బామ్మ...

బామ్మ (1993, దామరమడుగు)  

 

"అయ్యా...నాకేమైన ఉత్తరం వచ్చిందా?"

అటుగా వెళ్తున్న పోస్ట్ మ్యాన్ ని చూసి వాకిట్లో మెట్లపైన కూచుని, రోజూ ఆ సమయానికి అటు వస్తూ పోతూ ఉండే పిల్లా పెద్దని పరికిస్తూ, ప్రశ్నిస్తూ ఉండే  బామ్మ ప్రశ్న.

"లేదు బామ్మా" అంటూ చేతిలో ఉత్తరాల కట్ట సర్దుకుంటూ వెళ్లిపోయిన పోస్ట్ మ్యాన్.

మరుసటిరోజూ అదేవేళకి మళ్ళీ వాకిట్లో బామ్మ. ఇల్లు దాటి ముందుకి పోబోతున్న పోస్ట్ మ్యాన్ ని ఆపి  మళ్ళీ ప్రశ్న.

"అయ్యా...మా అబ్బాయి గిరి లండన్ లో ఉన్నాడు, నాకేమైనా జాబు రాశాడా?"

"అబ్బా....ఈమెకి లండన్ నుంచి రావాలయ్యా ఉత్తరం...ఏం లేవు పో బామ్మా." ఈసారి ఆ సమాధానంలో కొంచెం విసుగూ, వెటకారం.

ఆ మరుసటిరోజు...అదేవేళకి...ఈసారి బామ్మ వాకిట్లో కూచుని లేదు, ఇంట్లో లోపల ఏదో పనిలో ఉండగా మెట్లెక్కి, వరండా దాటి లోపలికొచ్చి, తలుపు దగ్గర నిలబడి, "బామ్మా..." అన్న పిలుపు.

ఆ పిలుపు పోస్ట్ మ్యాన్ దే.

పిలిచిన కాసేపటికి నిదానంగా "ఏయ్యా" అంటూ కళ్ళజోడు సరిజేసుకుంటూ వచ్చిన బామ్మతో పోస్ట్ మ్యాన్...

"ఇదుగో బామ్మా, నీకు ఉత్తరం వచ్చింది, ఆ...లండన్ నుంచే బామ్మా, నీ గిరి దగ్గరి నుంచే" అంటూ చేతిలో ఉత్తరం పెట్టిన పోస్ట్ మ్యాన్ తో...

"నేంజెప్పలా...మా గిరి లండన్ లో ఉండాడని...నీకంతా ఎకసెకం నేనంటే." అంటూ ఉత్తరం తీసుకున్న బామ్మ.

"లేదులే బామ్మా" అంటూ ఉత్తరాల కట్ట సర్దుకుంటూ మెట్లు దిగి వెళుతున్న పోస్ట్ మ్యాన్...

ఆ క్షణం అక్కడలేకున్నా ఆ "బామ్మ" పసిమనసెంత ఆనందంతో నిండిపోయి ఉబ్బితబ్బిబ్బయ్యి ఉంటుందో ఆ బామ్మ ప్రేమని పొందిన ఆమె ముద్దుల మనవడు "గిరి" ఊహించగలడు.

తొమ్మిదేళ్ళ వయసు లో 5 వ క్లాస్ నుంచీ హాస్టల్స్ లోనే ఉంటూ గిరి చదువంతా ఇంటికి దూరంగానే సాగింది. చదువయ్యాక జాబు కోసం హైదరాబాదు ప్రయాణం. మూడు నెలల్లోనే మొదటి జాబు, మళ్ళీ కొత్త జాబు బొంబాయి లో, అట్నుంచి అటే జాబు పని మీద 3 నెలలు లండన్ పయనం. "అప్పుడప్పుడూ దామరమడుగులో బామ్మ కి ఉత్తరం రాస్తుండు" అని 5 వ క్లాస్ లో నాన్న రాసిన ఉత్తరాల్లో ని మాటలు చదువు ముగిసి జాబ్ లో చేరినా తూ...చ...తప్పకుండా పాటిస్తూ వచ్చిన గిరి.

ఆ "బామ్మ" ముద్దుల మనవడు "గిరి" ని నేనే. నన్ను ప్రాణంకన్నా ఎక్కువగా ప్రేమించి, తన జీవితం అంతా మాకోసమే మాతోనే ఉండి, నేను దగ్గరలేకుండానే కనుమూసి మా నాన్నను చేరుకుంది "నా బామ్మ"!

నేను పూర్తిగా తెలుగులో తన కళ్ళకి కట్టినట్టు లండన్ వైభవాలూ, విశేషాలూ వివరిస్తూ రాసిన ఆ ఉత్త్రరం ని, పాతదై, ముందూ వెనుకా చాలా పేజీలు పోయి, ఒక్కొక్క పేజీ చిరిగిపోతూ వస్తున్న తన మహాభారతం పుస్తకంలో మా దామరమడుగు ఇంట్లో రేడియో టెబుల్ డ్రాయర్ లో పెట్టుకుని అప్పుడప్పుడూ చదువుకుంటూనే ఉండేది "బామ్మ".

బామ్మకి తెలుగు చదవటం రాయటం బాగా వచ్చు, నిదానంగా అక్షరాలు తప్పుల్లేకుండా గుండ్రంగా రాసేది.. రామాయణం, మహాభారతం వంటి పెద్ద ఇంతింత లావు పుస్తకాలు ఉండేవి. ఇంగ్లీష్ లో P.R.C అన్న మూడు అక్షరాల్ని మాత్రమే చదవగలదు. మరే అక్షరమూ గుర్తుపట్టటం రాదు, నేర్చుకోలేక కాదు. ఈ లోకంలోనే తనకి అత్యంత ఇష్టమైన మా నాన్న "పి.రామచంద్రయ్య" తన షార్ట్ నేమ్ రాస్తే P.R.C అనే రాసేవాడు. ఆ మూడు ఇంగ్లిష్ అక్షరాల్నే బామ్మ ఇష్టపడింది.

