbs I have been trying to lose for last 10 years......I quit art every other day when things don't go well! And so forth! But I think I have figured out how to keep myself grounded! These are few of the things I am trying out when I feel hopeless and ready to give up!

1.Walk away When going gets rough and my head is ready to explode, I just try to walk away. Leave my studio and recharge my batteries.Take some time off to regain my composure. The distance really helps. I read and watch movies. I read somewhere reading novels and watching movies are the best ways to forget "self"! And that's what I have been doing! By virtue of our profession, I think we never really get a vacation! So I just give myself forced vacation where I don't' even allow me to come near my studio! By walking away I get a fresh take on things and stuff don't seem so`` hopeless!

2. Accountability Whether we like it or not, our actions affect others.And that can be a positive thing too.When I am feeling like chucking it all and walking away for good, I just think about how many people I will disappoint!. My husband is my biggest cheerleader and he had put me through art school at great expense and sacrifice! And if I just quit, I will disappoint him the most! This is one of the most important motivator for me to do well. I want him to feel that he had not sacrificed in vain! I am sure there are people in everyone's life they don't want to disappoint. Maybe this is what they call accountability?!

3. Non perfection: All right, that might not be good English but this is what I am trying to say: giving up that desire for perfection can actually make us happier! At least that is one of my problems. When I am doing something I want it to be flawless! I always have this picture in my head about how a finished work should look like! And when it does not, it disappoints me. If this keeps happening a number of time, then I am on the verge of chucking the project all together. But, I am trying to focus more on the process than on the result. I hope this will reduce my disappointment if the work does not turn out as I want.

4. Baby Steps: Like I mentioned, I have this vision about what a painting will look like even before I have begun it! I think when we have a goal like that, it makes it harder on us and every time we don't realize the goal we feel bad about ourselves. But if we focused only on the task at hand and not try to obsess about the result , we might not feel like quitting! Taking small step towards big goals can be helpful because it would not overwhelm! I have to really try that.....Compartmentalization , I think is the answer. I just hope I will take my own advice!

I have these little rules right in front of my desk so that whenever I am feeling like quitting, I can look up and see what I need to do! I have not quit blogging yet, see? They just might work!What are your strategies? Let me know! Soon again, my friends!

Ways to Deal with Creative Funk

2011-01-27T22:19:00.000-05:00

I have been in a creative funk all this week!! Seriously! All I have been doing is chatting on facebook and twitting! That too halfheartedly! The continuous onslaught of snow storms has not helped either!! After wallowing in self pity and lethargy, it dawned on me, that if I don't pull myslef out of this abyss, no one will! And I resorted to my true and tested methods of getting out of funk! I am not saying these are "methods to get your creativity going", but they seem to work for me! I thought I would share them with you too!

1. Read, Read, Read! This is something that almost always gets me out of my lethargy! Popular novels relaxes by taking my mind off daily cares! Heck when you are fighting Vampires and werewolves, who has time to worry about unpaid bills? Most importantly the books that are truly inspirational to me are my art history books! If you have read my blogs, you know that I am an art history buff! I even did a minor in art history! At this time I am reading a couple of books; one is What makes a Masterpiece, edited by Christopher Dell and another is Women, Art and Society by Whitney Chadwick. Jeez, those chicks had to really fight to get accaptance and to be able to do what they loved!! Wasting away precious time when I have been lucky enough to do what I love, seemed like blashphemy! This book was like a quick kick to my backside!!

2. Spy, Spy! Yup, I browse the internet and spy on other artists to get myself going! Also I visit the museums and galleries to see what everyone is up to! When you see everyone else is creating amazing art and all you are doing is wandering the halls in pajamas, it only makes you feel like a loser! Looking at other artists successes is the best way to start myself going!Okay, I admit, I suffer from artists envy! But it can be a good thing specially when I am being a mope!

3. Clean Clean Clean! Giving my studio and kitchen a good cleaning always makes me feel better! A cluttered studio, most of the time makes for a cluttered mind! So I cleaned my studio, and since I was in the mood, I cleaned the kitchen too! With everything spruced up, my spirit uplifted and I felt like I can take on the world!
4. Supplies! Yeah, shopping for supplies gets me going! I don't know any artist who doesnt feel excited in an art store! As I am lucky to have an ASW store within 30 miles from my home, I spent a few hours there! After spending a few hundred bucks, you can't really not work in a good concience! Ahh, the smell of turpentine and linseed oil, the touch of paper and canvas! Sure fire way to get into creative bliss. A little expensive to get into it but heck, when you are feeling like I was, it is worth it!

5. Diversify! I have been working with mixed media collages at this time..... Since I have been feeling a little bereft of ideas, I decided to focus on separate medium to get myself excited! By doing drawings and little pastel works, I felt my spirit lifted! Pastel is a completely new medium for me and working with pastel excited me so much, I forgot to mope!! In other words, when feeling creatively bankrupt, it is always helpful to delve into some other medium. The newer the medium the better! As artists we get so excited when mastering a new medium, it gets our creative juices flowing!

Temptation, Oil on Canvas, Ishita Bandyo

I am not saying these are going to work for everyone. But they work for me most of the time! And if it helps you a little all the better! Heck, if nothing works, then there is always candy to give us a sugar kick!! Until next time! Ciao.

Charcoal/Graphite

2011-01-24T14:32:00.001-05:00

Head of a Horse, Graphite on Bristol Paper

Head of a Man, Charcoal on Paper

I think each artist chooses their medium because it suits their personality. I would sometime wonder why some one decides to work with graphic mediums and not delve in the beauty of color? But I now understand that some material appeals to our inner soul and that becomes our tools to express.

I have been doing some cast drawings for last couple of months, to keep my drawing skills going and have been using charcoal for that purpose. The rich black darks that you can get with charcoal is fabulous. Its velvety and smooth and makes a drawing striking with its richness. But one trouble that I have been having, is that, I can't get the smooth transition from one value to the next.I want the transition to be seamless! I have been asked, why would I want that, since the drawings are good as they are! But the thing is I want to learn how to do it! Even if I never do it again after I have mastered the technique!!

I decided to try graphite and see if I will be able to get that smooth transition through this medium. And viola! I could! I should be happy right? I wans'nt! I missed that darkness achieved through charcoal! The values transitioned beautifully in graphite but it didn't matter!I want my dark! I tried stumping and that gave me some richness but still it was not as dark as I would like to have! I guess, I can't have both at the same time! Or I need to seek out teachers who can help me with that! Sigh! Decide for yourself and your comments would be very helpful!

