Work in Progress...

Video Credits: Bhuvan Pottepalem

Painting with favorite music is always relaxing, and is the way to get the best out of you.

Made much progress working on it for few hours today, the experience is fantastic and happy for my making dreams come true with Oil Painting. Getting better and faster, looking forward to finish it soon!

Progressing...

More progressed...

"Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success."

- Edward Everett Hale

Happy Painting!

Details
Title:  Woman with Pot
Mediums: Oil on Canvas
Inspiration: Passion for Arts...

Size: 36" x 24" (91.5 cm x 60 cm)

Surface: Stretched Canvas board

Art is Divine...

Goddess Durga - Sri Sai Chavadi, Canton MA

I was extremely humbled by this opportunity given to me to re-paint Goddess Durga at Sri Sai Chavadi Temple in Canton, MA, USA. Few months ago, in a Pooja function at one of my friend's place, when the priest Narayan Ji asked me to Paint the Goddess marble statue, I was just surprised. I immediately said, "Sure, Swamiji, I will come, take a look, and will do it". Then, I was wondering "How did he know that I do Painting?".

I was in fact, planning to start Acrylic Painting lately and even bought all necessary supplies. When I explored about the right Paint to use for Marble, I was convinced with Acrylic Painting as more suitable than any other. The day for Acrylic Painting finally and suddenly had arrived two weeks ago. I dedicated a weekend and spent about 8 hours of my sincere time-and-talent near Goddess Durga.

I always feel Art is divine. Experiencing it with the nearness of Divine force of the Goddess is even more divine for me. When I was half way through this job, the priest came to take a look and said, "Giridhar garu, it's coming out so nice. Maata Ji (Goddess Durga) knows the right person to assign this job to. That's how she called you and you are brought in". I was more humbled by his words. His son Dhanush, a 9th grade kid was with me for sometime asking me interesting questions about Painting while I was on this job. It was a divinely wonderful experience for me and my Arts.

Here is the Goddess Durga before and after:

I was also asked to cover minor color marks that the Uthsav statue of Goddess Dugra had on the face which was brought from India for this Navarathri festival.

Uthsav Statue - Goddess Durga

I also noticed that the statue of Radha and Krishna needed a similar Art touch as well. As the Temple didn't plan for it, I just touched eyebrows, eyes and painted hair. Another weekend is due for this work and awaiting the call from Lord Krishna and Radha.

Radha Krishna

By this opportunity, my Art received special blessings during this auspicious days of Dasara Festival. I was happy with my sincere attempts to give my best.

"Be sincere when you commit. Don't commit if you have any doubts on your sincerity."

- Giridhar Pottepalem  

"Painting is the grandchild of nature. It is related to God." - Rembrandt

దసరా శుభాకాంక్షలు!

Happy Painting!!

Details
Mediums: Acrylic
Venue: Sri Sai Chavadi, Canton, MA, USA
Date: 5th, 6th and 7th October, 2018

Beginning matters....

Woman with Pot - Oil on Canvas
Sketch - First Step

This is just the beginning of another beautiful journey I am hoping to have with Oil Painting, my dream media. Looking forward for a wonderful experience.

It is not exaggerated when I say, "I can recollect the place, time of the day, and almost about everything around each of my Art works when I look at them including the oldest of my work that I could save which I did when I was 10 years old". I guess, every Artist could say that. Otherwise, that the Artist was not deeply involved in it.

Like ending matters, beginning also matters and is important in anything we do in life. A good beginning almost always leads onto a good path, resulting into a good ending. I am happy with the good beginning of this painting. It's only an under-painting, still a long way to go. Looking forward to finishing it in coming weeks. With that, I wish myself a "Good Luck" and am hoping to exceed my own expectations and limitations!

"The beginning is the most important part of the work." - Plato

Happy Painting!

Details
Title:  Woman with Pot
Mediums: Oil on Canvas
Inspiration: Passion for Arts...

Size: 36" x 24" (91.5 cm x 60 cm)

Surface: Stretched Canvas board

Plan your day, your way...

Woman with Pot - Ink & Watercolors on Paper

A day is not supposed to be made-up or made-down by others for you. Each day that you don't have to go through day-to-day routine cycle is all yours. At least, those days, you plan your way and do what makes you happy.