నేటికి సరిగ్గా 26 సంవత్సరాల క్రితం నా మొదటి విదేశీయానం. ఆగస్ట్ 15, 1994, బోంబే టు లండన్.

"బామ్మ" ని గుర్తుచేసుకుంటూ...

నిండా కన్నీళ్ళు నిండిన కళ్లతో...

మళ్ళీ చాలా సంవత్సరాల తర్వాత...

"బామ్మ" కి ప్రేమతో...

- నీ "గోవర్ధన" గిరి

బామ్మతో నేనూ, అన్న (1993, కావలి)

London, 1994

London, 1994

Colorful mess...

Watercolors on paper (8" x 14")   

Sometimes, even messing up with colors is fun in Painting, I would call such instance, a "colorful mess".

This is not meant to be a serious painting. After last week's very focused painting, I thought I would take a break this week. Still my hand was itchy for a brush, so felt like messing with colors on a left over cut-paper. I think I've messed up enough, and still can call it a painting ;)

As long as you know that you are messing up, you are still learning. Don't be afraid to mess up in Painting...

Keep Painting, Keep pushing yourself forward...

Happy Painting!

Details 
Reference: A random picture from my collection...
Mediums: Watercolors
Size: 8" x 14" (28 cm x 35.5 cm)

Surface: Arches Watercolor Paper, Cold Press, 140 LB

 

నవ్వుల పువ్వుల వెన్నెల...

Portrait of Chi. Karronya Katrynn 

Watercolors on Paper (12" x 16")

నవ్వుల పువ్వుల వెన్నెలా...

వెన్నెల నవ్వుల పువ్వులా...

పువ్వుల వెన్నెల నవ్వులా...

ఈ "చిన్నారి" కి "పుట్టినరోజు శుభాకాంక్షలు"!

Happy Birthday Chi. Karronya!

I believe this painting unquestionably moved me one step up in both Watercolor painting and Portrait painting. It was very challenging to capture the beautiful smile of Chi. Karronya as beautiful as it was.

I am extremely happy with my efforts. Of course, best efforts give best results. I always used to say 'my best is yet to come`. I can now proudly say, "one of my best has come".

Happy Painting! Happy Memories!!

"Be at your best, beat your best."

- Giri Pottepalem

Details 
Title: నవ్వుల పువ్వుల వెన్నెల...

Inspiration: Talented Dancer & Telugu Actress Karronya Katrynn
Mediums: Watercolors
Size: 12" x 16" (30.5 cm x 40.5 cm)

Surface: Fabriano extra-white Watercolor Paper, Cold Press, 140 LB

... ... ...

"A masterpiece... may be unwelcome but it is never dull." - Gertrude Stein

The book that moved my heart...

The Book that moved my heart...  

The Moon and Sixpence by William Somerset Maugham.

This book moved my heart. The author, William Somerset Maugham took me with him on a travel into the heart-touching life changes of an Artist, Charles Strickland, a man who abandons his secured stockbroker job & family to pursue an uncertain existence as an artist. By the end he creates and leaves a meaningful existence of his life.

Based on, and inspired by the life of the artist Paul Gauguin, this book takes the reader a century back in time through the life in London, Paris slums, and beautiful Tahiti. With a very heart touching ending, the book makes the reader to think about - meaningful existence for the life after.

Few thinkable and remarkable wordings I noted from the book:

• A painters monument is his work.
• A man's work reveals him.
• Self-doubt is the artist's bitterest enemy.
• "I have made something where there was nothing."
• If you had your time over again, would you do what you did?
• I raked my brain.
• Love makes a man a little more than himself. and at the same time a little less. He ceases to be himself.
• Great Art is always decorative.
• Life is hard, and nature takes sometimes a terrible delight in torturing her children.

Many thanks to Vinnakota Narasimha Rao garu, for recommending this book to me while following my recent 10-day recollection-series on my initial college time art-work years. Otherwise, I wouldn't have known about this book at all, neither would have read the book, nor would have become curious about the well-known artist Paul Gauguin. Next time when I make a visit to Museum of Fine Arts Boston, I should feel Paul Gauguin's life through his original paintings in the collection over there.

Lives on the earth are interconnected, one action by someone somewhere leads to another action by someone else somewhere else.

Links:

https://soul-on-canvas.blogspot.com/2020/07/day-6-of-10-teared-into-pieces.html?showComment=1595537476173#c4583230565429739135

Day 10 of 10 - The Divinity of Art...

"The Divinity of Art"
Raynolds Ballpoint pen on Paper (8" x 10")   

"Divine" in Art is quite common, and goes back all the way to the oldest art-age of humans discovered till date. Every Artist at some time or other touches "divinity" in his/her own art work. The word "Divine" I am using here has got nothing to do with a religion or belief. It's rather a force, a force of faith or trust. The faith of an Artist that goes into Art is what that makes it "Divine" and "Special". Of course, Art itself is a "divine ability of creativity", neither given to all nor given equally to those given to.

Back to 1992...

I consider this drawing as Divine Art of all my Art works. It has been divine for me because it was reproduced based on my Dad's Sita-Rama drawing. With minor changes, I made it to look like Radha-Krishna. Again, nothing to do with religion for my use of the word "Divine" here for this Art work.