Equus

2011-01-19T11:54:00.000-05:00

Equus 16"x16", Mixed Media Collage 2011

Flight, 10"x20" Mixed Media Collage, 2010

Take Me to the Moon, 12"x16" Mixed Media Collage 2010

Gemini, 16"x20, Mixed Media Collage, 2011

I love painting in series. It gives me an opportunity to explore my ideas to the fullest! I am at this moment very much intrigued the the imagery of horses! The horse can be a symbol of strength or sexuality, depending on how one wants to explore the symbol. Since I saw the movie, Equus, I have been thinking about horse in terms of being a sexual smybol and a sort of god figure...... But once I started painting them I could not see the horse as much as a sexual symbol but as a symbol of freedom! How many time do we use the terminology "riding off to the sunset"? And by painting them over and over again, maybe I am trying to achieve that freedom without leaving home and my responsibilities. Maybe painting is not only about color and design but psychological longings that even the artist is not aware of?

Paintings with Biographies

2011-01-10T13:57:00.000-05:00

Sargent, Daughters of Edward Boit,

Tyler Green’s blogs are always fun to read! In one of his recent blog post he talked about painting’s biographies! And that got me thinking! There are some paintings that intrigue you and makes you come back to them again and again!And you want to know about their “life”! When you think about these paintings, you always wonder who the people in the painting were…. What were their relationships with the artist, what were their lives like….!

One such painting is The Daughters of Edward Darley Boit at Boston MFA. Whenever I visit the MFA, I stand in front of this painting and wonder about these grave little girls. What was the story of their lives? Why do they look like they have a secret to keep? It was really interesting when Tyler Green wrote about the new book published by the MFA called, Sargent’s Daughters: The Biography of a Painting. The book talks about Sargent and the Boit family and interweaves their stories with the atmosphere of the American Expatriate community. The book also follows the painting's journey from the Boit family collection to the MFA collection. In other words the book tells the “biography” of the painting from its inception to its final resting place.

Below are some of the paintings that can have amazing biographies written about them! These are some of my all time favorite paintings!

Velazquez, La Meninas

The first on my list is La Meninas. It has host of characters and intriguing placement of figures and the general air of mystery! Think about all the characters and that looming figure of the artist himself! This biography can ran for 500 pages, at least! I would call the book, “The Ghosts in the Mirror”!

Manet, Bar at Folies-Bergere

Another painting that has always captured my imagination is The Bar at Folies-Bergere, by Manet! Again there is that puzzle about the mirror! But I wonder about the girl…. Who was she? What was her story? How did she meet Manet? What was he thinking when he made the painting? Oh, the things we can find out if these paintings could talk! I would call the Biography, “Puzzling Reflections”

Rembrandt, The Night Watch

The third painting on my list is The Night Watch by Rembrandt.The possibilities!! Who are these people? Why are there women in the painting, which is essentially about men with arms? What was Rembrandt’s relationship with the patron/s? We do know that, this was one of his last major commissions. After this painting, he lost much of his patronage and declined into poverty! Coincidence? I will call the biography, “The Night Watchers and Rembrandt’s Fall”.

So these are my three choices for today! I would love to hear about your choices!

Words to Show the Way

2011-01-04T15:38:00.000-05:00

Every New Year I set goals, like almost everyone else...... And like most I never fulfill these! The goals get lost in the daily hubbub of life. Even though most of the time I remember the gist of the goals, I forget the majority of them.... This year reading a couple of other blogs, notably Lisa Call and Cynthia Morris, I decided to go with the word of the year rather than long list of goals! A word can be like a little nugget that we can hold in our hands and every time we remember that word we can get a renewed sense of purpose! So I choose STRUCTURE as the word of the year 2010! I think what I need most in my life at this time is a solid structure to take me to the next level! I need a structure to make my financial goals more attainable (make a living solely out of art) and more importantly find more outlets to share my artworks with others. Every time I see myself slipping I need to hold on to this word to show me the way!

Antique Head, Ishita Bandyo (Copy From Cast)

Oh,one more word that I need to keep close to my heart is "Patience". I sorely need it in terms of being in a marathon race of an art career as well as being a mom. Anyhow, I thought I will add my drawing for this week as well!

The Last Stand

2010-12-30T16:23:00.000-05:00

Antique Torso, Charcoal

Fly Me to the Moon, Mixed Media Collage

My plan for 2010 was to finish at least 50 paintings! I did about 38, a mixture of good , bad and ugly! But fell short of my goal. For last couple of days I have been scampering to get a few pieces done! I know, creativity cannot be measured in numbers but if I did not give myself deadlines, I doubt, I would do much! Amidst procrastinations and sleeping sickness, I did manage to complete two paintings, albeit small ones and a drawing. At least that drags me into the 40s! I am still hoping to do a small drawing tomorrow but considering my little girl is likely to stay home, it seems unlikely! Ah well, here are the fruits of my efforts!
Adieu!

Cave Art Masterpieces

2010-12-29T14:45:00.001-05:00

What makes something a masterpiece? Is it the mystique involved with the art and the artist? Is it technique and finesse of execution or is it the ability to fascinate the observer? In my take, the so called masterpieces are arts that somehow touches the human soul and can engage human curiosity through ages! Monalisa by daVinci, the Sistine Chapel frescoes by Michelangelo, the Sunflowers by Vangogh, all has that same quality. They fascinates the viewer. The story behind the artwork and the artists who created them adds to the endurance of these pieces. If that is the case then I think some of the cave arts should be called masterpieces as well. Some of the drawings discovered in the dark crevices at Chauvet, France, are nothing short of amazing pieces of artworks!
I am not a anthropologist or a paleontologist, an archeologist or even a an expert on cave arts! I am an artist who understands good art when I see one. And the amazing drawings at Chauvet are some of the best drawings I have seen. I am not going to venture into the discussion why they were made! Were they shamanic or graffiti by teenage boys (they found adolescent foot prints in front of some of the drawings) or done by bored cave housewives! I doubt if all the scholars writing academic papers have any clear ideas themselves. They conjunct but there are always detractors who propose an alternative theory!

