I'd like to take my art to the next level. I visited two one-room, one-teacher art schools in Mangalore today. The first was open-air, allowing me to watch the monsoon rain as it swept through. The second was above a convenience store, the kind that sells trial-size packages of everything from detergent to the beauty aid, coconut oil. Both schools had remarkable pictures on the walls, showing great talent in watercolor, charcoal, and oils. Though the teachers were clearly successful, and graciously welcomed my interruption, I realized that I will not find what I am looking for here.
Ninety-nine of a hundred wise art teachers would say I need to go back to basics. Indeed this is what these schools offered and what these teachers advocated. But deep inside of me I know I don't have sustaining interest in the details of a snail, an eggshell, or a human face to take the time to learn how to render them recognizeably.
Discouraged from repeatedly finding myself interested in that which exists
between what most people can relate to, I did a search on abstract art. Though I didn't yet find a school, I felt encouraged by Harley Hahn's "
Understanding Abstract Art," and Info Please on
Abstract Expressionism.
PS In my next lifetime I'd like to be a
Bollywood star.
Here are some photos from Diwali, by Terry Berger. He's actually pictured in one of them this time. See if you can find him!
Fort Kochi is near Ernakulam, which is distinguished by multiple waterways and a fun ferry system. Not all is upbeat in this water wonderland area, though. In doing some research on water pollution I came across an article about water in Ernakulam. This picture may give clues as to part of the problem... Many thanks to Terry Berger for this photo.
Here are two images that I created here in India, using crayons and paper, size about 18" by 24" I would guess. Thanks to Terry for taking the photos. These pictures will remain in Sathyamangalam, as Karuppusamy from READ, mentioned in the entry below called "A Few Projects," wants these for the office.
I have taken a jaunt to the west coast, on the Arabian Sea, a place called Mangalore. It is directly west of Bangalore and south of the famous Goa. So far so good, though I just arrived, on the night express. The train was super comfy in my AC Sleeper car, and I slept deeply for five or six hours after chatting with a lovely family, my traveling companions, who shared bananas and stories with me. We got in to Mangalore at 5:15am. I stayed in the station until it was light out so that I could walk by myself to find a hotel, rather than relying on booking services or rickshaw drivers. I struck it rich. For 300 rupees per night plus tax, about US$7 total, I am in complete comfort and style, and the brief, pouring rain happened just after I got inside. Plus there's this internet place in easy walking distance. God bless broadband.
