Open Studios in the West

I am so looking forward to the 24th and 25th of November...this weekend! It's when you get to see art from behind the scenes. If you are in or around Melbourne do not miss this! There are over 60 artists participating and there is a bit of everything from painting to sculpture, glassmaking to jewellery and ofcourse the performing arts.

To know more about my involvement or for enrollments in the workshops log on to my Facebook page.

My pop-up studio is at the FirstSteps and Step n Out Performing Arts Studio. Therefore there is also the added attraction of the Dance Worshops that the wonderful Liz has planned. Check her out here.

Go here to find out more about all the other artists participating in this event. They are an awesome bunch of people with artwork that is even better. I had the oppurtunity to meet quite a few of them at the launch party yesterday and it was such a great experience. I am already planning to do a post on each of them over the coming weeks. I am sure you will all enjoy it as much as I did.

For now, please wish me luck and say a silent prayer in your minds :) I will update you on how all of this went next week this time!

Happy Diwali

I can still smell the smoke of the fireworks...I can see the thick smog shrouding the streets...I can hear the constant rumbling noise of the 'chocolate bombs'...I can taste the 'Dahi Vada' that Thamma made...a silent tear escapes my eye...nostalgia grips me by surprise and I have to make a quick escape to the rest-room...I don't want I&J to see me cry...specially when they were having so much fun making tiny paper lanterns for Diwali. And I am not sad...I am actually really happy with life... happy to see I&J growing... happy to make new memories with M...But a little part of me seems to often escape and wonder down the memory lane...knocking at various leaky doors...doors that open the flood gates of emotion...emotions that are hard to suppress and even harder to express!

Paper Lantern made with I and J

I wonder when M and I will be old and grey...looking back to these colourful days...will we feel the same? When I & J will grow up...busy with their lives...will they ever pause for a few seconds, close their eyes and smell the fragrance of a Diwali that they had spent with us when they were little? And when they do will it be a pleasant memory? Will it for them open the flood gates of emotions...emotions that will make them happy in their present lives because they were happy in the days that have passed? I wonder...

Let me not get carried away by my thoughts this festive season...So heres wishing you and your loved ones a very Happy Diwali...May the festival of lights brighten up every day of your life...and May you always be able to build memories so strong that they have the power to brighten a dull moment for years to come!

PS: This is my favourite painting that somehow fits today’s post perfectly!

Painting by Dita

How difficult is it to let good win over evil?

Festival of Lights, Image from Google

With the celebration of Diwali just round the corner this is a question that has been in my mind all day today...How difficult is it really to let Good win over Evil....more importantly what is good and what is evil?... 

For an instant let us stop thinking about World Peace or Greener Earth...instead let us ponder on our regular day to day activities....our thoughts and feelings....our decisions and reasonings....Do we let 'Good' prevail over 'Evil' day in and day out? Do we have the inner courage to do what is right and avoid what isn't? And when we ask this question to ourselves let us concentrate only on little things...because from little things big things  grow...

I believe that if each of us elects to do what is right in tiniest of spells it all cumulates to one grand win...the win of the 'Good'. I would love to share  with you one little thing that I did today that was a mini victory of good over evil...one thing that I conscientiously chose to do...one insy-winsy laurel...

I decided to strengthen my will power and beat temptation...And I qualify this as a victory of good over evil because it is temptation that leads me to sometimes compensate my general intention to be 'good'! And by saying that I am definitely not referring to robbing banks or killing people...I am referring to much littler, simpler things...Things like choosing to finish cleaning the kitchen right after a meal and not being complacent, like doing the laundry on the designated day and not letting it pile up, like choosing a fruit as dessert and not I and J's Halloween loot, like not buying that beautiful candle even if I don't need it....I have finally led myself to understand that it takes just little push from within..a little strength to do what should be done...I am sure that sometimes there will still be unclean kitchen counters, piled up laundry, a few high calorie desserts or even some impulsive purchases but today I am happy that I have made a start...a start to throw temptation a little further away...a start to be a little more happy about myself....a start to get rid of the evil...

PS: I am presently working on this set of paintings that has a underlying theme of the Festival of Lights - Diwali. Take a sneek peek below! (please forgive the poor quality of the photograph...I was in a hurry and therefore could not do better...)

Like light in the dark