Horses, Chauvet Cave, France

Chauvet Cave Drawings, France

Rhinos, Chauvet Cave, France


Rhino, Chauvet Cave, France

When Picasso saw the cave drawings in Lascaux, he exclaimed,“They’ve invented everything.” I feel the same way when I looked at the amazing Chauvet drawings. Since they don't let people in the caves, my seeing them first hand doesn't seem likely but even the reproductions seem to writhe with life. If we look at the rendition of the horses, they were done with exquisite strokes, with sure hands! They have used shading as well as the lines with varying degrees of thickness to indicate volume......The way they have overlapped the figures of the horses or the rhinos and bisons, seem to show them in motion.I find them almost like animations The sense of motion is so palpable. If we listened carefully we can almost hear the thundering of the hooves! How many times in the life drawing classes we had to adjust the limbs of the model when they shifted position? Some of the drawings at Chauvet seems to be doing just that. The overlapping figures of the canine figures seem to indicate they were trying to capture their movement. It might be that these are symbolic paintings but the way they are rendered makes me think, whoever was in charge of making these drawings over the thousands of years, actually enjoyed doing them. They observed and took pains to draw the animals with precision! Heck, some of these drawings are better than many of my student drawings! I am just frustrated that I won't be able to see them first hand! Maybe when they find a system to control the climate down there, they might allow spectators in! Until then lets enjoy this simulated visit to the shrines of the oldest painters: http://www.culture.gouv.fr/culture/arcnat/chauvet/en/

New Year in Jersalem:NOT

2010-12-27T18:58:00.000-05:00


Heroic Symbol, Photograph, Anslem Kiefer

I am not an expert on Anslem Kiefer. I know about him as much as the next person who is involved in the art world! Art critics have written about Anslem’s art ad nauseum! And the incident at the Gagosian has been covered by every one of the major publications, including NY Times. So why do I need to write about this? I frankly don't but since like everyone else, I have an opinion about everything, I thought I might as well air them!

Peaceful Activists at the Gagosian Gallery

Kiefer's art has always struck me as sensationalist at best. Born at the end of WWII, he portrays himself as being the bastard offspring of the Third Reich, with strong identity issues. I have still not been able to decide whether he was actually commenting on the Nazi culture by donning the Nazi uniform and doing a Hitler salute or was that just a twenty something artists’ way to get attention (this was in the ‘60s)! According to the artist, these self portraits were his attempts to make his countrymen confront their shameful past. Whatever his motives, he comes back again and again to the same subject matter.

The newest exhibition “New Year in Jerusalem" at the Gagosian gallery, NY, explores the same theme of devastation unleashed by the absolute State. Ironically, the events that unfolded at the Gagosian, made the theme of the show a mockery! On December 18^th, the closing day of the show, the gallery workers decides to mix things up by unleashing the NYPD on a few unsuspecting activists. These anti-war activists were not doing anything other than donning black t-shirts with “New Year in Jerusalem” written on them in English, Hebrew and Arabic. They were going round looking at the art or conversing with people who approached them with questions, nothing to disturb the peace in the gallery. The NYPD gleefully shoved and manhandled the activists and an officer eventually ended up hurting a German woman who was not even one of the activists! This incident would not have been so disturbing if it did not come right after the incident at the Smithsonian, where recently a silent activist was thrown out for showing the video Fire in My Belly on his Ipad.

The two incidents are quite different from each other in scope but are they that different when it comes to our right to expression and peaceful assembly? I would understand completely if the Gagosian wanted the activists out, were they making trouble for the other gallery goers. But it seems to me that the gallery does not know the meaning of peaceful assembly. Apparently the activists were told that they were causing trouble in a place of business. But looking at art and making a commentary(they were silent!) on them does not seem like disrupting someone’s business! Maybe I don’t understand what is going on in the larger art world, where museums and galleries feel they need to put up a show of power!

I really want to make sense of what is happening in the art world!

Hide/Seek- An update

2010-12-25T13:16:00.000-05:00

The controversy is still raging regrading the Hide/Seek exhibition at the Smithsonian. I am not getting into the the whole thing today, but just wanted to share this with you. AA Bronson, an artist and the director of the Institute of Art, Religion and Social Justice, has requested the National Portrait Gallery to pull out his work (“Felix, June 5, 1994″ ) that was on the Hide/Seek exhibit. Bronson posted the following on this facebook status, "I wrote to the National Portrait Gallery this evening requesting that they remove my work “Felix, June 5, 1994″ from the “Hide/Seek” exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery. As an artist who saw first hand the tremendous agony and pain that so many of my generation lived through, and died with, I cannot take the decision of the Smithsonian lightly. To edit queer history in this way is hurtful and disrespectful."

I think it is noble and courageous on part of Bronson to be doing this! Who knows what the fallout is going to be on his career?1 But I love the fact that he felt strongly enough to be able to take this decision! I wonder if I would have been able to be so strong?

2010 - An Odyssey

2010-12-21T20:58:00.000-05:00

2010 has been an incredible year! I missed being Times "Woman of the Year", but I have come a long way! At the beginning of this year I was still suffering from identity crisis. I did not know how to answer when someone asked what I did for a living ..... Should I say I am a relapsed artist and a stay at home mom? Or that I am on a sabbatical? Or should I just plain say, I have no idea. After graduating from art college in 2007, and having a baby in 2008, I could not say with confidence that I am a "professional" artist! I still had that student mentality and felt odd calling myself an artist! And I did not want to define my existence around my child. For some reason I dreaded the "stay at home mom" badge!

At the beginning of 2010, I have had enough and had to shake of the apathy that had completely taken control of my mind..... I started reading about art and artists and visited museums and galleries with a screaming baby strapped to my chest! The more art I saw, the more motivated I became. I started painting everyday, between my daughters naps and after my husband came home. I hired a nanny to stay with my daughter for few hours a day, so I could paint. Now at the end of 2010, I know I had done the right thing. I have to be happy for my daughter to be happy. No one wants a grumpy mom! Alyson Stanfield, in one of her blog posts posed the question about what we had achieved this year and I can say that I have achieved a lot more than I thought I will at the start of 2010.

The most important thing that I am doing is painting everyday! I have set studio hour and I stick to it! I have a couple of galleries showing my works....I am also a part owner of a gallery! I could not even imagine at the beginning of the year that I will actually own a business! I barely had any idea what a blog was, for that matter! I thought you have to be really "cool" to actually have a blog! What can I possibly say in a blog? As it turns out, a lot! I even have a facebook fan page! I did not know much about facebook, let alone a facebook fan page! I have made so many friends this year that it really blows me away! And many of these people , I have never even met in life! All and all, I don't feel completely discontent with this year..... I have a long way to go before my aspirations are fulfilled but at least I am moving in the right direction! I hope 2011 will be even more productive in both personal and professional field. One thing I really need to work this coming year is on myself and I am sure things will fall in place. I wanted to include a few paintings I did this year that shows my development as an artist this year! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all.

Citrus, Oil on Panel, 8"x16"

Life Gives You Lemon, Oil on Canvas, 11"x14"

Candies for Sale, Oil on Canvas, 18"x18"

Liquid Candy, Oil on Canvas, 18"x24"

Falling Leaves, Mixed Media on Paper, 12"x16"

Melodies, Mixed Media on Panel, 8"x10"

Drawing again

2010-12-15T13:22:00.001-05:00

I let the ball drop on drawing yet again! I was supposed to do at least one finished drawing a week and somehow December is proving to be not such a creative month! All the social engagements and the shopping has cut into my studio time, it seems!!

