That Time of the Year

Yes, its the sound of the dhaak, that makes each Bengali nostalgic about Poojo. The smell of the dhuno, the chandipath during the poojas, the new clothes, the new shoes we have been waiting to wear.....its an entire childhood experience that we have grown with and lived it year after year. Poojo's, something we all look forward to.
Its this time of the year I miss my Dad the most. He would always stand out as the most die hard Bengali in his signature Pristine white Dhotis and Kurtas which were starched well but not stiff. His entire presence spelt out the proverbial "Dada". Those lovely evenings, we would wait for him to get back from the shoot. He would invariably have one during that time of the year much to my Mother's disapproval. My sisters would get all dressed and I was the first to get dressed and would love to observe the meticulous details with which they did their eyes. I wished I could apply some of that too. I was told young kids look best with their natural splendour. (I use that on my daughter now.) Those were fun days of family and togetherness. My father always believed in women power and it was no surprise that he was a great follower of the Mother Goddess Durga.
During his time of physical trial, he kept praying to her.The last few days he just chanted her name. She did respond to his call and it was on the first day of the Pooja, namely the Shoshti, when she responded to his call. When the idols were all entering their respective abodes for the next five days, she chose to relieve him of his pain. It was a difficult few years for us. We could not step into another pooja pandaal for a good few years. Then I met Rony, soon we got married. Pooja now was again a family affair. However the family I married into respected my wishes to stay away from the poojos on shoshti. I keep that day strictly to just remember what those good times were like when we were a family of five. I continue with that tradition to this date. I do look forward to the poojas knowing that he is with his favorite "Ma". While doing so we too are creating memories for our children for them to grow up and remember. Our children too will grow upto cherish these five days of total fun, food and splendour.

Maya- No more my Illusion

Yup...Maya has been well received. Thank you to a whole group of people who believe in me and my art. The entire experience has been exhilarating and very satisfying. To all my patrons "A Big Thank You!"
The journey now begins for whats next to come. As an artist I cannot rest and have to keep looking forward.
However there have been some achievements in this exhibition.
For one for the first time I handled male figures, not to mention 6 packs on my Arjuna. Secondly it was taking such a somber topic and making it eye catching and soul pleasing was one of the biggest challenges which I seemed to have overcome. The works seem to have gotten over people's apprehensions of owning something with such gravity. On the last note just an observation, we should dream our dream and the entire universe will come together to make it work....something I have felt the books, "The Secret" and the "Meta Secret" constantly emphasize.
I loved Creating "Maya - An Illusion" but now the quest for the next one begins. Here's to many more to come.

Maya- An Illusion

Maya - An Illusion
is all ready. The paintings are at least. There is work here and there that needs to be done. That probably will go on, till the evening of the opening. I have to try to chill amongst all this. Tomorrow's Yoga, Sudarshan Kriya follow up and Meditation should help in this process.

Wish some other personal matters would just resolve without me having to worry too much about them. This is life...we have to have our share of worries. So acceptance is the only way to move forward.

On a lighter note, I had an interview with 938 live and it was so much fun talking to Pamela Ho and Stanley about Maya - An Illusion. I am uploading the interview on the blog as well. If you friends see any listings of the exhibition anywhere please keep that copy for me. I am quite blur these things generally go unnoticed by me.

I hope I see all you friends at Maya. She is waiting to see your response to her Illusion. xxxxx

Almost there

My Maya is almost complete!!!! Just one more and that’s it. It’s been a fun journey of exploring these characters and my twist to them. I have had my share of upheavals. However that is what makes it more fruitful. Whoever said I was not supposed to have my fair share of troubles. All these upheavals makes me who I am and makes Maya – An Illusion who she is. I have cried, laughed and learnt in this entire process….most importantly I have evolved. Maya – An Illusion to be unveiled on the 3rd of August at the Arts House is what makes me proud at this point of time.
On a personal note I have mixed feelings. I am happy for a close friend who has found some relief to her hardships…..(then again she is a powerful woman and this too has defined her); Another friend who after some challenges in terms of illness at home, and renovating home has settled in to her nest. She also happens to be a great patron for my art.  On a personal note, I am looking forward to a marriage in the family and of course the Durga Poojas. However, like every exhibition I tend to go back to the one figure from who my art stems, My dad! I miss him and keep wishing he was here to see me blossom as an artist. After all it is his legacy that I wish to carry forward. To Maya and Dad….here is looking forward to many more to come.

