For Amgele Ashray (Our home)

Amgele Ashray

After 20 days of superb vacation at home (seriously this was one of the best vacations ever as we didnt do anything :) we enjoyed family time all the days and complete Shrusthi at Anantheshwar temple after many many years) it was time for us to packup and start back to Berlin.. I was feeling bad that I did not paint one for our home which my mom has been hinting since the first painting, I said I will do it once I am back in Berlin..... But could read my Mom very well, she wanted one painting before we start to Berlin..

30th evening was our flight from Manglore, All bags packed.. only my painting kit yet to get into the last bag, 2 big canvas left (from my first day shopping in school book company), somehow I was not feeling good about packing painting kit without painting one for our home.... Surprisingly, Mom who is always eager to get packings done... was also supporting that idea.. so I started one on the biggest canvas board I have ever painted..  

When I shared this painting with some of my good friends who provide valuable feedback, one from UK said few great words about the meaning of this.. and I do agree with him.. While looking at this painting what it signifies (at least its my version and its my painting so ;) I do have a say) is that 2 birds are you and your spouse.. Your parents very near to you right on upper branch.... and the birds which are flying out are those whom you have helped, nurtured, thought how to fly and mentored all along.. they arent going too far, they are going to acheive something just like what you did years ago.. Bench is the place where you sat with your kids sharing them life lessons, teaching them how to be humans than being a rich person, sharing great stories from our rich culture... 

When I finished.. Amma and Aanu (Dad) were so pleased and very happy to give this painting a prime place in living room. Took around 90-120 minutes for this one (may be) let all brushes dry and packed them in bags and we were off to Berlin in few hours............ 

It is framed and resides in Amgele Ashray (Amgele = Hamara, Ours in konkani) Ashray is name of our home ! 

Lusiya, Lake, Sunset and A Big Tree...........

Movie and a Painting.... 

There is no explaination for the sense of satisfaction and greatfulness you feel when you are with your entire family.. Parents, Brother (whom I met with family at home after many years), 2 great cousins who are nothing less than own brothers, Mhaave all under one roof in Amgele Ashray.. What else you can ask for.. Eating great and delicious food from my amma's kitchen, laying around and then eat again and chat chat and chat all day..

One of the evenings, we decided to watch Lusiya - A Kannada crowd funded movie and I thought is it not a great idea to paint while we all watch a movie.. 

So picked up all my aayudhas (arms..) and set off to paint on a canvas board 40x30 with only acrylics and no other experimental stuffs.. 

Used Orange and yellow extensively and paused many many times to understand most complex movie in Kannada (at least whatever I have seen so far) and also to listen to nonstop comments (in favor of director) from my brother who happens to be one of the crowd funder of the project.... Sun came very well and tree could have been bit better, however ended it just when movie was coming to and end.. 

My brother framed it and took it to Banglore, Now its in Banglore.. I liked it.. and only few more days left in India and want to paint one for our home - Ashray, something which has deep meaning in it.. 

Some failed attempts !! No regrets though..

Failed Attempts ! 

These are 2 paintings which tried but did not get favourable result.. It was a learning on what NOT to do next time and doing it again ;))

1. Half Moon & Lake

This is purely from a youtube instruction, Instructions were so good and I thought it can be done easily.. While I could get somewhat good lake.. Moon and clouds were messy, I later realized that I shouldnt have used so much of gesso rather should have used acrylic paint itself.. However it was a failed attempt and goes into a box !! 

2. Full moon & Lake

While on vacation in India, Tried it again.. this time thought of making moon smaller (In India you dont get to see LARGE moon :)) Few major mistakes I committed are 

- Did not prime the canvas, Quality of Moon was bad ! didnt work on creating crators !! 

- Clouds were too bad, not sure why I was not able to get clouds right.. 

- Acrylic was not sticking to canvas and getting dry too fast because I left cieling fan ON (it was warm day)

- And may be many more.. which are unknown to me too.. 

But my brother says he liked it.. he took it !! He better keep it in cellar or some box !! 

Super Moon - 2nd try

Super Moon - 2nd Try.. 

We travelled to India for our vacation and wanted to carry some of my paintings to my home but didnt plan properly so was not able to pack them right.. so took all my armories (brushes, acrylic paints etc) so that I can paint at my home while on vacation.. 

School Book company in Manglore has excellent variety and great collection of canvas and painting supplies, so bought series of different size canvas boards

My Mhaave (Doddamma/Badi Mausi) was having her birthday in few days, All decided to give a surprise party to her.. She really liked my Super moon painting which I finished just before starting to India, so thought let me make a similar one but on a large canvas

So here it is.. took around 2 hours to complete this, one of the challenge I faced while painting at home was, Acryllic was getting dry too fast.. I couldnt smoothen the paints as easy as I could do it in a dry weather of Berlin, however learnt how to maneure those and could paint few during my vacation.. 

At least my Mhaave liked it very much and that gives a sense of satisfaction.. 

:) Bench comes again.. 

Super Moon..

Orange Moon.. 

I started one painting back in October, Wanted to paint Super moon and a big tree which covers it, Wife saw a photo in National geographic and asked me if I can paint it.. Started it with great enthusiasm.. but not sure how, was not able to concentrate beyond a white moon and didnt have any clue to move forward with it.. 

Rested that canvas for well over 2 months.. until first weekend of December to complete that unfinished one..

I would consider this painting as original as I did not follow any youtube video, did not see any instructions nor any painting as such.. even introduced a Bench which I would like to take it into every (at least most) of my painting and have it like my signature ;)

Personal learning - Painting a moon at this size was not easy, getting those craters in a yellow and orange combination was not easy, Background had become too dark blue and my earlier experiment on this canvas was hindering some of the things.. 

But at the end, here is what it became and my kids do not want this to be given to any :) Best compliment a dad can get.. My brother's comment was best 'Superb location..we just need to find that bench now, sit there and talk for hours' 

This adores our living room now :)