Last night I was at an artist gathering at my gallery and as we talked about our art, the issue of drawing came up again and again! All of us agreed on the importance of drawing well! And doing it frequently! Diane Aeschliman (a fine draftsman), Jan Blencowe, and master pastellist Claudia Post, all agreed that drawing has played a major role in their becoming good painters! I have talked about this issue in another post and I am not going to bore you with that again! But last nights discussions with other artists has sort of propelled me back to my drawing board! SO here goes my latest effort!

Brugghen and Caravaggio- A brief Comparison

2010-12-13T20:25:00.000-05:00

A research on Caravaggio and Caravaggism brought me to this painting by him. It is called the Calling of St.Mathew.


Calling of St Mathew, Caravaggio, 1599-1600, Rome

This is a typical Caravaggio with strong chiaroscuro and dramatic gestures. Not to mention non-idealized figures. And my search for Caravaggism also brought up another Calling painting.

Calling of St Mathew, Brugghen,, 1621, Utrecht

At the first glance of course, I thought this was another one of his painting, slightly altered for another patron. Wrong. This one was done by an Utrecht painter called Hendrik ter Brugghen (1588-1629)! He is one of the first Dutch followers of Caravaggio. It is known that he spent some time in Italy, but art historians are not sure whether he actually met Caravaggio. Not that it matters much. His sojourn in Rome must have given him ample chance to look at the master’s paintings and also that of his many followers.

Whenever I think of Dutch painters of that era, soft subdued paintings by Vermeer come to mind. We don’t really associate Dutch paintings with strong chiaroscuro and flamboyance like that of Caravaggio. Brugghen of course painted popular subject matters like the one below- including musical scenes and houses of ill reputes. Even though the subject matter here is typically Dutch, the treatment still remains very Caravaggesuqe! Strong single source of light and rich darks being the hallmark of Caravaggism.

The Concert, Brugghen,1626

In both Calling of St. Mathew and The Concert, one thing that distinguishes Brugghen from Caravaggio is the composition. He paints massive forms very close to the picture plane against mostly light background. His dramatic cropping gives the pictures more intimacy. While Caravaggio's paintings are awe inspiring and intense, Brugghen’s paintings are dramatic but more accessible.

If we look at both the Calling paintings, we see that Brugghen has toggled Caravaggio's composition! But he did retain the other painter's repoussoir, which is pushing back of the figures inside the picture plane to create space (it is my opinion that Caravaggio creates space more effectively than Brugghen). Brugghen also used Caravaggio’s penchant for putting figures in profile. But Brugghen’s painting is not just a plagiarism of Caravaggio’s work. His modeling of form is more subtle, with amazing handling of light and shadow which is heightened by his handling of highlights! The fabrics are modeled delicately with bluish gray undertone. The cropped figures close to the picture plane makes the viewer a part of the painting, whereas Caravaggio’s painting is almost theatrical with viewer standing off the stage. In other word's Caravaggio's painting is more cinematic.

Even though Brugghen is a close follower of Caravaggio, I think trained eyes will be able to differentiate the paintings For the less initiated the difference would seem very minimal. To me the most important distinction between these two is their modeling of form. The starkness of Caravaggio and the subtle modeling of Brugghen is something that differentiates these two. And it seems to me that Caravaggio’s palette is dominated by ochre whereas Brugghen’s is dominated by cooler colors like lavender gray. But then again, I am looking at reproductions! I hope someday, I will be able to stand in front of these paintings and can give a more authentic account!

Restless Leg Syndrome

2010-12-10T13:57:00.000-05:00

I am wondering if all artists are restless or is it just the society in general? It seems to me that I am always rushing! Always running around to get things done or generating more things to do! I remember as a chhild growing up in India, we would lie down on the roof and watch the stars. Those hot humid nights are some of my most treasured memories..... I don't think I have stared at the stars for last ten years at least! I am always running, so how can I look at the stars?
I have this deadline for myself that I will finish at least one painting a week! If I paint for 6 hours a day then I should be able to finish a painting in 30 hours......SO I am always anxious to "finish" a painting, it seems! This ridiculous self imposed deadline means I am not enjoying the process as much as I should! It has become a race against time, rather than slowing time down!
It should be one of my new year resolution, to pace myself, so I can enjoy life. What does it matter if I don't seem so busy after all? What if I take some time to seat at Starbucks and just stare at the wall? What if I leave my iphone at home and disconnect for a day? In the large scheme of things, in 20 years will it matter that I did not finished a painting a week? But it will matter hugely to my daughter, if we found the time to lay down on the grass and stare at the stars!
This weeks painting is below. I will try to stress less if I am not able to meet my "quota"!

Flight, 8"x16", Mixed Media Collage, 2010

Art and Censorship

2010-12-03T14:11:00.002-05:00

"Artists must continue the conquest of new territory and new taboos"
- Norman Rosenthal, Director of the Royal Academy of Arts, London

The blogosphere today buzzed with controversy at the Smithsonian! The Smithsonian finally bowed to the pressure from the religious groups, specially the Catholic League, and removed a 4 minute video, which according to the right wing sensibility is "anti-religion".The NPG was showing an excerpt (the original is 30 minutes long) from a piece titled "Fire in My Belly" which gay artist David Wojnarowicz made in honor of Peter Hujar, his lover and fellow artist ( Hujar died of AIDS in late 1980's). For few seconds, the video, shows a crucifix, crawling with ants! I obviously did not find any anti religion overtone in that short excerpt! If anything the whole thing reeked of human sadness over losing a loved one! It does not have the blatant disrespect of Andres Serano's Piss Jesus, done more for sensationalism than anything else!
Boner,( ooops, I meant Boehner) and his right wing cronies soon jumped on the bandwagon and turned the whole thing into a media circus! David Wojnarowicz, has been dead for 20 years and obviously can't defend his art but I (and many others, I am sure) feel strongly that the Smithsonian should not have caved to political demands! But then Smithsonian is a not a bastion of free thinking! The fact that a four minute video was removed is not really as concerning as the fact that at end of the first decade of the twenty first century we are still plagued by bigotry! A work of art does not defile religion. Intolerance does.