I grew up looking at an amazingly beautiful Indian Ink drawing of "Rama and Sita" by my Dad done before even I was born, when he was doing his Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) degree in "Vijaya Teachers College, Bangalore". It was done for his college magazine's cover page. The framed original Indian Ink drawing was placed in the holy Pooja room at our newly built home in my village "Damaramadugu", Nellore, India. So, it got a special holy stature by the place it was put in with all the divine energies around it. I always wanted to draw that but wasn't dared enough to try it out until 1992.

Just the thought of reproducing my Dad's drawing itself was "Divine" for me. The kind of very soft, and divinely flowing lines, each line done with utmost divine skill & care was pushing me away from the thought of reproducing it for a longtime. But, I think, the day when I did it, on my stay at our home in Kavali, after I recovered from a viral infection sickness I went through, some "divine force" finally drove me with my attempt to finally make it.

I did this with the powerful tool at that time I had in my art tool-kit, "Raynolds" Ballpoint pen. I was a big fan of that ballpoint pen for it's unique quality of sharp, consistent & smooth flow of ink flowing through the rolling ball, simple & cute design, good quality material, and the perfect hand-grip that brand offered when it came out in Indian market. It was little bit expensive but was affordable for anyone. That was the finest of the finest ballpoint pens of that time.

I finished this drawing in one sitting. I can't imagine myself doing that now. All kinds of faith I had put into my sincere attempt, and all kinds of respect I had for my Dad's original drawing, had granted me the "divine force" to do this. I could feel all the divinity at that time while I was doing it. Now, when I think through it, I can rediscover all that divinity in it.

I firmly believe that Art is a gift in my life. It was the gift that God had given to my Dad, and my Dad passed it on to me. By using it, I feel that I am only continuing what his life-span did not permit him to do. It is with great respects for my Dad, I carry his soul with my soul in my Art.

Every piece of my Art has a piece of my heart in it.

~ ~ ~ ~ *** ~ ~ ~ ~

When I accepted the challenge on Facebook, I felt like posting my initial paintings done during my exploration of painting world that were never-seen-on-facebook. As I started to look back by selecting, a painting a day, my (he)art started letting the memories of each come out into my writings. I certainly enjoyed doing this series, which I don't think I can ever repeat. I'd say more than I did it, I felt it and enjoyed it. Feeling and enjoying is more important than doing anything.

When I look back into my Art, there were all kinds of feelings including several instances of frustrations, many joyful, some sadful, few proudful, a bit laughful, and even tearful moments. But, one thing that kept me going was my passion.

Keep your passion alive, and it gives you a life truly fulfilled, and fully-filled!

Thanks to all who read my heart and shared their invaluable feelings with me by all means!

Day 9 of 10 - KAPIL DEV(IL)...

Kapil Dev - 1987
Poster colors on Paper (8" x 10")     

Kapil Dev Nihankj - one of India's finest Cricketers of all-time, led the Indian Team to win its first World Cup in 1983. A passionate, stylish, and talented Cricket player, he always played with the spirit of winning for the Country. He was my favorite Cricketer since my 5th class until he retired in 1994.

Got introduced in School...

I have had many memories of Cricket game from the days of listening radio commentary to watching live matches on TV. In our school, one of the cooks in the kitchen was our source for Cricket scores. We used to hang around a window in our recess time while he was cutting vegetables with his transistor radio on inside the kitchen. We got introduced to Cricket in our school at the age of 9 by playing. Our school had nice & big grounds, and all the Cricket equipment. Gavaskar and Kapil Dev were the two super-heroes of the Indian Cricket at that time.

My memories of Kapil Dev...

In my Intermediate in Vijayawada, once I went with my friends to watch "Deodhar Trophy" one-day match between North and South. Kapil Dev was supposed to be playing on that day for North, but due to some reason he couldn't make it. We were bit disappointed. Roger Binny entertained the crowd with his batting and bowling. I missed the only chance I got to watch him play on the Cricket grounds.

On my first overseas trip to London in 1994 on a TCS project, I was super thrilled to spend a day in "Tunbridge Wells" - a small and beautiful town, one hour from London. That was the place where Kapil Dev created a history, played an unforgettable innings with his unbeaten 175 which lifted India’s team spirits and kept India alive in the World Cup. Unfortunately, his batting on that day was not live-telecasted as BBC cameras were on strike.

A great all-time Cricketer, Kapil was named "Indian Cricketer of the Century". I bought the book "World of Kapil Dev" by Kapil and his wife Romi Dev, came out in the market soon after he retired holding the world record of most number of wickets in Test matches surpassing Richard Hadlee. I still have it with me. I also have a "Thums Up Flip Book", when flipped pages one side rapidly shows Kapil's bowling in action. Flipped the other way, shows Kapil drinking "Thumbs Up" drink and showing his  thumbs up at the end.

Back to 1987...

The initial days of my watercolor exploration with Camel Poster colors is clearly visible in this one of my very first paintings done in 2nd year Engineering in Vijayawada. This painting was based on an Ad printed in Sports Weekly. I think the Ad was for a shaving cream and so he is seen with a towel on shoulders. I was so accurate at portraits in pencil and ballpoint-pen by then already. This was the first portrait in Watercolors which gave me some level of self-confidence that I could also paint portraits.

Later, I added India map and his name - KAPIL DEV. My classmate Bhanu Murthy - a hardcore fan of Kapil came up with several captions when he saw this, I chose Kapil Devil and extended the name by adding (IL).

"Kapil Dev" was the first of a sportsmen I did a portrait. I also did fast sketches of Ravi Shastri and Tendulkar.

