Spread Wings and Fly...

Nátyánjali-14 - My Tribute to Indian Classical Dance

Watercolors on Paper

After attending two Arangetrams (on-stage debut performances) of Bharathanatyam and Kuchipudi, two weekends in a row, I didn't have to think of a subject for my next Painting. I took tons of pictures for my own reference at both the events. This particular one is based on my own picture I took in New Jersey at the Arangetram of Twin Daughters, Deepa and Roopa of my good friend SuryaPrakash Irakam from my High School, Kodigenahalli, AP, India. It was a feast to eyes watching the twins performing on the stage for 3 hours perfectly in sync.

My series on Indian Classical Dance goes on with this 14th one in this series as my Tribute to this wonderful form of Art.

I did it bit differently than my previous Watercolor Paintings, tried in vibrant colors. In order to fly, one needs to spread wings. Spread your wings of skill, fly through the clouds of creativity and reach destinations of your dream!

Keep Painting, Keep the Inner-Joy flowing!

I gifted this framed Painting to my friend, Parakash when he stopped by to visit me. He was so happy to have it. I liked the care he showed when he was placing it in his Car, he was worried that it could get damaged while driving. I am happy, my painting found a new home, the home of one of my childhood best friends, a gift to his twin daughters who are so talented and are inspiration for this painting, also are there in this painting...

Details
Title: Nātyānjali-14 - Indian Classical Dance
Mediums: Watercolors on Paper
Inspiration: Arangetram by Twin Daughters Deepa and Roopa of my Friend, Passion for Arts...

Size: 12" x 15" (31 cm x 38 cm)

Surface: Arches 140lb Watercolor Paper Block, Cold Press

A Roomful of Inspiration and Peace...

A Roomful of Inspiration and Peace

It's been a dream for me to see all my Paintings put together at one place like in an Art Gallery. Not any more, the dream has been made true by my sister Indira Meka(Indu) who recently visited us on a two-week vacation. She took an initiative, designed & created My Signature Place and made a wonderful Signature Gift of her own for me.

She is one special person to have in my life who has been so caring of me and my Arts, since my childhood. It took two days for both of us to turn my cluttered-office-room at my home into a roomful-of-inspiration. Now when I walk into the room, I walk into a New source of Inspiration & Peace.

It also has two very special best-creative-corners, Peace Corner and Pedababu's Corner (as Indu named and was referring it) which is nothing but My Dad's Corner. The Peace Corner has a beautiful and peaceful Yoga Girl- an elegant Art Piece which is a gift for me from Indu. My Dad's Corner has two of my Dad's three original Indian Ink Art Works along with his Portrait that I did.

Now I have my own Art around me inspiring me all-the-time. When I step inside, I no longer step into a room, but I step into my own world-of-inspiration, my own world-of-creation, my own world-of-memories, my own world-of-feelings, my own world-of-art.and my own word-of-heart.

I know Thank you is only a small word for such a thoughtful creation from me.
A heart felt "Thank You Indu" from my (he)Art.

Inspired form this, I create my own quotation and dedicate it to Indu.

"Art has special corners in the heart, creativity has no corners!" - Giridhar Pottepalem

Peace corner

My Dad's Corner

Nrityanjali

Art & Peace go together

Details
Title: A Roomful of Inspiration and Peace
Designer & Creator: Indira Meka
Tools: Two Creative minds
Surface: My Home

Use your ability...

Nātyānjali-13 - Indian Classical Dance - GIFTED
Watercolors on Paper

My Nātyānjali goes on with this Watercolor Painting which is 13th in this series. Though it is not as big as previous ones on this subject, I am quite happy with the result. The best way to expertise anything is - practice. Natural abilities only help to some extent in getting there. But it is the sheer practice that takes you there.

"We all have ability. The difference is how we use it!" - Charlotte Whitton

Details
Title: Nātyānjali - Indian Classical Dance
Mediums: Ink Pen & Watercolors on Paper
Tools: Micron 01 Ink Pen, Brush and Watercolors
Inspiration: Passion for Arts...

