That was a quick note to myself the other day when I brought home these gorgeous California Clementines from the Farmer's market. Thought it was worth sharing here.The words and the Clementines, both :) Hope everyone's having a beautiful, sunshine filled Summer/Spring.
I've hopped over from the sweltering Indian summer to a blossoming North American Spring...And quite likely I'll see more of the transitioning of seasons on two continents this year :) Just so happens that R's (my better half) work needs him to spend equal amounts of time between homeland and California. So I'll pop in for a few weeks each season. I'm so so lucky to be able to do this and also carry my work with me as I go. I only wish my dogs could come as well. They are however in the greatest of care back home and I'm going to make the most of my time here before I go back to them end of the month.
We had to make a quick stop in New York enroute to San Francisco. In the two days there, I greedily walked my way through the streets soaking up as much of the city's energy as I could. And ate lots of course ! Ate. Walked. Saw. Two days of just these three things.
Simple, hearty New York breakfast is the best fuel for a long day of walking and absorbing.
There were a couple of fantastic exhibits at the MoMa. One by Cindy Sherman which was breathtaking, shocking and intriguing. And an awe inspiring exhibit of murals depicting New York in the 1930's by an artist I admire - Diego Rivera. There were also several of his incredibly detailed smaller drawings and life size paintings which depict the politically charged times and turmoil of the early 20th century through his eyes.
I'm always amazed at how artists can draw from within, their perspectives on life and society - often larger than life itself, but true in every sense nonetheless because of the reflections that they encourage, the questions they raise, the answers they offer and the emotional whirlpools they cause in all of us. It's all what really shapes the collective creativity and intelligence. Don't you think ?
What also amazed me was the food at MoMa's cafe. See picture above ! Simple, fresh food handmade.That's all it takes to quench a wanderer's thirst for soul food.
Installations set in the outdoor area made for such interesting juxtapositions against the wintry branches, spring sunshine and the hustle-bustle. Outdoor exhibits - challenging but something to think about and not just for sculpture.
I went to the Met the following day. Though this place scares me -the sheer scale of it - I decided to go and take in one more big chunk of it. Particularly to see the Steins' collection of the Matisse works. Needless to say it was breathtaking.
To stand there in such close proximity to the works of great artists I so admire and see the strokes of their own hands that made these masterpieces is truly a blessing. I love art museums for that reason, to let the work in front of me be a reminder of just how deep and vast this ocean of inspiration is and how small we really are.
Late January 2012. When the Goa coast is at it's most beautiful. A little star fish came in with the gentle waves and brushed against my foot and stopped awhile on the shore. I stopped a moment too and sat down on the sand. We exchanged simple, good energies and I continued my walk. When I turned back he too had moved on.
I am absolutely loving this book by Danny Gregory. It takes one into the personal visual journals of artists from across mediums and is a little window into their vast imaginations and lives. Looking at these fascinating sketches, writings and private scribbles of so many creative people is indeed a privilege and also a reminder that creativity springs out of curiosity, trials and errors and lies within everyone.
The compilation is a real source of inspiration for all creatives alike. Has mood lifting qualities and I like to keep it by my desk and glance every now and then.
A friend gifted me something really, really special the other day. It was this little metal box that seemed to have travelled distances and well. I loved it even before I could see what was inside. Felt like it held many stories, adventures and lifetimes. I opened to find a beautiful antique compass. The etching on the inside of the lid is a poem that is well known to us all and a true guiding light. I suspect there are few and far between who might have not dwelled on it. And what a truly thoughtful home to place it in. This exquisite compass to lead the path ahead.
Thought it would be nice to revisit the gem with you all and make an emulsion transfer of the image with the Fuji peel apart film I am currently addicted to. Read on !
As you see, I have moved to Blogger from Wordpress (I know, it is usually the other way isn't it) simply because it felt easier on my head and easier to work with - I have designed and put it all together with lots of love. Also my blog now has a name ! daydreams and footsteps. I felt it nicely summed up the things I like to share and talk about. My website will be moving as well. It has a new face, cleaner divisions, tighter edits and better interface making it more manageable for me as well. All these changes and facelifts will come together soon. And an online store is also in the making as is a bi-monthly content rich newsletter with lots of content around creativity, fine art photography resources, techniques, artist interviews and much more, all carefully put together/written by me. Hope the blog is pleasing on your eyes for now :) I'm still fixing odds and ends as we speak. Do chime in if you have any thoughts/ideas/feedback.
Many nature walks have happened in the recent past and thought I'd do a quick post to share a few moments from there. I was walking in my mother's lovingly tended garden last Sunday and felt so comforted. I am going to make my own oasis of a wild, secret garden to escape into with my dogs and lots of books, where time cannot get the better of me.
Nirvaya is inspired by the profound & abstract Kannada Vachanas or poetry of the 12th women mystics called Sharanes.
Dance and original photo art merge and sometimes move parallely whilst translating the profound concepts of 3 lesser known women mystics- Lingamma, Muktayakka, Molige Mahadevi & the radical poet Akkamahadevi. Their philosophy is Linga- advaita or monistic Shaivism, with roots in the Vedas and Kashmiri monistic Shaivism.
The Sharana salvation is ‘Nirvaya’ – becoming nothing, disappear or vanish without leaving a trace, like camphor on fire.
~ Madhu NatarajWhen Madhu sounded off the idea behind Nirvaya, six months back, I was so taken by the idea and the abstract-ness it presented. I like to work with fluidity and abstract thoughts through certain phases. I like to watch them grow, take form, unite, disintegrate, and come back together at some unexpected point in time. Besides, the idea of exploring the thoughts and profound poetry by the lesser known 12th century women mystics from Karnataka was divine. So I jumped at the opportunity and we started working not knowing where the collaboration would lead us. She would create the movements and I, the visuals along with other incredibly talented artists bringing in the major pieces such as music, vocals, stage design, film and costume. Somewhere we would all surely meet as we had done in our past collaborations, with the process itself being a testimony to the soul of Nirvaya.
Madhu Nataraj, my dear friend is a great dancer who is known for her pioneering presence in the dance scenario, internationally.She will be presenting Nirvaya as a part of the "Mad & Divine" conference at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in Chennai on Friday, the 23rd Dec 2011. Please do come if you are in Chennai.
Hello everyone !
Dogs have been a big passion for me like many of you I know, and it has been a privilege and joy to create this calendar for CUPA (Compassion Unlimited Plus Action) an amazing animal protection and welfare organization based in Bangalore.
We are ready to launch the calendars and each contribution would greatly benefit the cause. The theme of this year's CUPA / WRRC calendar is - owners and their adopted dogs. It features heartwarming stories taken from across demographics.
We look forward to joining hands with you in creating awareness towards this cause.
Love, ramya
Again.
I've succumbed to the charms of the retreating Monsoon.Personally, the rains lift my spirit as much as a healthy dose of sunshine does and more often than not, I find that I function better on gloomy days.
I don't mind the shades of grey and those generous clouds and all else that comes along.
I was driving back home the other day and made a quick stop to capture the colors of a rain water puddle and take in the fragrance of the rain washed air. Along comes a little boy and floats his paperboat and runs back into his house at a nearby construction site.
He squeals in excitement when he sees me taking a picture of his boat. We exchange happy smiles and I drive back lingering on howlittle it takes to open our hearts to the ephemeral beauty and hope that surrounds us only if we could stop a moment,
breathe. slow down and listen.