This painting in my Art portfolio always takes me back to my school and college days of playing Cricket. I was a good medium pace bowler, bowling with good line and length. I did introduce Cricket to both of my Sons, Rithvik and Bhuvan at young age of 8 and 6. I brought a pair of bats, wickets, gloves and balls from India. Weekends, three of us used to go to grounds to play Cricket, Soccer and Baseball. We also used to play on our driveway with tennis balls. Both are good at sports, picked up Cricket in no time. Rithvik is very stylish at batting, Bhuvan is a very fine bowler & batsman.

Cricket is a nice sport, 2nd widely followed and watched sport in the world, after Soccer.

Still, America ignores it ;)

Day 8 of 10 - Simple, Special and Beautiful...

Simple, Special and Beautiful
Pencil on Paper (5" x 7")     

Back to 1988...

స్వర్ణకమలం - కాలేజి రోజుల్లో నన్ను అమితంగా ప్రభావితం చేసిన సినిమా. ఇప్పటికి ఎన్ని సార్లు చూశానో నాకే తెలీదు. "భానుప్రియ" పాత్రని "కళాతపస్వి శ్రీ కె.విశ్వనాథ్" గారు మలచి, తీర్చిదిద్దిన తీరు, దానికి సరిగ్గా తగ్గట్టు ఆమె చూపించిన అభినయం "స్వర్ణకమలం" అనే ఓ గొప్ప తెలుగు పదానికి నిండు రూపాన్నిచాయి. ఏ తెలుగు డిక్షనరీ లోనైనా ఈ పదానికి విడమరిచి మరీ అర్ధం చెప్పాలంటే ఈ సినిమాలో ఈ పాత్రని చూసి అర్ధం చేసుకోవాల్సిందే అన్నంతగా ఆ పాత్రని పోషించి, దానికి జీవం పోసి, ఆ పాత్రని ఎప్పటికీ సజీవం చేసిన నాటి మంచి నటీమణి, అంతకి మించిన మంచి నర్తకి "భానుప్రియ".

నా బొమ్మల్లో ఇప్పటికీ "భానుప్రియ" దే అగ్రస్థానం. దాదాపు 25 పోర్ట్రెయిట్స్ దాకా వేశాను. నా బొమ్మల్లో భరతనాట్యం మీద నా ఆసక్తి కి బీజం "సాగరసంగమం". ఆ మూవీ చూశాక, అప్పట్లో ఆ సినిమాలో "కమలహాసన్" డ్యాన్స్ స్టిల్స్ ప్రతిదీ పెన్సిల్ తో వేశాను. అలా నా బొమ్మల్లో డ్యాన్స్ కి "సాగరసంగమం" సినిమా బీజం అయితే, అది మొలకెత్తి చిగురించి ఎదిగింది మాత్రం "స్వర్ణకమలం" తోనే.

అలానే ఇప్పటిదాకా ఒక సబ్జెక్ట్ మీద ఎక్కువగా పెయింటింగ్స్ వేసింది ఏదీ అంటే అది "భరతనాట్యం". "నాట్యాంజలి" అని మొదలెట్టి 1,2,3...12...21...అని ఇలా లెక్కపెట్టుకుంటూ పోతూ, ఎక్కడో లెక్క తప్పి, లెక్క పెట్టటమే మానేశాను. బహుశా అన్నీకలిపి ఓ యాభై పైనే వేసుంటానేమో ఇప్పటిదాకా ఈ సబ్జెక్ట్ మీదే. ఈ సబ్జెక్ట్ కి స్ఫూర్తి కూడా అలనాటి నటి "భానుప్రియే"!

"భానుప్రియ" ని ఎప్పుడు TV లో చూసినా నువ్వే గుర్తొస్తావ్ గిరీ అని ఇప్పటికీ కొందరు ఫ్రెండ్స్ అంటూనే ఉంటారు. అసలు "భానుప్రియ" ఎవరో తెలీకుండా, ఆమె సినిమా చూడకుండానే ఆమెకి అభిమానినయ్యాను.

Back to few more years, 1984...

"ఆంధ్ర లోయోలా, విజయవాడ" లో ఇంటర్మీడియట్ రోజులు..."నీలాచలం" అని ఒక ఫ్రెండ్ Bi.P.C. గ్రూపు, "తాడికొండ రెసిడెన్షియల్ స్కూల్" నుంచి, అందుకేనేమో సహజంగా "కొడిగెనహళ్ళి రెసిడెన్షియల్ స్కూల్  నుంచి మా బ్యాచ్ లో ఉన్న మా ముగ్గురితోనే ఎక్కువగా సావాసం చేశాడు. చాలా సౌమ్యుడూ, నెమ్మదస్తుడూ. హాస్టల్లో ఎప్పుడూ మాతోనే మసలేవాడు. నన్ను `గిరిధర్` అని పిలిచే అతి కొద్ది ఫ్రెండ్స్ లో అతనూ ఒకడు. నేనేసే బొమ్మలు చూసి బాగ మెచ్చుకునేవాడు, నీలాచలం మాటలు నాకిప్పటికీ గుర్తే. "గిరిధర్ , నువ్వు `సితార` సినిమా చూడాలి, అందులో "భానుప్రియ" అని కొత్తనటి, ఆమె కళ్ళు చాలా అందంగా ఉంటాయి, కళ్ళతోనే యాక్ట్ చేస్తుంది. మంచి డ్యాన్సర్ కూడా. నువ్వు ఆసినిమా చూస్తే తప్పకుండా ఇష్టపడతావు, ఆమె బొమ్మలు చాలా గీస్తావు." అని ఎప్పుడూ నా పక్కన భుజం మీద చెయ్యేసి నడుస్తూ అంటూనే ఉండేవాడు. అలా అతను అనేకసార్లు చెప్పీ చెప్పీ, తర్వాత `సితార` ఫొటోలు పత్రికల్లో చూసి, నీలాచలం చెప్పేది నిజమేనా అనుకున్నాను.