You can't just live for others. You also have a person of yourself in those others. Find and be with that person on days that are not routine, and on days that you have a choice to plan. Plan those days your own way. Make that inner-person of yourself happy and then you'll be the happiest.

A day or two spent your way, each week, each month, each year for a long time keeps you happy overall. On instances when you look back, you will not have (m)any regrets. It is hard to have a regret-free past, but at least regrets can be minimized and make them look tiny relatively. As life goes by, fill it with more happiness, that leads to peace.

"For the happiest life, days should be rigorously planned, nights left open to chance." - Mignon McLaughlin

This is a sketch done with Ink & Watercolors on Paper before starting a full-blown Oil Painting.

Happy Painting!

Details
Title: Woman with Pot
Mediums: Ink & Watercolors on Paper
Inspiration: Random Picture came across, Passion for Arts...

Size: 8.5" x 11" (21.5 cm x 27.9 cm)

Surface: Artist's Loft Sketchbook, 75 lb/110 gm2 Acid-free Paper

When the Sun visits to view my Painting...

When the Sun visits to view my Painting...

After I finished this Pinting, I tried my best to take a good picture but was not happy with what I took in the past. This morning, I was about to step out to go to work and a strip of sunlight coming through the window falling and running from top-left to bottom-right corner glorifying just about the central characters: Peacock feather, Flute, Radha and Krishna caught my eye.

There you go...the best of all captured in this Picture with the Sun being the distinguished visitor and viewer today 😉

Now I wonder when does the Moon arrive as a visitor to view this Painting 🤔

"Sunlight is painting." - Nathaniel Hawthorne

Happy Painting!

Details
Title:  Dancing with Krishna
Mediums: Oil on Canvas
Inspiration: Passion for Arts...

Size: 36" x 24" (91.5 cm x 60 cm)

Surface: Stretched Canvas board

Sculpture - another dream of Art...

Natural Clay - Hand made

Sculpture is another form of Art I have been in love with since my childhood. The roots of my love and  desire for it can be traced back to my School days in 8th grade when My School Art Teacher sculpted TajMahal on a transparent Pears bath soap. Inspired by that, later in my teen age, I tried a couple of sculptures on Ponds and Mysore Sandal bath soaps. Also, did Lord Ganesha on a bath soap.

When I visited Hampi - a sculpture city in Karnataka State, South India with my college friends in 1987, I wanted to live in there and felt like not leaving that place. I said many times to many on many instances that I should have born in the era of King Krishnadevaraya. I fell in love that much with that City of Sculpture. I did a Watercolor Painting of that Hampi as my way to pay tributes to the king Krishnadevaraya, those visionaries and sculptures who built that great sculpture city of all-times. Whenever I visit Hindu Temples anywhere in the world, the majestic architecture and sculpture work is always inspiring to me.

I even wanted to try Marble Stone sculpture. In this not-stone-age but smart-phone-age, it should be easy finding what it requires just by tapping fingers on the phone. And, above all, all it needs is a skillful-adventurous-confidence to attempt it.

I have been doing Lord Ganesha with Natural Clay for the last 9 years. This is first time I tried a true-three-dimensional sculpture with Natural Clay. I did not have any model or picture as a reference for it, just kept going.

Sculpture is truly a three dimensional form of Art. I believe, for an Artist who is a Painter, the skill for sculpture comes in naturally. In a way, it is little easier than Painting due to it's true three dimensional form. In fact, Painting is a multi-dimensional form of Art. One needs to show several dimensions on a two-dimensional surface.

I am happy with this attempt. I should try more of it in the future, of-course, with different materials.

"Every block of stone has a statue inside it and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it."
- Michelangelo

Details

Title: Head of an Indian Woman
Material: Natural Clay

Tools: Hands
Dimensions: 9" x 5" x 5" (23 cm x 13cm x 13cm)

Inspiration: HeArt

Painting Krishna in a Painting...

Painting Krishna - Watercolors on Paper
TAKEN FB

I actually started this as a quick watercolor sketch for my debut in Acrylic Painting. I just kept on going with it, and it turned out to be a painting by itself. It is based on a very old Picture of Singer Sri. Lata Mangeshkar that I came across randomly in social media. I still have to consider it as a sketch. Otherwise, my debut in Acrylic Painting may not take off sooner.