The Clock is Ticking

Yes and I can't seem to stop. The clock I mean. So my only other choice is keep on painting!!

I have been avidly researching on styles and various other artists and grand masters. While doing so I did find out that apart from me the other artist who has actually given our epic Mahabharata a place on his canvas is M.F. Husain. That does have a feel good aspect to it. :)

I have done the ever essential work of making media aware of the upcoming exhibition. However I mostly believe that its the work that will speak for itself. And while I also know the fact that most artists were not appreciated in their own time, today things have changed and we do expect an almost immediate result and appreciation of the work. However expectations aside my theme this time is a little more intense, as I am delving into the psyche's of some characters of an established Indian epic. I am even aware that I may draw some negative criticism for my handling of the theme. I am prepared for all of that. Then again good art should provoke some conversation...so I am hoping for some of that too.

On the down side...due to the weather one of my oils which was drying on the wall, got knocked down by a strong gust of wind and is damaged....so have to do some fixing work as well.

Just a couple of more canvases and I am done!! I cant wait to stand and see what the entire collection put together will look like in that gallery!!!

In a Happy Place

Its been a while. Between being uninspired and a ruined canvas, a busy schedule with administrative work piling up, I have been a little slow in painting. For the last two days I did find my next topic turning out to be satisfactory. I am using oils and I just cannot stop raving about what a beautiful medium it is. That said it takes a hell of a long time to dry…with no real studio, and kids in the house I find myself very worried, until it dries out. I am very protective about the canvas!
The state of Mind is so important to churning out a painting, that you actually can stand back and appreciate the results. Yesterday was a lovely day spent (with the folks of Meranti home and the Silra home) at Sentosa. I really think I should do more of these things because you feel so light and happy when around such happy cheerful people. Over here I have to mention the lovely Seva group that Art of Living has formed under the guidance of Sashi, my dear friend. I will be putting up some pictures on my Facebook soon. Nothing beats a little Seva as this is what that brings true happiness. Difficult to explain but I am sure you all know what I am talking about. 
Quite a few of you have been enquiring whether I will actually make it in time for the exhibition…..I am sure I will. It is all this other stuff I wish I had help with. Any takers!!!!!!

Karna

With each painting I am learning something new! I make mistakes and those mistakes end up adding to the flavor of the painting. My latest painting was on Karna. I spent days, actually weeks contemplating on how I should approach what I wanted to bring out as his state of Mind. Yesterday I finally gave up procrastinating and went to select a canvas. Just went with the gut feeling and started with a square of 30 x 30 inches.
I just let me feelings flow. I am most satisfied when I go wild with a canvas…..I splash paint…play with various techniques and suddenly out of nowhere I began to see what I had in mind take form. This time I used colors which are very unconventional. A mistake ended up creating the main texture for the painting. And the pain of Karna almost seems real, reaching out to you from out of the canvas. Simple with few lines and just the subject matter enhanced with one main symbol I achieved what I had thought to be one of the main hurdles of this series. Phew!!
That being said I have still a few challenges ahead of me. I shall keep writing about them….as for what “Karna” looks like……keep following the blog!

Joyotee's Canvas

My new website is all fresh out of the bakery! Get a sniff of it and tell me what it's like!!

Waiting to hear all your responses!!

Chaos and Creation

Amidst all the chaos of life, I have managed to complete my sixth canvas. I am giving myself a pat for the circumstances under which this one was done. It took a good two weeks to complete.
While working on this canvas I understood how our body can sometimes control our entire well being, and pushing it only makes things worse. Also how the loss of someone you know can completely throw you of your positive frame of mind! It is difficult holding on to being positive and making positive that all that life throws your way! Hello! I said difficult but not impossible…..
Yes, I am low on energy and could not produce as many canvases as I would have liked to, however I have now, got clarity, a sense of direction for the exhibition. I am trying to get more organized, and if you know me personally or if you know any artist for that matter you must know, that is a tough job on its own!
This quality time spent with family has definitely been a bonus! That automatically puts you in a great frame of mind….plus I have had my little muses literally dictating what colors to put on the canvas. The older one thinks she is a qualified critic and even gives her honest opinion on my creations. In all it has been a very interesting experience painting my Krishna! Yes that is the painting I just got done….for images please stay tuned!!!!

Maya: Unfolding

Maya : An Illusion, slowly is taking form from just being an illusion. Many of you have enquired what Maya is all about, so here I take to unfolding my Maya! Maya is about the characters of the Mahabharata! Whenever I have said it the immediate reaction is “vow”!! Is it because it is too big a topic…I don’t know!