కానీ "నీలాచలం" నన్ను చూడమంటూ పదే పదే చెప్పిన `సితార` సినిమా చూసే అవకాశం చాలా సంవత్సరాలదాకా రాలేదు. అప్పట్లో ఆ సినిమా చాలారోజులు ఆడి సెన్సేషన్ సృష్టించి థియేటర్స్ లోనుంచి వెళ్ళిపోయింది. తర్వాత వచ్చిన "ప్రేమించు పెళ్ళాడు" సినిమా నాకెంతో నచ్చింది. అదే నేను చూసిన "భానుప్రియ" మొదటి సినిమా. సితార ఫొటోల్లో చూసి నేననుకున్న సింప్లిసిటీ ఈ సినిమాలోనూ కనిపించింది. అందులో "భానుప్రియ" కళ్ళతోనే చేసిన అభినయం, నృత్యాలూ చూసి "సింపుల్"  గా అభిమానినయ్యాను. తర్వాత వచ్చిన "అన్వేషణ" కూడా ఒక సంచలనం క్రియేట్ చేసింది.  ఆ సినిమాలో డైరెక్టర్ వంశీ గారు చాలా ఫ్రేముల్లో కళ్ళతోనే అభినయం చేయించారు. కమర్షియల్ సినిమాలో గ్లామరస్ గా అనిపించింది. "విజేత" లోనూ బాగా నచ్చింది. "ఆలాపన" లో ఒక పాటకి చేసిన నృత్యం ఎప్పటికీ మరచిపోలేను. "మంచిమనసులు" సినిమాలోనూ ఒక పాటలో ఎంతో హృద్యంగా  చేసిన నాట్యం ఎప్పుడు చూసినా నన్ను కదిలిస్తూనే ఉంటుంది.

తర్వాత వచ్చిన "స్వర్ణకమలం" అయితే ఇక ఇంతకన్నా "భానుప్రియ" కి గొప్ప సినిమా రాదేమో అన్నంతగా నన్నూ నా బొమ్మల లోకాన్నీ ఆకట్టుకునేసింది. పేపర్స్ లో వచ్చిన డ్యాన్స్ స్టిల్స్ కట్ చేసి పెట్టుకున్నాను, బొమ్మలు వెయ్యటంకోసం. చికాగో లో ఉన్నపుడు ATA Conference లో నా Art Works 5 display చేస్తే, అందులో "స్వర్ణకమలం" లోని ఓ డ్యాన్స్ స్టిల్ ని పెన్సిల్ తో వేసిన బొమ్మ చాలా నచ్చింది, కొనుక్కుంటాను అంటూ నాకొచ్చిన ఫోన్ కాల్ ఎప్పటికీ మర్చిపోలేని ఆనందం. "స్వర్ణకమలం" లో "భానుప్రియ" డ్యాన్స్ స్టిల్స్ చాలా వేశాను. ఇంకా చాలా ఉన్నాయి, వెయ్యాలి, వేస్తాను.

వికీపీడియా లో "భానుప్రియ" ప్రొఫైల్ పేజి లో ఇప్పటికీ నేను వేసిన డ్రాయింగ్స్ ఉన్నాయి. వికీపీడియా  "స్వర్ణకమలం" పేజి లోనూ నేనేసిన బొమ్మ ఒకటి ఇప్పటికీ ఉంది. గూగుల్ లో ఎవరైనా సెర్ఛ్ చేసినా బహుశా నేను వేసిన బొమ్మలే ఎక్కువగా కనిపించొచ్చు. ఆ మధ్య ఒకసారి TV9 చూస్తున్నపుడు "భానుప్రియ" చెల్లెలు "శాంతిప్రియ" పై ఏదో ప్రోగ్రాం వస్తూ చూపించిన కొన్ని ఫొటోల్లో నేనేసిన "భానుప్రియ" బాల్ పాయింట్ పెన్ స్కెచ్ చూసి చాలా థ్రిల్లింగ్ అయ్యాను.

"భానుప్రియ" కనపడకుండా నా బొమ్మలలోకం లేదు, నా బొమ్మలు చెప్పే కబుర్లు పూర్తి కావు. అలా "భానుప్రియ" నా బొమ్మల్లో అప్పుడూ, ఇప్పుడూ, ఎప్పుడూ సింపుల్, స్పెషల్ అండ్ బ్యూటిఫుల్ గానే మిగిలి ఉంది, ఉంటుంది...

Check the following links:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhanupriya

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swarnakamalam

https://soul-on-canvas.blogspot.com/2015/11/proud-moments.html

Day 7 of 10 - My experiments in Art...

Pooja Bedi - 1991
Poster colors on Paper (11" x 14")    

Experiment leads to discovery, and discovery leads to invention. An Artist goes through this process of natural phenomena if continued to experiment with Art for a longer period of time. I had gone through this process in my own way for many years. Now, when I go back and look into my early years of drawings and paintings, I do discover my experiments in many of those.

Back to 1991...

Change is always good. With change comes new energy, new ways to experiment, new opportunities to explore, new experiences to go through, and new knowledge to gain. There is no better place than "A Home" on earth. That statement holds good even for experiments. Home is where we live and our life is deeply connected into.