My own creation of Lord Krishna I did in Oils can be seen as a painting in this painting. It's a double, rather a tripe Painting, me painting Radha painting Krishna of my painting.

After experiencing Oil Painting, I wanted to try and explore Acrylic Painting. I even bought a complete set of Paints and brushes. Watercolor is undoubtedly the most expressive media of all. But, certain kind of Paintings must only be attempted in Oils/Acrylic. I think this is one such and will be a great debut for me in Acrylic Painting. I will have to get into it and feel that media...

Looking forward to my beautiful first creation in Acrylic Painting! It's going to be BIG in size as well.

"Love of beauty is taste. The creation of beauty is Art" - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Happy Painting!

Details
Title:  Painting Krishna in a Painting...
Mediums: Watercolors on Paper
Inspiration: An old picture of Lata Mangeshkar that I came across, Passion for Arts...

Size: 8.5" x 11" (21.5 cm x 27.9 cm)

Surface: Artist's Loft Sketchbook, 75 lb/110 gm2 Acid-free Paper

Happy Vinayaka Chavithi - 2018...

Ganesha - natural clay by hand

Making of Lord Ganesha goes on for 9th year in a row. Unlike previous years, this year I went little abstract, working on it with less details. Actually, I didn't get a chance to dedicate a weekend for this. At one point my mind was even thinking of buying one for this year, but my heart said "No". I followed what it said and decided to go quick. Spent only a couple of hours to get this done only yesterday, a day before the festival, Vinayaka Chavithi.

At the end, I felt happy that I did not drop this tradition of Making Ganesha by Hand. Art gives peace and happiness in any situation. So, just go with it. You will never be disappointed.

Happy Vinayaka Chavithi !
వినాయక చవితి శుభాకాంక్షలు!!

"Traditions once dropped can never be brought back."
- Giridhar Pottepalem

Details

Material: Natural Clay

Tools: Hands

Inspiration: HeArt

కేరాఫ్ కంచరపాలెం - ఒక గొప్ప "అనుభూతి"...

Watercolors on Paper

సినిమా అంటే ఇలానే ఉండాలి అన్న రూలేం లేదు. కానీ సినిమా ఇలా కూడా ఉంటుందా, ఇలా కూడా తియ్యొచ్చా అని ఆలోచింపజేసే సినిమా "కేరాఫ్ కంచరపాలెం".

"అనుభూతి" అన్న పదం తెలుగు సినిమా మర్చిపోయి చాలా కాలమే అయ్యింది. ఈమధ్య అడపా దడపా కొన్ని సినిమాలు వచ్చినా, అవీన్నీ పెద్ద పెద్ద నటులతోనో, పెద్ద పెద్ద డైరెక్టర్లతోనో ఇంకేవేవో కమర్షియల్ హంగులు దిద్దుకునే వచ్చాయి. కానీ "కేరాఫ్ కంచరపాలెం" మాత్రం ఇవేవీ ఇసుమంతైనా లేని, సినిమా ఫార్ములా ని తిరగరాసే సినిమాగా తెలుగులో నిలిచిపోయే "గొప్ప" సినిమా.

ఇలాంటి సినిమాలు తెలుగులో రాలేదని చెప్పలేం, వచ్చాయి, ఒకప్పుడు వస్తూ ఉండేవి, నిన్నమొన్నటి తరం డైరెక్టర్లు ఎందరో గొప్ప అనుభూతిని మిగిల్చే సినిమాలు తీశారు. కానీ ఈ సినిమా మాత్రం అన్నిటికన్నా ప్రత్యేకం. తీసుకున్న కధనం, దాన్ని తెరపైకెక్కించిన వైనం, నటీ నటులు, టెక్నీషియన్స్ ఇలా అన్నీ నిజంగానే అద్భుతం. అంతకు మించి 150 నిమిషాలపాటు ఒక ఊరిలో అన్ని పాత్రలచుట్టూ మనల్నీ పరిభ్రమింపజేస్తూ, ఆ పాత్రలతో ఆ ఊరిలో మనమూ ఒకరమైపోయేంతగా మనల్ని కట్టిపడేసి మామూలుగా మొదలై, మెల్లి మెల్లిగా ఎన్నో భావోద్వేగాలకి గురిచేస్తూ చివరికి ఒక గొప్ప అనుభూతితో మనల్ని బయటికి తీసుకురావటం ఈ సినిమా గొప్పతనం. వచ్చాకా కొన్ని రోజులవరకైనా అందులోని పాత్రలు మనల్నీ మన ఆలోచనల్నీ తమ చుట్టూనే తిప్పుకోవటం మరీ అద్భుతం.