The Holy Virgin Mary, Chris Ofili (Part of the Sensation Exhibition. The black Madonna made with elephant dung was one of the controversial images)

I remember the huge controversy surrounding the Sensation Exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum! The major player was then Mayor of NYC, Giuliani! He condemned the show as "sick" and tasteless and threatened to cut funding from the museum! May I add, he did not see the show prior to making the accusations! Steven C. Dubin, a writer for Art in America observed "Art critic, landlord, social worker and sponsorship scold: Giuliani tried on all these hats and more, desperately hoping to find one that fits".
Another such controversy was in 1989,when the Corcoran Gallery of Art announced that it was canceling the Mapplethorpe Retrospective because it hurts the sensibility of the public and it did not want to "adversely affect the NEA's congressional appropriations". Artists, students and gay and lesbian rights activists picketed the Corcoran, while slides of Mapplethorpe photographs are projected on the museum's facade. Just another example of censorship at play!


David Wojnarowciz (Silence\Death)

My point is,the Smithsonian incidence is not the first time American politics has affected art! And if we think this controversy will be the last one, then we are mistaken! I understand if religious groups find it objectionable that their revered symbols are being used, well , not "religiously"! But I think they should take it as it is! Just an expression of an individual artist! If their belief system is strong and deep enough, they can take these minor things in their stride! My only concern is that, if art has to bow down to religious and political pressure, will a day come when self expression withers away? Does anyone else think this smells like the Nazi oppression of art and artists prior to WWII? America would hopefully not follow down that same disastrous path! One thing that makes America great is the freedom of Speech and Expression. If we take that away, don't we lose a moral ground? Food for thought.....

Creativity\Solitude

2010-11-30T18:53:00.000-05:00

Recently I found a website/blog called Zenhabits. One of the posts that I liked is called the Lost Art of Solitude! The post talks about how solitude is one of the most important thing artists need to create art! Or rather, any creative person needs time away from the general society.I agree with this wholeheartedly! I create best when I stay away from people ! I might sound unsocial or reclusive but I have found that when I am interacting too much with people, I somehow lose that edge I need to create.Maybe I am one of those people who can't compartmentalize......When I am out and about with friends or family too much, I am emotionally too exhausted to actually focus and reach deep down within myself that holds the well of creativity! Silence makes me eloquent! Is it true for you too? Do you feel that by being still you are able to speak more?

I have a feeling that I am creating less now that the Holiday season is here. I am out and about too much! When I am not really "out" I am thinking of the stuff that I need to do before I have to get out again! Saying "no" to all the engagements that takes us away from our art is perhaps not possible.... But I am looking forward to maybe staying away from society for next couple days...At least till the weekend, when I will be sucked into the vortex of merry making...... Let me end with this quote:
“I never found the companion that was so companionable as solitude. We are for the most part more lonely when we go abroad among men than when we stay in our chambers.” ~ Thoreau
You can read more about this topic here: Zenhabits

Portrait of Paloma

2010-11-24T15:48:00.001-05:00

Drawing children takes a different kind of skill. There is always a chance that they might end up looking too mature for their age and be a parody of themselves! Only a very few artists, in my opinion has been able to capture that essence of childhood. Mary Cassat is one of the painters, I feel who was able to do it with aplomb! Even though Sargent is one of my most favorite painters , I always feel his portraits of children lack the innocence I would love to see in them . The portraits of the daughters of Edward Boit, specially has a sense of mystery and secretiveness that makes for a great work of art but it does lacks the sense of innocence and vulnerability! Of course I have to add here, that romanticizing children and sugar coating their portraits is not something I am advocating! What I want from a child's portrait is to glimpse his character but at the same time have that sense of sweetness! But it is always easy to critique someone else work than to do one's own!

Portrait of a Child, Marry Cassat

Daughters of Edward Boit, Sargent Boston MFA

Paloma, Ishita Bandyo

The case in point is my rendering of Paloma, my two year old (going on three) ! She looks way older than her true age. I think the harsh lighting has something to with that. I feel proportionally it is not too bad but somehow, there is something missing ...... Something that makes it Paloma. She looks not only older but sort of wiser! Maybe that is who she is, but being her mom I still see her as the little infant I brought home?

Man, Myth and Sensual Pleasures: Jan Gossart's Renaissance

2010-11-22T16:44:00.001-05:00

I recently caught the Gossart exhibition, "Man, Myth, and Sensual Pleasures", at the Met, NYC. It was really exciting to see the evolution of an artist! I think the exhibition was pretty comprehensive as it not only followed Gossart’s development as an artist, but also placed him in the broader artistic scene of the time.

In the early part of his career, his style was no different from other Antwerp based Mannerist painters! His work at this juncture shows the same devotion to line, bold colors and overcrowded compositions! Fastidious rendering of architectural details and improbable relationship between these structures and the human figures were completely mannerist in style. He fit in perfectly with the artistic environment at this point in his career. In many of the paintings at the show, the architectural details are obsessive! In one "Madonna and Child" triptych the background was so crammed, it takes away from the central theme of the painting! Not to mention the garish colors!

As the exhibition moves on to the next phase of his career, the shift in his style is palpable.Even though his paintings still remained somewhat mannerist, there was a marked move towards a more natural style! It seemed to me there was some hesitancy to his approach at this juncture but no doubt he was moving away from his earlier style! In a painting of the holy family (sorry about lack of pictures, everything everywhere is copyrighted) we can discern overlap of styles! While the background has the same crowded and detailed look as his earlier paintings, the holy family seems to be painted in a more naturalist way! The form seems fuller and the acid colors of mannerism seemed to have softened! I really did not understand why Joseph was rendered as an ugly old man, whereas Mary and Jesus were painted to look like royalty! But that is another topic all together!

His trip to Italy with Phillip of Burgundy at this point, leads to more acute change in his style! He copied sculptures tirelessly and the drawings show his endeavor towards a natural rendering of the human form! The drawings of Cain and Able and those of Adam and Eve are beautifully rendered with fluid gestures but with attention to anatomy! No more strangely dragged out and distorted anatomy that was still part of Northern Art! A Durer Adam and Eve etching was nearby to show the divergent style! I absolutely loved his sculptural rendering of a sorrowful Jesus! The controposto of the seated Jesus was actually copy of the torso of the Apollo Belvedere but the expression on face of Christ is so human, it almost brings tear in one’s eyes! Gossart has finally come to his own! He is made the cut into that elusive definition of a “Master”. His humanity and technique has molded together to make great art!

The exhibition next moves onto his commercial portraits..... They are done superbly with flawless technique of course! But to me the high point of the exhibition was the Sorrowful Jesus, where, I think the Gossart , who changed the Netherlandic painting to its later form, came into being!

"Man, Myth, and Sensual Pleasures: Jan Gossart's Renaissance" ran at The Metropolitan Museum of Art through January 17, 2010.

I have included a conservation Clip at the bottom from You tube, Really interesting !