After my college, we moved to our new home in Janata Pet; Kavali, leaving away all my childhood Art memories at that rented home we lived in for 10 years, of course I did carry with mr in my (he)art. Till then, I used to come home 2 or 3 times a year, for every school/college vacations. Soon after I finished my Engineering, I got into my first job and used to come to my home in my home-town, Kavali for only Sankranthi festival or for any special occasions. All through those years, our home was my Art place for many of my Art works, and my vacation was my full-time art period.

My experiments...

This painting of "Pooja Bedi" was done during my short Sankranthi vacation at our new home in Kavali. It was based on a picture I found in a 12 page picture-wall-calendar, I think it had 12 different poses of "Pooja Bedi" exclusively done for McDowells Ad. This one inspired me to experiment with the same opaque "poster colors" that I used to.

Till then I used to leave all the space around a portrait untouched. I started experimenting by adding different kinds of backgrounds. This one was first-of-its-kind with horizontal lines. Later I extended my experiment to few more paintings by adding a similar background of stripes, in different angles, with different widths and spaces in between. Interestingly some came out very nicely and helped the subject to stand out.

I didn't know any of art vocabulary like composition, value, subject, stand-out etc, and knew nothing about standard sizes. Unknowingly, I was trying to make my subjects stand out in this by adding some kind of background. Also interestingly, the size of this Painting was done in a standard size of 11" x 14", my own cut-size for this particular painting. I used my then favorite "Ivory Board", a wedding card thick paper for this. That paper used to come in large standard watercolor paper of size 22" x 30", called "full-size" (learned this standard word used in watercolor painting, few years ago). I used to cut paper into the size I'd like to, no standards. I still remember, sometimes when I did not have a scale/ruler handy, I used to make my own by folding a newspaper, several folds, and used to use that to cut the paper or even for drawing any straight lines.

I also started to get some of my Paintings framed around that time. I remember my search for a good framing shop in Hyderabad. After enquiring and searching a lot, found a framing shop in Abids along the road of CHERMAS, and one more in Kachiguda near the railway station. I got this painting laminated in a thick plastic paper at Sangareddy, my first-job-place. This was the only painting I went for lamination. Don't know why, I guess I was experimenting with ways to protect and hang my paintings onto walls. Also, I guess, I could afford as I started working. ;)

Change leads to experiment, experiment leads to discovery, discovery lead to invention and invention leads to innovation.

Be changing, experimenting, discovering, inventing and innovating...

Day 6 of 10 - Every art-work has a story to tell...

Portrait of Prime Minister of India - Indira Gandhi
Ballpoint Pen on Paper (8" x 10")     

It was only two years I went to this college for my Intermediate (+2) with Maths, Physics, Chemistry as core subjects, English and Sanskrit as language subjects. There was another subject that no school or college was offering, but I was enrolling myself into it wherever I went, Art. ;)

Back to 1985...

Andhra Loyola Collge, Vijayawada

A beautiful campus just beneath Gunadala Mary Matha hills, with greenery everywhere, the best college buildings with best class rooms, best labs, playgrounds, library and best hostels with single rooms for every hostler who could get admission. Getting admission in the college was hard, believe me, getting admission into hostel was even harder, at least for me. Even colleges in USA as on today do not have this kind of dormitory rooms for undergraduate students. The oval shaped 3-story hostel buildings had all kinds of facilities, with center gardens, best dining halls with the best Andhra meals and breakfast. You name anything required for a college student, Andhra Loyola College provided the best of it in there.

With best lecturers, in fact, many of them were the authors of prescribed English medium text books of Maths, Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Zoology, the college offered the best campus experience for the students. Of course, it was expensive to afford for middle class families. But my Mom supported me with her little salary she was making by working as a clerk in Girls High School, Kavali. More than half of her salary was going just for my monthly hostel bill.

Along with all the best academics and facilities, the discipline there was also the best. All Christian Fathers were in the management with some in teaching as well. No Christian Father or Brother would speak Telugu in there. Half of the students were coming in from Hindi and English speaking families. Getting in there coming from one of the two best schools in the state, the pressure to get perfect scores in Maths, Physics and Chemistry was there always on three of us from our school who made into the college. Coming from 10 years of Telugu medium into English medium was an added pressure. One can easily imagine the pressure on a 15 year old kid in there ;)

My new friend easing off all that pressure - Ballpoint Pen

My Art has memories in Andhra Loyola College campus. My drawings got matured with my age, the accuracy of lines, and their sharpness improved a lot as I kept doing it in my Gogineni hostel room number 34 (first year) and 210 (second year).

I took one step further in drawing, moving up from pencil to work with my new friend - Ballpoint pen. Drawing with Ballpoint pen was more challenging for the obvious fact that nothing could be erased. So, I had to be more accurate with every line of details. I started to get better at it attempt after attempt.

Smt. Indira Priyadarshini Gandhi, Prime Minister of India

The drawing I share today was done a couple of months after Prime Minister of India, Smt. Indira Gandhi got assassinated. I was in the hostel when it happened. Vijayawada went on a high alert as the city had considerable number of Sikhs living in. We had one Sikh student in our hostel and he was safely put in an unknown place for few days by our college management. The situation was that bad.

After that unfortunate incident Indira Gandhi's picture was on every India's magazine cover page for few months. I did this when came home in Kavali for Sankranthi vacation. "News Week" weekly magazine's cover page was my reference. While I recollect my memories of this Art work, I must also recollect a memory that is very hard to detach from this portrait in my mind.