"ఏయ్ సుందరం, నీ చొక్కా చాలా బావుంది, రాణీ రంగు నాకు చాలా ఇష్టం" లాంటి మాటలతో ఇద్దరి చిన్నపిల్లల మధ్య ప్రేమ నుంచీ, టీనేజి, మధ్య వయసూ, యాభై దగ్గరలో ప్రేమలలోని వ్యత్యాసాలనూ ఒక ఊరిలో జరిగిన నాలుగు జంటలమధ్య చూపిస్తూ మనల్ని కాసేపు ఒక్కో జంట వెంబడి నడిపిస్తూ వారితో ఆ ఊరిలోకి తీసుకెళ్ళి మనమూ వారందరితోనే ఉంటూ వారి భావోద్వేగాలు పంచుకుంటూ ఎన్నెన్నో అనుభూతులకి గురిచేస్తూ, రెండున్నర గంటల్లోనే ఒక జీవితాన్ని పూర్తిగా చూసిన అనుభూతినివ్వగలగటం ఈ సినిమా ప్రత్యేకత. ఎందరో చెప్పినట్టుగానే రెండు సార్లు చూసి, రెండు రాకాల అనుభూతుల్ని పొందటం ఈ సినిమా మరో ప్రత్యేకత. మన చుట్టూ ఉన్న మనుషులనే, మనం రోజూ చూసే లాంటి పరిసరాలనే ఈ సినిమాలో తెరపై చూస్తూ అందంగా, ఆనందంగా ఫీల్ అయ్యాక, ఒక సారి ఆలోచిస్తే మనం నిజంగానే సహజత్వాన్ని మరిచి జీవిస్తున్నామా అన్న ఆలోచనా ఈ సినిమాతో కలగక మానదు. చెప్పకనే ఎన్నో మానవ విలువల్నీ ఇందులో ఎంతో సహజంగానూ, మరెంతో గొప్పగానూ చెప్తూ చూపెట్టారు.

ఈ సినిమాకి పనిచేసిన ప్రతి ఒక్కరూ అభినందనీయులే, ప్రతి క్యారెక్టరూ ప్రశంశించదగ్గదే. డైరెక్టర్ ఆలోచనా ప్రతిభనీ, ముందుకొచ్చిన నిర్మాతనీ కొనియాడక తప్పదు. డైరెక్టర్ ఆలోచన్లని యధాతదంగా స్వేచ్ఛగా తీయనిస్తే ఇలాంటి సినిమాలు తప్పక వస్తాయి. సినిమా అనే గొప్ప కళని కొద్దిమంది కట్టడి చేస్తూ దాని దారీ తెన్నూ మార్చేసి, సినిమా గొప్పతనాన్ని కోట్లల్లో కొలిచే ఈ రోజుల్లో ఇలాంటి సినిమా వచ్చి అందరి కళ్ళూ తెరిపించటం శుభపరిణామం. కానీ ఈ పరిణామం ఎంతవరకూ నిలుస్తుందీ అన్నది వేచి చూడాలి. నిస్సంకోచంగా ఇది డైరెక్టర్ సినిమా. కానీ ఆ డైరెక్టర్ ని ఇప్పుడే కోట్ల కొద్దీ ఆఫర్లిచ్చి క్యూలు కట్టి వేలిచూపుతో సుమోలూ, రైళ్ళూ, విమానాలూ, ర్యాకెట్లూ తిప్పే హీరోల్ని పెట్టి వారికున్న ట్యాలెంట్ ని మట్టిపాలు చేయరని ఆశిద్దాం.

సినిమా చివర్లో టైటిల్స్ తోబాటు వచ్చే, ఈ సినిమా లోని క్యారెక్టర్లనే ఓ ఆర్టిస్ట్ గీసిన బొమ్మలు కూడా అద్భుతం. కళని కళ్ళతోనే కాక మనసుతోనూ చూడగలిగే కళాస్ఫూర్తి ఉంటే నిస్సంకోచంగా "కేరాఫ్ కంచరపాలెం" ఒక అద్భుతమైన కళా చిత్రం!

