The 50 Paintings Project

Painting # 50

The Eternal Goddess by Damini Dalal

This absolutely surreal painting is a masterpiece of my dear friend Damini

An oil painting on a fairly large canvas of  4 ft by 3 ft - this painting is an original and beautiful  representation of the meeting between Lord Krishna and River Yamuna.

I am in love with all of Damini's paintings but since we are talking about this one what I really liked about "The Eternal Goddess" is the surreal , other worldly quality about it. Though Krishna and River Yamuna are represented in human forms yet they seem so magical, so divine. 

As you look at it more closely I am sure you will notice the precision of the  beautiful reflection of her red dress in the water. 

Also the unconventional portrayal of Lord Krishna without his usual finery is pleasing to the heart.

 

In Damini's own words - " Krishna's peacock feather is missing and so also his adornments . His hair is curled and his dhoti tied hastily around. Yamunaji is also not bedecked in finery. This moment shown in the painting is preceded by the story of love, yearning and passion between Krishna and Yamuna."

And that story of love,yearning and passion is put into a mesmerizing poem by the artist herself....

She arises, a luminous Goddess

Mesmerised by the Divine Flute

Lotus stems plucked from the depths

To entwine Her Lover

She offers her offering –

Her entire Self             

Embalmed in His radiance

The Two are One and the One are Two

Their exquisite effulgence

Majestic, mystical, magical

Their passion and love infinite

Unbounded……United!

        Every artist says something through his/her paintings -  Likewise this is also  not just a painting - Its a story in itself -  

Its Poetry in Colors!

Finally as I sign off with the magic of the above poem still hovering in my mind I leave you with these last words for Damini -- an artist, a poet, a philosopher and an inspiration ...

"  In His light she learns how to Love

 In His beauty , how to make Poems

He dances inside her chest, where no-one sees Him

but she does -

And that Sight becomes this Art"

***

The 50 Paintings Project

Painting  # 49

The Blue WOMAN by Gehna Mehra

This absolutely fine and alluring painting is a masterpiece of my dear friend Gehna Mehra .

Technically, what is interesting about this artwork  is that with a very limited color scheme she has succeeded in portraying the various shades and contours of female form ---which is as complex a form to paint as it is to understand :)

Using a cooler color like blue in the back ground to project the subject in the foreground is very appealing.

A self portrait in Oil on Canvas - it is more than just a painting.  Allow me to elaborate - 

The most complicated and interesting subject in the world of painting is the human body and it is also the most forceful tool of expression. So when an artist graduates to painting Nudes it marks a big leap in his/her confidence in self expression.

Painting a nude is like baring one's soul - and not being afraid to do so.

In the 1400's when Boticelli painted the Birth of Venus and a long time after that the nudes were made with physical perfection, with symmetrical body features, smooth skin, particular body proportions.

What is beautiful In Gehna's work is there is no attempt to imply or add qualities to the nude, freeing the female form from so many projections that are cast upon them - capturing it as it actually appears. 

Without the need for approval from anybody. Allowing the female form to  just be her own beautiful self and taking pride in that.

As I  wind up , I leave you with this last thought about this week's artist , Gehna Mehra , founder of Stree Astitva , a program for Women Empowerment, a Journalist, a Speaker , an Entrepreneur and an inspiration to many ----

 " The sexiest thing she wears is confidence! " 

Untill next week and the last painting of this project :) - Be your own kind of beautiful .

The 50 Paintings Project 

Painting # 48

"Goddess Saraswati" by Bhagi Indu

This magnificient and exotic painting of Goddess Saraswati is by my dear friend Bhagi.

An Acrylic, on a fairly large canvas of 70 cms by 90 cms -  I have my own reasons for falling in love with this painting 

 Firstly the brilliant color scheme of  reds and yellow and blues with green to add that luxurious touch.                                                            

Secondly , note the beautiful ease with which one color just merges into the other --  shades of red and yellow creating an orange, reds and white creating a pink....

 which is not easy to manage such a uniform shading of colour in acrylics because they dry really fast. Oil paints give you enough time to shade and reshade but not acrylics.

Thirdly, and this is most interesting :) -

 Even though most of the colors used in the painting are high energy colors - Red (passion ,fire) Yellow (vitality, warmth) Orange (enthusiasm, determination) --- Yet this painting has a meditative , peaceful feel to it ! Is it because of the divine smile of the Goddess ? 

Or is it because of the peace in the  personality of the artist creating this beautiful masterpiece?

Having known Bhagi since school days I can easily say its the latter :)

In Bhagi's own words - " I like this painting as it was the first time I was doing a traditional mural painting. It took me several weeks to complete this one but the process was very exciting. Each new brush stroke and each new color added life to the picture "

"Each new brush stroke Each new Color adds

life to the picture !

Indeed Bhagi, and that's when a painting ceases to be just a painting - It transforms into a labour of Love !