Teared into pieces

I was very happy with the outcome of this portrait. First time I experimented with two colors of ballpoint pens. For Artists it is very hard to repeat the same art work once done up to self-satisfaction. But, I did repeat this portrait of Indira Gandhi, the very next day. The reason to do again, my uncle Praja (Prabhakar Jaladanki) was so impressed looking at it and asked me to give it away to "Pendem Soda Factory" shop owner who owned a family business in Kavali and was a strong follower of Nehru's family. He said, if I give it away to him he would frame and hang it in his shop, and my Art work would get exposure to the whole town of people. I was actually very thrilled by that idea, imagining myArt work would become talk-of-the-town. But, I did not want to give it away. So, I started a new one, bigger, better, and on a better paper.

I finished outline with pencil and started doing ballpoint pen work. It was coming out 100% more better than this. It was halfway done and was on my way to finish. Then my brother came home, along with him came one of his friends. He was a guy who would say he could do anything under the Sun. After few minutes of chatting with them, I stepped inside into another room to grab something. I came back in 2 minutes and was shocked to see what my half-finished Art work went through. నాకు ఏడుపొక్కటే తక్కువ. He finished the remaining lower half of the face in that 2 minutes while I was away from it, and showed me saying- "ఏం గిరీ ఎట్టేశా చూడు, నీ అంత టైం పట్టదులే నాకు బొమ్మెయటానికి". I went into a sudden depression looking at it, several hours of my hard but joyful efforts went in vain. It took few days for me recover from that.

Then I never bothered myself to make another attempt. I did not even want to be talk-of-the-town. That short-lived little dream in myself to become talk-of-the-town simply vanished. Later, with tears in my eyes, I had torn the paper into pieces. My special new friend, the Ballpoint pen was lying down as it did not know how to speak up or express its own feelings.

"...because every picture has a story to tell."

~~ ~ ~ ~ * * * ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Day 5 of 10 - I do have my own Art Guru...

A mere copy of Uttam's original painting
Poster colors on Paper (8" x 10").   

Back to 1988...

After a couple of years exploration of watercolor painting for the material and resources, I finally found a resource and met my Guru as well.

Andhra Bhoomi Telugu weekly magazine - My best resource at that time

Seriously, Andhra Bhoomi Telugu weekly magazine was my best and primary reference and resource for learning Watercolor Painting. Those were the years that Telugu weekly magazines enjoyed the best weekly circulation numbers and market share of all time. A new generation of young male story tellers and writers changed the world of "Telugu novels". They brought in new wave, taking away readers' minds from imaginary world into a new world of thinking. పాఠకుల్ని ఊహా లోకం నుంచి ఆలోచనా లోకం వైపుకి మళ్ళించారు.

The new interestingly innovative way they narrated stories by making readers to think clearly put an end to an era, and started a new era. "Andhra Bhoomi" weekly magazine was the front runner in the new era. It was so popular, and would get sold-out by the same-day-evening after hitting the market. This was the case every single week in every single town in AP state. Some of the writers' names I still remember are: యండమూరి వీరేంద్రనాథ్ గారు, కొమ్మనాపల్లి గణపతి రావు గారు, సూర్యదేవర రామ్మోహన రావు గారు. With the new thinking wave, came in the new illustrators and artists. "Andhra Bhoomi" also had the best-in-class artists and finest illustrators of all-time.

Back then, I wanted to paint like those artists, and I had no reason to give up...

Found my Art Guru - Uttam Kumar (ఉత్తమ్ కుమార్) 

పేరుకి తగ్గట్టే ఉత్తమ "పెయింటింగ్ ఇలస్ట్రేషన్స్" వేస్తూ తెలుగు పత్రికా లోకంలో కొత్త ఒరవడి సృష్టించిన ఆర్టిస్ట్. His mesmerizing and beautiful paintings printed mostly in black and white every week, and occasionally in color in Andhra Bhoomi weekly became my weekly Art lessons. The magazine became my study guide and Uttam was my teacher in there. I was his sincere student observing, studying and practicing every little detail, every single painting, and every single week for a couple of years.

His paintings pulled me into watercolor painting in my second-year of four-year Engineering College. I first started learning painting by copying his paintings. I copied and reproduced quite a few of his works that looked exactly like his originals. Copying is in fact the best way to do a deeper study of masters in Art, especially when you are learning, you must at least try to copy some masters' works. It helps a lot in the initial period before you find out and meet with your own style. I would say, never be afraid to imitate the style of an Artist you admire, that is the way you learn the best.

I continued learning from Uttam's paintings rest of my college years. After that suddenly his illustrations and cartoons started to slow down and disappeared from the magazine. I was wondering "why" for quite sometime. One day I cam e to know when I went to meet సికరాజు గారు (సి. కనకాంబర రాజు) Editor of Andhra Bhoomi in Secunderabad Deccan Chronicle office (will share those details on some other time) that he went to USA to work in Hollywood. After 2 years or so, I read a 3-page article about him in Andhra Bhoomi weekly. I came to know little more details that he settled in Hollywood working as an Art Director for Steven Spielberg, and was the only Indian artist working among 70,000 employees. I felt both happy and sad, happy that his talent took him all the way there, sad I didn't get a chance to meet him. Then after I came to USA, I searched internet (before Google era) a lot to find any details about him and found nothing. Even now if you google, you will you will not find much.

Mighty Hanuman (a comic book series)

I am not sure how many Indians had seen this comic series that Uttam painted for and released  probably only one in the series before he left for USA to work in Hollywood. That was one of the best I had seen in my life. I bought a copy and I still have it. It has hundreds of his wonderful Hanuman paintings.

I was fortunate

I was happy one day to see Uttam's comment on a drawing that my son Bhuvan did which I posted on his little blog. Here is the link: http://bhuvan-arts.blogspot.com/search/label/Uttam. That was one of the happiest moments in my life. I sent him an email and got a reply. I was going on vacation to India and shared my contact number in India with him. He did call me and even talked with Bhuvan. It was a very precious few-minutes-of-time in my life for me. I was very fortunate.