Details
Title: C/O Kancherapalem
Mediums: Ink and Watercolors on Paper
Inspiration: A great Telugu Movie, Passion for Arts...

Size: 8.5" x 11" (21.5 cm x 27.9 cm)

Surface: Artist's Loft Sketchbook, 75 lb/110 gm2 Acid-free Paper

Don't limit yourself...

Portrait of Madhuri Dixit, Bollywood actress
An attempt with Ink and Watercolors on Paper

Don't limit yourself, go beyond the possibilities and explore your abilities. I knew before I started, that it is certainly not an easy portrait to get it perfect. Each person has ones own unique signature feature, catching that and getting it right is the magic of doing a perfect portrait. Madhuri Dixit has many such unique features and capturing all well is the only way to get her perfect. I think I did not succeed in getting all those in this attempt. Hoping I will get closer in my next attempt ;)

"The only way to discover the limits of the possible is to go beyond them into the impossible."
- Arthur C. Clarke

Happy Painting!

Details
Title: Portrait of Madhuri Dixit
Mediums: Ink and Watercolors on Paper
Inspiration: A picture of Madhuri Dixit, Passion for Arts...

Size: 8.5" x 11" (21.5 cm x 27.9 cm)

Surface: Artist's Loft Sketchbook, 75 lb/110 gm2 Acid-free Paper

Simple yet most beautiful...

Indian woman in Saree - Ink & Watercolors on Paper

Saree is the most beautiful outfit for a woman. Woman looks womanly in this Indian traditional outfit. Slowly Indian women started to prefer western outfit for functions and parties. Those who still prefer and wear Saree on any given day are the ones who look Simple yet most Beautiful.

"You don't need really expensive clothes to look cute" - Christy Romano

Happy Painting!

Details
Title:  Woman in Saree
Mediums: Ink and Watercolors on Paper
Inspiration: A picture of Singer Sunita in Saree, Passion for Arts...

Size: 8.5" x 11" (21.5 cm x 27.9 cm)

Surface: Artist's Loft Sketchbook, 75 lb/110 gm2 Acid-free Paper

Don't just make it, make it Great!

Dancing with Krishna - Oil on Canvas

Though I started this painting an year ago, I spent many hours during past few weeks to take it this far and took a pause, signed and dated. This is the first Painting that when it was still wet in paint, went on display in public, a day after I signed, and before I even posted it on my blog & social networks. Last week, it was displayed at an India classical dance event Shringara Triveni in Littleton, MA, USA which was based on the theme- Love for Krishna. This painting was so appropriate at that event which also had an Art exhibition going on by Kalakruti and students of an Art school. I had put a price-tag of "make your own offer". When people showed interest to buy, it was hard pricing my sincere efforts on this Painting. The enthusiasm this painting created at the show among viewers for Art and Dance was itself priceless for me. Few people asked for the price and many people stopped by staring at it for minutes and talking with me to know many details. One common question that I get these days at shows like this is - Do you teach Painting?. My answer so far has always been: No, I am still a learner. Who knows, what is there awaiting for me in future ;)

Indian Classical Dance has been one of few themes I chose and did a series of Paintings already. My second finished Oil Painting of Dancing Krishna (alone in the universe), created a new theme, Krishna for me for a series. This Painting fits in both the themes: Indian Classical Dance and Krishna. It was only a co-incidence that Krishna continues to dance in this series, but this time, the Love for Krishna joined and seen dancing along with his inseparable Flute and Peacock Feather. It has 4 dancers in it. Also, every painting has an unseen person in it, the Artist him-self/her-self.

Though I signed and dated it already, in coming weeks I will be giving it minor finishing touches before it goes on into a frame and finds a place to live. This is yet another Painting that makes me feel great and inspires me every single time I take a look at it. Of course, it did not happen just like that. It has many many hours of sincere efforts and dedication went into it.

"A great work is made out of a combination of obedience and liberty" - Nadia Boulanger

Happy Painting!

Details
Title:  Dancing with Krishna
Mediums: Oil on Canvas
Inspiration: Passion for Arts...

Size: 36" x 24" (91.5 cm x 60 cm)

Surface: Stretched Canvas board