Artist's Dilemma

2010-11-18T12:19:00.000-05:00

Artists create for a variety of reasons.... So for expression, some for fame and some for money.....
I make art for an entirely different reason! Other than wanting to be immortal (I have another blog post on that), I think I have a deep rooted psychological need to make art! To me, making art is to "being". I make art feverishly just to prove to myself that I can and that I am actually an "artist". There is a deep seated fear that I am not a "real" artist and that if I don't create every waking moment, I won't "be" anymore! See, making money is not as big a deal to me, as the fact that people actually like my art to the point, where they are dropping their hard earned money to own something I have made! That I am valued as a real "artist" and not an impostor!! Narcissism? Maybe! But this constant fear that if I don't produce, I will cease to be considered an authentic "artist" just makes me obsessive to a point where I even refuse to get a regular paying job.... All I want to do all day, everyday is to make art! To Be! Every time I feel insecure and feel I am losing my "self", I have to absolutely do something creative. I really have no other life..... I refuse invitations and make my husband go alone...... Whenever I talk to "regular" people, I find that I have nothing much to say!.....This can't be healthy! Can it ? I wonder if all my fellow artists feel that way? If they feel alive and "be" only when they are working? I don't know. Is it?

Drawing: Again!

2010-11-16T16:27:00.000-05:00

So, bored with my drawings yet? I hope not! Since I am having such a ball! I am thinking of starting another drawing tomorrow. I wish I had more patience to take more time to finish a drawing! To make the modeling more precise..... I am making myself slow down but it seems I can't slow down any more! My drawing teacher, Jon de Martin will probably make me erase the whole thing but I am okay with this one! Hope you enjoy this.

Drawing-Head III

2010-11-11T10:32:00.001-05:00

I just wanted to add this picture to the drawing series. I need to finish at least one painting this month and I have been so engrossed in drawing that I haven't kept up with painting. With the holiday show coming up at the gallery (www.mapleandmaingallery.com) I need to step up!

Drawing-Head of a Man

2010-11-09T12:18:00.000-05:00

Ugly men are so much fun to draw! That did not come out right; what I mean is men with rugged face and prominent features are fun to draw/paint! Whew, that sounds much more politically correct! I think babies and pretty women are hardest to paint with their smooth skin and regular features....Maybe some artists drawn more to imperfection than so called ideal beauty.... Leonard loved to draw deformed people.... And personally, I think those drawings are far better than his drawings of beautiful women. They have a pathos and integrity that the others lacked (again, my personal opinion and I understand if people disagree)! I wanted to include of some of the drawings by Leonardo that I absolutely love!. Here is a link to a drawing of a hunchback that he drew. I want to copy it but I can't find a high resolution drawing to copy from...... Time to hit the libraries!

http://www.drawingsofleonardo.org/images/grotesque.jpg

Drawing a day, keeps the cobweb away?

2010-11-03T16:31:00.000-04:00

Back to Drawing I! Finally got to the head! I think I will take a break from drawing for this week! I got to get a couple of painting done for the Holiday Show at the Gallery! I can't believe the holidays are upon us! Macy'has been playing Old Santa songs since October..... So here it goes: Another Copy from Charles Bargue Drawing Lessons!

Drawing a day : Still at it!

2010-11-02T15:46:00.000-04:00

So this is the new one for today......

The pages are getting too dirty though! Next time I am going to do what my favorite teacher Jon deMartin did! Draw the whole thing on a tracing paper and when all the kinks are worked out, transfer the drawing to the paper... No dirty smudges and eraser mark! So, now that I have some idea about how to draw, I think I will venture into more scary prospect of drawing the head! Yup, you heard me right!! Onward now..... I will paint with color for the rest of the day.... I think!

Follow up on drawing

2010-11-01T16:50:00.000-04:00

I think I have made some headway in my drawings! Not fighting with the medium as much but still struggling with the proportions.....I think I am getting a little obsessed by technique and not enough "creativity".I am not sure if that's good or bad but obsession can be dangerous sometime.... I was just thinking what if I get so bogged down by the grass that I fail to see the meadow anymore(or something like that)! Is creativity more important than technique? Or the other way around? I think the best way will be a marriage between the two? Are there any happy marriages out there??Ah well, here it goes:

Drawing

2010-10-27T23:32:00.000-04:00

Lets read the quotes before we go on further with my post::

Never become an artist if you can't learn to draw. (Sergei Bongart)

Do not fail, as you go on, to draw something every day, for no matter how little it is, it will be well worth while, and it will do you a world of good. (Cennino Cennini)

Drawing is the backbone. It is no good having a lovely sense of light and color if there isn't the firm foundation underneath. (Alexander Creswell)

You just cannot cheat when you draw. (Sandy Davison)

Drawing is the basis of art. A bad painter cannot draw. But one who draws well can always paint. (Arshile Gorky)

I have not been listening to these great advices... ..I am sorry to say that I have been neglecting this side of art making! My only drawings have been little sketches with lines and scribbles to figure out a composition. Actually, I have always loved to draw and did pretty good at art school when it came to drawing (well, lets not count the freshman year)! But somehow drawing took a back burner in the scheme of things. I got seduced by color and ultimately neglected something that is a backbone to an artist's skills! Like Gorky says, someone who can't draw is just not a good painter! And by ignoring drawing I think I have been neglecting the very foundation of my artistic integrity! So for the next month I am going to devote at least 50% of my efforts to drawing! I have decided to do at least four full blown academic cast drawings for this period.... I just think unless I do this I can't move to the next stage of my development! How many times have we seen a painting killed by poor drawing skill?! We actually smirk at people like that! And I am determined to avoid that fate! Seriously!So here's my first effort. Don't be too harsh! This is the first time that I have finished a drawing after almost three years!

Creative Authenticity

2010-10-20T13:47:00.000-04:00

It seems I am reading more these days than painting! I go through these phases sometime.... I feel hungry for words, especially something that will give me strength and hope in pursuing the artistic path! The one I am reading now is by Ian Roberts, a landscape painter. The book is called Creative Authenticity. And like the last book, Art and Fear , this one deeply resonated with me .He talks about "Authenticity" in an artwork, be it music, poetry or other visual arts.... He questions what it actually means to be an "authentic" artist ! Is someone an authentic artist just because he/she creates so called "personal art"? I have always questioned that too! If I make a piece of art that doesn't speak with anyone or doesn't resonate with anybody else, is that a meaningful art? If our art is self-indulgent and has nothing to share other than our skepticism, does it make for good art? If we look at paintings by Montagna or Rembrandt, they worked within strict confine of patron driven art. But their art is universal and speaks to us from the depth of history because the artists created something that is imbued with their joy of creation.They might not be "personal" art but no one can deny that the artist's "soul" is apparent in these paintings. So I think it is a matter of beauty that makes an artwork universal or beloved rather than if they are personal art or impersonal. An artwork needs to express the beauty of the soul of its creator. I know in the postmodern environment beauty is an ugly word, but beauty is what makes art meaningful.At least to me! I don't mean vapid beauty but a soulful one. Bach's music will outlast Lady Gaga, even though Bach was producing music within the strict limit imposed by his patron, the Church. He was not an eccentric; he had to feed 17 children for god's sake! He did not have time to be self expressive like the GAGA! But who will remember her in 50 years, let alone few hundreds? Roberts says this beautifully, "To see the difference between "personal stuff" and fashioning an authentic, deeply personal expression, we can think of one being ego driven, agitated and afraid, and the other drawing from a source that feels like revelation.It is revealed".
What do you think?