For many years his paintings remained the main source of reference for me.  Later on, I continued to draw and paint once in a while, but slowed down a lot as life put me on the fast-track to keep running for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. I completely stopped doing any Art in between several years, in that phase for almost 20 years.

Testing abilities

Having the fire-of-desire inside to learn anything is only a thing, but letting it out and taking it for a ride to test is's abilities is something and the main thing. One needs right kind of resources and opportunities to test one's own abilities.

ఉత్తమ్ గారి ప్రభావం నా బొమ్మలపై చాలా ఉంది. ఆయన పెయింటింగ్స్ చాలా అందంగా ఉండేవి, ముఖ్యంగా ఆయన పెయింటింగ్స్ లో తెలుగు అమ్మాయిలు ప్రత్యేకమైన అందంతో కనిపించేవారు. ఆ ప్రభావమేనేమో, పెయింటింగ్ అంటే "అందం" గానే ఉండాలన్న భావన నాలో బలంగా నాటుకుపోయింది. అందంగా లేని పెయింటింగ్స్ నన్ను అంతగా ఇంప్రెస్ చెయ్యలేవు, ఎక్కువగా ప్రభావితం చెయ్యలేవు.

In Art, I always look for one word: "Beautiful",  before I look for anything else. 

The Painting I shared in this post is merely a copy of Uttam's original painting. This one went on for display on our college literary-club-news-board just for a couple of days.

I have been a self-learner in Art. But I do have my own Art Guru and I am his Ekalavya sishya!

~ ~ ~ ~ * * * ~ ~ ~ ~

Day 4 of 10 - Still, I wanted to paint and I never gave up...(cont'd)

Kamal Hassan - 1987
Camel Poster Colors mixed with Acrylic on Paper (12" x 16").   

Continuing my exploration of Painting from yesterday's post...

Portrait of Kamal Hassan done in 1987. A small portion of a light pole leaning against can also be seen. I had this painting pasted on the wall in my Engineering hostel room, and thus it got damaged. So, I had to cut the paper around it losing the date below my signature.

Going back 2 more years, 1987...

As I was progressing, my signature was also undergoing some changes ;) This was one of my very early paintings of that time. The thickness of the paint on paper is clearly visible. One reason for that was, I was happily mixing white fabric color unknowingly with every color, and that was also causing patches. I was that ignorant. I did know that fabric color was for cloth painting, but didn't know that it was not good for mixing with poster color.

Resources - Art material

There were no resources available to get any details about art material and where to buy if available. I spent too much of my time going around almost to every single bookshop in Vijayawada including some on the unknown streets in one-town (the whole-sale business area) with very narrow roads. A bookshop guy in Patamata told me to check one-town area, and that's how I ended up searching for shops even in an area that was full of whole-sale warehouses where in they wouldn't sell anything in small numbers/quantities.

Vijayawada one-town was a big area and was known for it's whole-sale business.It was also very difficult to navigate in and out. Once you enter, you won't be able to come out, back to the place where you entered. One had to walk and would only get lost somewhere deep inside.

After making a couple of trips, all the way from one end of the city to another, by taking infamous Vijayawada city buses, I somehow managed to find a whole-sale business stationery warehouse with a small shutter room at the front which was open. The person I met there at least did not put a puzzling face when I asked for art material like watercolors, paper, palettes and brushes. He went inside and brought a box of Camel Poster Colors and said that's all he had. I already had a few colors that I bought in my hometown Kavali. I bought a few more just because I went all the way over there and that guy at least showed me something. I returned to my hostel very disappointed with my mind clearly set, I was done with my exploration of watercolor painting material. Whatever I got by then, I had to just explore my watercolor painting with.

Still, I wanted to paint and I never gave up...

Resources - Artists

I tried my best to find an artist or a watercolor painter. The only media available was newspapers. I still remember, one Sunday morning I took bus to the other end of the city after I saw some details about an Art exhibition in a newspaper. I did meet the Artist there who displayed her beautiful European paintings done on china (పింగాణి) plates. They were absolutely beautiful and stunning. She copied many European masters' paintings and painted those on china plates. But, she did not help me in giving any details that I wanted to know about painting in general.

Another instance I met an Artist was, few days before a new year eve, a poor Artist came to our hostel to sell greeting cards he painted. They were all original post-card size paintings done in a unique style. I was very impressed with his works and bought a bunch, about a dozen or so. I think each one costed Rs 5 /-. He felt so happy that at least one bought some of his cards. I showed him some of my paintings and asked him few questions about the material he used and how he did his paintings. He did not reveal any details at all, and said- he was from a poor family, learned some techniques from his father and hence would not tell anyone as he was making a living by selling his cards. He made a point not to share any details about his works. I didn't know at that time Artists' world was bit secret and they wouldn't reveal their techniques. I never came across any other Artist in my college life, other than the same one coming in for a couple of years in a row, and I became his customer.

Still, I wanted to paint and I never gave up...

Resources - Books

When finding Computer Science text books itself was hard, how could one expect to find Art books? Our college library had a couple of foreign art books and magazines. I did refer to those many times to learn on "how to paint watercolors". The funniest thing was, those all were on oil-painting. ;) But those books planted a seed of desire in me for Oil Painting.

Also, I used to go to buy old books and magazines on the footpaths near Alankar theatre on Sunday evenings. Found a bunch of foreign magazines, but all were on oil-painting. So, I had no luck in finding any books/magazines on watercolor painting.

Still, I wanted to paint and I never gave up...

To be continued in tomorrow's post when I share how I found my watercolor painting "Guru"...