Size: 9" x 12" (22.9 cm x 30.5 cm)

Surface: Artist's Loft 140 lb / 300 g/m2 Acid Free, Cold Press watercolor paper

Reshape yourself...

Lord Ganesha - Ink-pen and Watercolors
GIFTED

Like each day gives an opportunity to reshape our-self, each attempt gives an opportunity to reshape our skill. Nothing goes waste and everything teaches something in life.

This is another attempt of Lord Ganesha in watercolors before I move onto Oils making a series of my own on this as a subject.

"Reshape yourself through the power of your will; never let yourself be degraded by self-will. The will is the only friend of the Self, and the will is the only enemy of the Self."

- Krishna, The Bhagavad Gita

Details
Title: Lord Ganesha
Mediums: Ink Pen & Watercolors on Paper
Tools: Micron 03 Ink Pen, Brush and Watercolors
Inspiration: Passion for Arts...

Size: 9" x 12" (22.9 cm x 30.5 cm)

Surface: Artist's Loft 140 lb / 300 g/m2 Acid Free, Cold Press watercolor paper

Caring is more than Loving...

Caring is more than Loving...Watercolors on Paper

A warm welcome to my Sister Indira Meka who is coming from California to visit us. From time to time she is one person in my life who is so caring. A quick sketch done in rush with watercolors as a warm welcome for her with my time dedicated.

Details
Title: A warm welcome
Mediums: Ink Pen & Watercolors on Paper
Tools: Micron 02 Ink Pen, Brush and Watercolors
Inspiration: Passion for Arts...

Size: 9" x 12" (22.9 cm x 30.5 cm)

Surface: Artist's Loft 140 lb / 300 g/m2 Acid Free, Cold Press watercolor paper

Soul to hand & Hand to soul...

Lord Ganesha - Watercolors on Paper

Art is a finest form of skill that comes from soul to hand.

The Hindu God- Lord Ganesha is a common subject among Indian Artists. Though I started an Oil Painting of Lord Ganesh, I never finished it. This is a very first sketch & painting of Lord Ganesha. Hoping to do few Oil Paintings of Lord Ganesha in future.

"The soul becomes dyed with the color of its thoughts" - Marcus Aurelius

Find peace & see your soul in Arts. Happy Painting!

Details
Title: Lord Ganesha
Mediums: Ink Pen & Watercolors on Paper
Tools: Micron 02 Ink Pen, Brush and Watercolors
Inspiration: Practice & Passion for Arts...

Size: 9" x 12" (22.9 cm x 30.5 cm)

Surface: Artist's Loft 140 lb / 300 g/m2 Acid Free, Cold Press watercolor paper

Let the time find you...

Girl and Jewelry - Watercolors on Paper

How do you find time? is a very common question I face from all who see my Art works.

I am not a professional Artist. I am only passionate...still hesitate a lot to use the word Artist as I am only a hobbyist. I am no different than (m)any. I do have full-time professional work and double-full-time family work. Still, every weekend I try my best to spend sometime with my Arts. Like all, I also don't find time for it. But I can say, I just tuned my life for it so that I don't need to find time for it, Time finds me instead.

Life can only become busy, year after year. It never slows down anyway. That is how we built life. If we don't let the Time find us, we never find Time either. All you have to do is: Let the time find you!

In this modern age, the phrase, I don't have time means, It's not my priority. Simply Make 30 hours out of 24 hours and then you will definitely have time for yourself ;)

This is a simple watercolor painting, outlined gently with ink & pen and colored with brush.
Happy Painting!

Details
Title: Girl & Jewelry
Mediums: Watercolors on Paper
Tools: Watercolors from my Palette
Inspiration: Practice & Passion for Arts...

Size: 9" x 12" (22.9 cm x 30.5 cm)

Surface: Artist's Loft 140 lb / 300 g/m2 Acid Free, Cold Press watercolor paper

Don't get lost...