Art /Fear

2010-10-14T13:23:00.000-04:00

As artists most of us are scared to death sometime! If not of the public's criticism and lack of acceptance, then we of our own creative talent! David Bayles and Ted Orland's book, Art and Fear eloquently discusses that very concept! Reading that book for the very first time, I couldn't believe that someone actually wrote a book about how I feel! How can two strangers "get" me? Of course it dawned on me that every artist must fear the same thing. First, we are afraid that we are not talented enough! At least , I am afraid that I am just masquerading as an artist! When someone buys my painting, I actually feel bad for them! I know it weird, but I am embarrassed that they are buying something from someone untalented like myself! When people acclaims my art, I try to down play it for the same reason! It's not modesty but fear! The writers of the book goes on to say that it is a really a common fear among artists! To get over that fear, what an artist really needs to do is to work their behinds off. At the end, quantity leads to quality and hard work tops talent.We really never hear again about those child prodigies who painted like Monet at three Mozart might had talent but he worked hard at his craft. Tolstoy wrote and rewrote War and peace for years before he finally was satisfied with the book. As of our fear regarding the public, you have to be true to your vision. Just because someone else's art sells doesn't mean we have to try to paint like them!We might not make as much money but we did not become artists to be rich but to pursue a creative life!In the long run, it will serve me better if I pursued my own brand of art rather than what I know is popular. Maybe I will not sell as much but when I go to bed at night, I will know I have put on a good days work at my craft and I have followed my vision! Well, enough babbling for today but I really want to suggest this book and if you are anything like me, you will find solace that we are all the same in our fear!

Autumn Leaves

2010-10-04T16:03:00.000-04:00

We all have our favorite season... Fall is mine. The crisp blue sky and the flaming oranges and reds make my heart soar in a way that no other season can! So when my gallery wanted to put on a show on Autumn, I was excited. But I didn't really want to do a landscape, which would probably capture the nature's flaming beauty the best. But I wanted more; I wanted to bring that flame and beauty physically in my painting. I wanted to capture the essence of that moment when a leaf falls to the ground with a swish.... I read this poem by Charles Dickens, which is a sadder interpretation of Autumn than mine. But beautiful in its mournful fashion! I have included this poem in my painting but my colors add a note of cheer even when I know that the melancholy of the poem lies underneath my paint....

Autumn leaves, autumn leaves, lie strewn around he here;
Autumn leaves, autumn leaves, how sad, how cold, how drear!
How like the hopes of childhood's day,
Thick clust'ring on the bough!
How like those hopes in their decay--
How faded are they now!
Autumn leaves, autumn leaves, lie strewn around me here;
Autumn leaves, autumn leaves, how sad, how cold, how drear!

Wither'd leaves, wither'd leaves, that fly before the gale:
Withered leaves, withered leaves, ye tell a mournful tale,
Of love once true, and friends once kind,
And happy moments fled:
Dispersed by every breath of wind,
Forgotten, changed, or dead!
Autumn leaves, autumn leaves, lie strewn around me here!
Autumn leaves, autumn leaves, how sad, how cold, how drear!

Autumn Leaves, Mixed Media, 12"x12"

Here's my painting and interpretation of Autumn! I have included maple leaves and twigs from my garden, to bring a slice of my everyday life to my creative one.......

Art Marketing

2010-09-28T14:22:00.000-04:00

I discovered anew how bad I am at art marketing! Trying to treat art as a business is something I am struggling with.... All I want to do as an artist is to make art and hope art lovers will just discover my awesome talent and I will be all set for life! Apparently, that's not happening! Since people really don't know I exist I have to make them know about my existence!!And herein comes the need for relentless self promotion! I was part of the City Wide Open Studios in New Haven, CT and learned my lessons well from my studio mate! The sheer variety of art marketing arsenal at her disposal is something to admire! She had brochures, testimonials, tee-shirts, posters, greeting cards and what not!She networked constantly while I lurked in the shadows! She is a good artist and her work do speaks for themselves but she also knows how to market and has a clear business goal, which it seems I don't!!Reading all these business of art books have not taught me as much as this weekend with the artist entrepreneur taught me about self promotion! I might not have enjoyed the open studio event as such but it was a sort of art marketing workshop for me. I am hoping I will be able to apply these tactics soon..... If I am not overcome by my natural inertia and disdain for self promotion!! Will keep you posted how it goes:)

Notes from the Universe

2010-09-20T10:07:00.000-04:00

It might sound strange, but every morning I get little notes from the Universe! I really do! Well, they might be computer generated and sent by some sketchy guy lurking in a basement in Helsinki but to me they are invaluable. I get up in the morning, open up computer with that cup of tea and I read my emails.... And amidst all those stupid emails about male enhancement products, there is a little note that brings a smile to my face:) Here is today's note:

"Sometimes it just sneaks up on you, Ishita, doesn't it? You don't even see it coming. Suddenly and without warning, you're surrounded by the best friends you've ever known. You're waking up in the mornings just "dying" to get into the day. There's a lightness in your step and a gleam in your eye. Your thinking is new, your laughter frequent, and you're drawn to tears whenever you hear happy tales. You're on a roll, so it's not like you're thinking about it, but if you were to think about it, you wouldn't know what's gotten into you, nor would you recall just when. You'd only shake your head whenever you thought of how quickly everything can change...
Just something to remember the next time you don't see something coming.
By the way, you row my oars - "
The Universe
And you know what? That's exactly how I have been feeling for the last week! It seems the Universe knows what it's talking about! If anyone asks me what is making me so happy, I wouldn't be able to define it.... But that does not matter; as long as I feel one with the Universe and the Universe "gets" me, I will plod along with a silly grin on my face. Until next time.......

A Painting from a Poem

2010-09-12T20:12:00.000-04:00

Defrauded I a Butterfly,
The Rightful Heir..For Thee..

