Five of the Finest

The first meeting about the event was held on one Saturday and we were all set-up and open by the next...that is how crazy we artists are...And I thank God that we are like that...And I am emphasing the 'we' here because I am somewhat pleased (almost glad) to know that I am not the only artist that has crazy ideas and likes to run with them...I now know for a fact that there are at least 4 more of them on this earth!

Yes I am talking about about the 'Five of the Finest'! It is a collaborative art exhibition cum sale organised and run by 5 artists residing in the West of Melbourne. (For details click here)

It all happened when I was having tea with 'M' one fine afternoon. I was, as usual  thinking aloud and then like magic the thoughts took shape and out came my trustee 'to do' diary. (Trust me, that diary lists things like... 'Buy 1 kg Carrot' and 'Visit the Northern Lights' all in the same page!) I scribbled down a few ideas and there I was planning and plotting in my mind the whole evening! I woke up in the middle of the night with complex plans going on in my head and could not go back to sleep...it was like 200 excited kids talking at the same time inside my brain!

The next day I walked into the management office of the venue and then it all fell into place quite rapidly...It was unreal!  I then had the task of  getting a few fellow artists on-board!

That Saturday afternoon with a group of artists at the local cafe was the most enlightning time I have had in years! The feeling of being in the same boat, the realisation that I don't think 'like that' alone, the mere acceptance of the idea, and the gratitude of the others all lead to a state of euporia that fueled an extreme energy. The energy to push myself (beyond my normal 40 hrs job and home-front with M, I and J) to get this whole event organised in less than a week.

Thanks to all that have been involved the exhibition is now OPEN!
Below is a photograph of the Five Crazy Artists at the Launch Party!

From left - Uma Barry, Anindita Banerjee (Dita), Janet Knight, Ivana Pinaffo, Virginia Coghill

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

The Highlights...

Lord Ganesha on wood-chips and Painted Prayers by Dita

How would you react when somebody walked up to your Art Stall at a Fiesta and commented "You have got really 'basic' artwork here...where did you get these shipped from?" Mister...they have all been painted by me...fruits of my labour...my babies!!! Well, I did not say any of the above...I just smiled at his ignorance and politely informed him that they were original art-work created by me and perhaps of a style that was not to his liking....Such was the depth of my first ever experience on the other side of the table at a Fiesta!

However it will be genuinely unfair to highlight the only negative observation (or should I say constructive criticism)! It was a very busy day at the Point Cook Annual Fiesta and I had my fair share of gratification and erudition.

Visitors of all ages browsed my exhibit all through the day and I met with some very nice people who seemed to be really interested in my art-work. It specially felt good when some of the patrons had a survey my work in details, chatted with me and then later brought along their friend, partner or a family member to review some particular piece that they liked best! I also loved to see the eyes of eager kids light up when I spoke to them about my art-work...I wonder whether I would have been able to ask such intriguing questions at their age!

Hand-made CHAI coasters by Dita also part of the paraphernalia

What a pleasure it was to see such interest in colours and art-work in the members of my community specially when I was competing with free rides, face paitings, sausage sizzles and free lemonade on a beautiful sunny day beating the temperamental Melbourne weather!

If you were to ask whether I would do it again...my answer would be "Differently but Definitely"!!!

Point Cook Fiesta...

I am not sure whether I am anxious, excited or plain old restless...but I sure am BUSY!!! I am like this nomadic soul with many pots on the burner at the same time!!! And this time, trust me, it is not because I did not study the whole year...it's just because I have too much on my plate...I am not trying to finish my syllabus at the last minute...I just have a lot to do!...and I am not complaining...I am very very happy about it...Well 'happy' is an understatement...I am elated!...almost intoxicated by the rush this gives me...but I am BUSY!!!

I still need to finish varnishing some of the art-work, cut-up the felt, glue them to the back of the coasters, complete the Painted Prayers, make a list of nick-nacks to buy, buy them, pack them, finalise the lay-out....PHEW...lots to do before I sleep....

Yes, you guessed it! I am preparing for another public event! This time I am participating in the annual Point Cook Fiesta! And I am thrilled...

 I am going to exhibit some of my art-work on Canvas, some Painted Prayers, Painted Coasters and some Greeting Cards... I promise I am going to write in details about all that I have spoken about later...but today it is only going to be just a sneak-peek of the work-in-progress (not because I don't want to show you...just because nothing is really complete yet!)

If you are in Melbourne, please come by. If not, I will post all images here so that you do not miss-out!

Details of the Event:

Point Cook Fiesta

Sunday, October 14th 2012

At the streets within the Town Centre

11am -5pm

What was Cleopatra's favourite colour?

Cleopatra painting on Papyrus - www.fromcairo.com

What was Cleopatra's favourite colour? ... It was Purple! The royal colour...the colour of divinity and that of the rich...the colour that possesses in itself a lot of mystery and perplexity...the colour that embodies the stimulation of red and the calmness of blue...

Before I started writing this post today I had planned to write about Violet but I could not resist the mystic qualities of purple and therefore had to write about it!!! Although not too far away from each other in the colour spectrum, both these colours are quite different technically. While purple is a range of hues between red and blue and is used as a common term to describe the same, Violet refers to the last colour of the short wavelength end of the visible spectrum. 

I associate purple with royalty... It is what I feel when I am treated as a princess. Whether it is Baba trying to organise quick shipping of my demands from overseas or M cancelling a meeting because I need help with something silly... I don't know whether they do it to make me feel like a princess (I desperately hope that they don't feel pressurised to do it!) but I feel happy and Purple when they do it!

Bonuram and me were always treated like princesses when we were growing up... Although we were taught the realities of life, we were always made to feel special!!! I remember Thamma cooking hot breakfast for us at day-break, Dada ironing our clothes to make going to school easier.. And Ma Baba  sacrificing a lot of their comforts to afford taxis for our commute to school and back... These things did not seem too big then... But today when I am a mom myself I know how much it took... How difficult yet easy it was for them to make our lives royal... When I look back at the rainbow of childhood memories, Violet/Purple seems to be the logical colour behind every shade of Orange, Red or Yellow as the happiness and joy that we felt then was because somebody thought that we were worthy of it... Because Ma, Baba, Thamma, Dada thought we were princesses and made efforts to help build our lives likewise....This painting is in honor of that feeling of Purple!



Painting by Dita

What childhood memories can you relate to Purple? When you spend time with your present parter in crime, do you feel Purple?

The Rainbow

The Rainbow has always been a thing of mystery and awe!...To some it is the path made by a messenger from heaven to earth, to others it is a slit in the sky sealed by a goddess. Whatever the belief is, the rainbow always seems to connect the known to the unknown, the real to the unreal. And, the end of the rainbow is a secret hiding place for the pot of gold. A place that is impossible to reach...


Photo Courtesy: Zazzle.com

My passion for colours and painting is my secret hiding place of my ever-bursting emotions. It is where I make the in-tangible tangible, the unknown known...it is where I can say that orange is the pure sense of joy that I feel when I&J give me a warm hug, it is where I can say that red is the love I feel for M when he unloads the dishwasher, it is where I say that purple is the secret desire of my heart and blue is the the fresh scent of spring!



THE RAINBOW COLLECTION Photo By: Dita

I am not in search of the end of the rainbow...I am here to enjoy the journey. The journey of life which I prefer to see through rainbow lenses. And I will share with you every colour of life, the ups and downs, the goods and the bads, the defined and the abstract!

In tune with all of this I have named my first ever formal collection of paintings - The Rainbow Collection. On the left is a sneak peek of what is to follow in my next posts.