Indian Classical Dance - A classic Mudra (Gesture)

This is a quick watercolor painting done with just one color: black, not the actual black but a substitute for black called Neutral Tint that many Watercolor Artists use. When I don't know what painting to start, but wanted to do something, my first choice always is: Indian Classical Dance.

A weekend day comes and goes faster than a weekday. Weekend gives an opportunity to spend time with ones own soul. Be with it for sometime by doing something you have passion for. Simply, don't get lost in hectic life!

"The purpose of Art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls." - Pablo Picasso

Details
Title: Indian Classical dance - A classic Mudra
Mediums: Watercolors on Paper
Tools: Watercolors from my Palette
Inspiration: Practice & Passion for Arts...

Size: 9" x 12" (22.9 cm x 30.5 cm)

Surface: Artist's Loft 140 lb / 300 g/m2 Acid Free, Cold Press watercolor paper

My Dad from my (He)Art...

My Dad from my (He)Art
Watercolors on Paper

The only question God can never answer for me: Why did you take my Dad from us that early?

You could only take my Dad from my life but not from my Heart. Just those couple of years that you had let me observe my Dad closely in my childhood are enough for me to follow him and carry with me, some of his very fine-skills that the world couldn't see. As long as I live, he lives with me in my Heart and in my Art.

Remembering my Dad, who is the first person I admire most in my life, ever and forever!
Happy Father's Day!

Details
Title: My Dad from my Heart
Mediums: Ink Pen and Watercolors on Paper
Tools: Sakura Pigma Micron Pen 01, Watercolors from my Palette
Inspiration: Father's Day, Passion for Arts...

Size: 9" x 12" (22.9 cm x 30.5 cm)

Surface: Bienfang Watercolor Paper

Make your own kingdom...

Radha and Krishna

ABANDONED - Gessoed to start a new painting

My Series on Krishna goes on with this new oil painting just started with an underpainting.

Keep doing what you enjoy most and make your own Kingdom of Bliss...after all life is once and is short!

Not what I have, but what I do, is my kingdom.

- Thomas Carlyle, historian and essayist (4 Dec 1795-1881)

Details
Title: Radha and Krishna
Mediums: Oil on Canvas
Inspiration: Passion for Arts, సాధన...

Size: 24" x 36" (60.9 cm x 91.4 cm)

Surface: Back Stapled Traditional Canvas

Getting the hang of it...

Dancing Pair - Radha and Krishna - Oil on Canvas

Nearly after 2 years I resumed my Oil Painting this summer with this Dancing Pair - Radha and Krishna. I still have a long way to go before I finish it. I am happy that I am getting the hang of my dream media- Oil Painting!

Keep the passion alive and keep your soul happy!
Happy Painting!!

Details
Title: Dancing Pair - Radha and Krishna
Mediums: Oil on Canvas
Inspiration: Passion for Arts, సాధన...

Size: 24" x 36" (60.9 cm x 91.4 cm)

Surface: Back Stapled Traditional Canvas

Happy Mother's Day...

Self with Mom - Watercolors on Paper

ఎంత మహా ఘనుడైనా

అమ్మ ఒడీ పసివాడే...

Being away from my Mom almost all through my life, what else can be a better way for me to celebrate Mother's day than doing a portrait of "Self with Mom". This is based on a picture taken with my family when I was 1 year old. I just took out my-self and my Mom from it into this painting.

If at all there is anything I owe to anybody in this life, it's to my Mom & my Baamma. They are the two people who sacrificed everything that they could, without both of them I wouldn't be what I am today. Mom's Love is the only love that's pure!

"All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel mother." - Abraham Lincoln

Happy Mother's Day! Happy Painting!!

Details
Title: Self with Mom
Mediums: Ink Pen and Watercolors on Paper
Tools: Sakura Pigma Micron Pen 01, Watercolors from my Palette
Inspiration: Mother's Day, Self Motivation and Passion for Arts, సాధన...

Size: 9" x 12" (22.9 cm x 30.5 cm)

Surface: Bienfang Watercolor Paper