I started my new painting, Defrauded I a Butterfly, after I read this poem. Not that I was trying to put in paint what Emily Dickinson tried to express through words! Its just that sometime after reading something beautiful and touching I have this irresistible desire to put those words in my work.... I wove the text around in the painting with different mediums, including stencils and written words. I think I will make this a series where I will chose different poems by Dickinson and make them a part of my paintings! Will keep you posted on how it goes!

Mixed Media,12x24

Goals

2010-09-02T22:08:00.001-04:00

I have never taken an online class before! A friend recommended that I take a class from Alyson Stanfield about being more productive in my art career! I can't say I was not skeptical about it... What can someone teach me about art that I don't know? I forgot one thing; I have been taught technique, art theory and art history but have never been taught to think about my motivation to produce art! I know that I love to make art and that's why I do it! But what do I expect from my art? Money? Fame? Immortality? Neither have I considered setting goals for myself or envisioning what my future should be.... These are new things for me to process! So I sit down with my journal (something I never do) and try to figure out what my goals are....I always thought making enough money to live in style would be my goal! But after thinking about it long and hard, it turned out that all I want to do with my art is to leave a part of myself in this world. Most of us just leave dust and ash but I want to leave a part of my soul in this world. I think immortality is not living forever physically, but leaving a part of our psyche. If another person feels connected to my art then I live through them. All who had left a mark on this world through their art are immortal. Even the unknown artist who carved the Venus of Willendorf thirty thousand years ago! We still think and wonder about this artist, so his presence is still among us! I want the same thing that humans had wanted since the birth of civilization: immortality! Simple enough, isn't it? What do you want from your art (writer, musician, sculptor...)? I would love to hear from you.

New Begining

2010-08-29T22:36:00.000-04:00

This is my second attempt to start blogging! I let the ball drop last time for some reason, I guess! But I can't think of anything right now, other than sheer laziness!
I have a rare knack for procrastination..... I do it with expertise! I simply forget things that really needs to be done! I have been told that this stems from fear! Well, since I consider myself to be completely fearless, I chalk it out to laziness.And I obviously have lots of stuff to do: trying to avoid doing things. Pulling up my pants and buckling down and hopefully will follow up this time.

New Painting

2010-06-02T14:46:00.000-04:00

The best day of painting is the start . The excitement of starting something new can be intoxicating. It is a new beginning and the possibility is endless. Maybe this painting will be the one that will finally define me as a painter? There is a kind of intoxication involved. The heart beats a little faster the sun shines a little brighter and I feel alive to the core of my being. Well, when you finish a painting the feeling can be as powerful , even if it is completely different! It is either a feeling of something accomplished or the searing sadness of a failed attempt. It is the in between phase that is the most grueling. It is a time of intense labor, even if it is labor of love. At that time there is no beginning or end , it is a survival from minute to minute. I might even suggest that this period is akin to labor pain: you are in the process of giving birth to something new and the pain is tremendous.You might give birth to something magnificent or a monster. Well, I am in the process of conceiving and enjoying the moment!

Mother

2010-05-05T12:30:00.000-04:00

Mother's day is the stupidest day in the invention of all the "days" ! I understnad Valentine's day... It is a day when a woman reminds her lover/husband to get those credit cards out! I like that day! All those guilt free trips to the salon and the boutiques with his credit card.... Poor men can't even complain without sounding like a neanderthal! We do buy them a card and perfume but its them who has to bear the burnt of that day.
But Mother's day is an insult to mothers! Every day should be a mother's day! Does mothers get a single day off from motherhood? It encompasses our very being! Whatever we do , wherever we go, we carry the badge of "motherhood" with us!even our thought dont stay focused on us anymore! We always have to think twice, once for ourselves and once for our children! I don't think we need a day to remind us that mothers her special!

I call my mom often , even when she is actually not talking to me! She does that sometime. Some imaginary slight from my part puts her heckales up and her punishment is always the silent treatment! I am used to it by now! Actually , only after having a daughter it became clear to me why my mom takes everything personally! When Paloma wants nothing to do with me and wants to play with daddy , I feel that she is betraying me! Come on, I became fat for that girl! All those stretch marks are not gonna disappear!! All I want from her is her undying devotion! Dad is just the sperm guy, whose part was over in few secondds! I had to be the one who had to lug around that humongous belly!!

In a single day, how many times a mother thinks of her children? If she is like me, once every two minutes! Shouldn't children think of their mother at least once a day?

I want everyday to be a mothers day!

2010-05-03T21:09:00.000-04:00

For some reason I have steered clear of Indian concept of art ! I have seen and admired Indian miniatures but have not formed an intimate relationship with it! Having been trained in western art , somehow the decorative aspect of traditional Indian art seemed a little foreign to me! It is funny that your own can seem so alien! A recent visit to Boston MFA made me realize the scope of what goes under the term" Indian Art".

Most of the time when we talk about the Indian Folk Art , it means pictures/statues made in Indian villages, by both men and women, mostly for decorative purposes.The so called Indian Folk Art were generally made by family of painters who have been working at the profession for generations. I don't think there was any concept of individuality! It was a family business, that's all! That is not to say that they lacked signature style.There was always a marked difference between different workshops and the "master" painter ruled the roost. Most of the time the master painter also turned out to be the male head of the family.

Not only the quality of work differed from workshop to workshop but it also depended on the history, sociology and geography of the regions it was produced. The art produced in Gujarat is markedly different from that of Bengal. To some extent their style and quality depended on the materials available in the place in which they were executed And these very factors help us to identify them region wise. And yet, through all the apparent diversity there runs an underlying unity which makes them 'Indian'.

The paintings or miniatures that I saw in Boston cannot be called "local art" though! They were specifically made for the nobility and the court!Best painters from different regions were brought to the court and their work styles were infused together to make what is called the 'court art' .Of course the craftsmanship improved under the royal tutelage. Not only the best artists were employed for producing these works but the materials and the time spent on these works were exceptional! Nothing short of finest silk and gold leafing were used to produce these works.

Anyhow , my point is that I feel guilty that I have neglected Indian art for so long! Now that I am really "looking" I can see the influence of "Kalighat" school of painting in works by Picasso and Gris. Works by Klimt also borrowed heavily from Indian art. These painters ignored perspective, used color for its own sake or for symbolic purposes and had freely distorted and modified the human form-just like the Indian traditional paintings!

First Blog

2010-04-29T01:08:00.000-04:00

All right, this is my first day blogging! Ever!! I have nothing particular to write right now but good stuff will start coming pretty soon!
Of course the central theme is going to arts. Visual arts for most part but also social political discussions! EXCITED