On the other hand I cannot find myself doing only beautiful images to be put up in living rooms. Yes that element is necessary but at the same time as an artist I think it is also necessary to sometimes shock and ask questions through my art. Why Mahabharata some might ask. Well there is not a greater Indian form of literature that is so rich in characters and their situations. Their dilemmas and challenges were not of just that time. They could well be ours! In a sense they are timeless and we constantly find ourselves in those battle’s that they fought; yes battles of morality and ego, their power struggles were not just theirs. Time may have moved on but much of the strife in today’s world also stems from these same power struggles. Modes of battle and techniques have changed but basic nature of human beings has changed but little. Time and again thus I think it is necessary to evaluate these old texts of ours to learn and re-learn if we can undo some of their mistakes.
Maya : An illusion is an aim to study these characters in their real light…as human beings and not so much as demi Gods!
For more on Maya watch this space!

Love and Gratitude:

Yes that is what I am feeling for so many of you queried about how I was doing and when I was going to bounce back. There are many from different parts of the world that actually sent me healing and blessings…thanks to all of you too!
I have been away from the canvas for the last five days but I am seem to have a certain clarity in thought. I see everything more clearly now. It is our judgement that clouds things at times….yeah basically we need to stop judging…let’s stop dividing in terms of black and white …..Without different experiences and people the world would be a boring place. We need the spectrum of colour so let’s go and rejoice this colourful world! I need these various colour swatches to create ;) Let’s live and let Live each in our own ways!!!!

Maya: An Illusion

Maya: An Illusion is what I am working on. More about what Maya will be in subsequent weeks. For now I just wanted to pen my state of mind.
I have finished about five canvases and would need a decent ten more to fill up the space. So exalted I am that all I can think of is my current canvas and the ones to follow suit. It’s fun because I feel removed from the cares of the word. Nails are badly cracked and in need of a manicure…but who cares now. I have this immense urge to keep at canvas after canvas. Even when brushes are resting and my hand is away from the canvas my mind is still at work. Amazing is this feeling. I was running a temperature this morning and I did not even realize that I was unwell….who cares….I am so happy….:D

Priscilla's diary

P-Diary an interesting 365 etchings by Priscilla Wong and now showing at the Substation Gallery, was an interesting study into a young ladies mind. These etchings mostly with Mandarin writings come with English translations that you borrow at the gallery. The cute literal translations add to the humour and wit of P.
While reading her various food escapades you actually get a taste of what a young single woman’s life in Singapore is like. You read about her food trials, her happiness over the fact that Universal is now going to be in Singapore or how desolate she can feel on Valentine’s Day. Like most women, she deals with menstruation and PMS with satire. A young lady, who has her life compartmentalized otherwise, lets us in into her emotional world of etchings. The graphic description of things and people make it a witty read. Yet at the same time her fears are dealt in a child like manner as when she makes her sisters fibroid illness a ‘monster that deserves to be kicked’. You learn about her Japanese boy friend that appears every now and then, in her etchings, as mirthful time spent together either on a holiday or when he is visiting. These are the times you actually see a much lighter mood in her etchings. My Nine year old who was with me while we were at the gallery was happy to see “YH” her friend manning the exhibition. She pointed out he had the same blazer on, as he had on in one of the drawings. One gets an immense Singapore flavor through her etchings and can almost see Singapore drift by in the 365 days through these drawings.
What Priscilla has done is she has created a whole new genre through her diary of illustrations which she maintains via her blog http: prissydiary.blogspot.com She has created a new medium of expression and I am not surprised is showing in the right place for experimental art i.e. The Substation. In future we can expect to see her in print form when a publisher probably buys the rights to her illustrations and brings it to our home, for a lazier read on the couch.

Meditation in Motion
Its been a while that I have written about my art! Energy remains to be explored...maybe for another time. For now I am happy just exploring themes for the forth coming exhibition. For a person who finds her energy through yoga and meditation I also realized that the reason I am happier when I paint is because Painting is "meditation in Motion". While giving form to the soul on the canvas you connect with your own soul. While doing so you block the material world submerging and uniting with the canvas. This helps dissolving the ego.
If an artist develops ego that is much later after the work of art has been cut loose and starts to live an existence on its own. By right by then the artist should not attach but detach themselves. However that is easier said than done. For now I am happy with my Meditation in Motion!!!!!!