Thursday, December 04, 2008

missing the canvas....

‘Mix the blue paint with yellow…and then add a dash of red….’
‘mm…yes…now color the portion of the eyebrows with this green pastel… No No...the pink is for the beauty dots on the cheek…be careful the smile is retained…yes yes…you can use the florescent for the tattoo ’


This would be more likely me giving an art lesson to a kid who found the skeleton in the biology lab, Ugly. Unfortunately as a kid I never had an opportunity to do that in our school inspite of unbearable desire to do so.

Admittedly as you can guess sometime in the mid eighties I was in love with colors.. I loved drawing and painting and often used to spend more time drawing the teacher’s face than listening to strange things like multiplication tables, acute angles(what’s so cute about that? ) and blah blah... I used to get scolded as frequently as it rained in cherrapunji for drawing people, dogs, cats and elephants in my maths notebook. Although I wish to claim my idols those days were Pablo Picasso and Rembrandt, they were not simply my league.!

Blissfully unaware was I of the fact that parents working in the same school were getting daily appraisal reports from villains (teachers) about their son who was doing exquisite art in his notebook instead of writing notes…Though son was aware of potential consequences and did diligently destroy the evidence from notebook before hitting home.

For fearing that they might use narco analysis (which must be like a dream come true for drug addicts) I was forced to explain the unnatural thinning of notebooks…I was so bad and uncreative at lying that probably Appa might have put his hands on his head and quipped in exasperation.

“Hell c’mon…you should be atleast good at this!!”

Well my thoughts was changing by the minute…and looking at him I though…

*bulb* “Waah…I like that pose … that’s something I never drew”. *bulb*

One day my dad thought enough was enough put me up for an extra hour at the art teacher’s classroom where I was allowed to draw and paint till I dropped dead…Though that was a wish that turned out to be false…I would get back home and still continue drawing or painting even at late hours in the night…And again I’ll get those warning to go sleep.

Think of the loss if Thomas pappan had admonished his bright son several years ago...

“Edison...switch off that damn bulb and go sleep …”


In almost similar parlance, I became an early victim which would have otherwise added a new genre of contemporary art form …something like Abstract Chekkuionism. A new level appreciated by only a select few, high on ecstasy and trance music.

Nevertheless I stuck to this passion and did occasionally win prizes in school camel color painting competitions… And that sense of pride when you see your painting up in the wall exhibiting the prize winners. I do not remember having felt so proud until months later , math’s teacher asked me to sit in unfamiliar territory in her class….

The bench.

It felt awkward after long being a permanent floor resident with fellow friends who though maths was invented to torture mankind.

In high school the passion for art dwindled. Though I never stopped drawing, subjects changed to beautiful amoeba’s , seductive paramecium’s and scenic digestive systems. While in college what I lacked in muscle power I managed to get even with guys by using creative skills to academic use. ….which meant morphing! Many of my friends have graced the torso of bikini clad actresses or found themselves in compromising pose.

Recently when a good blogger friend suggested to blog on my interest in art it's sort of making me guilty and sad that I have never painted on a canvas for the past 2-3 years…a passion which I held so close to my heart not so long ago…I was never trained how to draw or paint…sort of happy for it because when you become trained to a technique it ceases to be art…I ll stick to what art was for me as a kid...to draw or paint what I feel like and without rules and for my satisfaction…I am no exemplary artist…but I have immense peace of mind when I draw something...even on a notepad.....some kind off stress buster…

Now when I am busy buying stuff for trip and wondering what to buy for my kid nieces or nephew’s...its not hard to decide what to buy…the same stuff that I wished as a gift those days as a child….a box of color pastels …

P.S. I hope to reply to comments in a few days…..after I reach my good old city….till then auf Wiedersehen :-)

32 comments:

Rahul Nair said...

so you paint as well...
sarvakalaaavallabhan...
its a huge relief and you are filled with happiness when u do things u like to do the most..

scorpiogenius said...

mmmm...so you are an allrounder!

Happy journey btw! come back safe and enjoy your vacation.

dont 4get the photos..we are eagerly awaiting them..

Mishmash ! said...

address tharo...njan canvas, paint brush, paint okke vaangi ayachu tharaam.....I hope that boy who was crazy about drawing and thinned the math notebook come back with all the vigor!!!

Travel safe :)

Shn

Anonymous said...

Hey, I hear ya.

I've been through the same stages. Captured portraits of lecturers during class hours, doodled during the exam, and keep looking up things to do on Paint Shop Pro...

I've never painted on canvas, though. I moved to the digital media for a short while. You can find some of those works at http://finalstroke.blogspot.com/

Unfortunately, I haven't done anything since then either.

silverine said...

"I ll stick to what art was for me as a kid...to draw or paint what I feel like and without rules and for my satisfaction…I am no exemplary artist…but I have immense peace of mind when I draw something...even on a notepad.....some kind off stress buster…"

That just sums up my idea of blogging!

Anonymous said...

>>Think of the loss if Thomas pappan had admonished his bright son several years ago...

“Edison...switch off that damn bulb and go sleep …”<<

LOL! Loved this write up. And thanks for that tip on gifting kids! Thats quite good. Why do we forget these little things which meant so much as kids!

Anonymous said...

And good luck on your return to painting :-) Dont put it off too much.

Anonymous said...

while buyin some for the li'l ones y dont u sneek in an extra set of colors and a sheet of paper for urself ..u never know what may come of it :)

VIDYA said...

:) do put up ur art here once u get back to it. You shouldnt be putting that off anymore

freespirit said...

I remember my "artist days" which lasted a little longer than a fine lazy weekend. By some stroke of luck I won a painting contest sometime in school and started imagining myself to the next Anjali Ela Menon :) It helped the cause that the judge was some renowned modern art fella ! I guess everyone goes thru the "I am an artist" phase atleast once in their lives. For most its just that, a phase.
Its good to see people continuing to do what they love doing. So then, here's wishing ur "artist days" last forever :)

Deepti said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
B said...

yo yo yo yo yo. long time no see. :)

How do we know said...

Good going Mathew .. and i hope painting comes back to life again. ... soon.

Pooja Nair said...

yes we want to see some of your paintings...

Lets vouch that we will nurture and encourage such talent in the kids of the future generations...instead of thwarting them to go study maths(!!!)

by the way drawing those diagrams for biology practicals required no less skill - some of us others really struggled wiht those too

i remember we had to draw the microscope itself once! mine looked pathetic. yours must have looked like a photocopy!...:)

Anonymous said...

wow....cooool so here is an artist. It doesnt really matter hw much gud u r at it, its always a good thing. I still remember drawing faces in my note book during boring class hours, which was sort of fun for me. Now also i do that when i am stuck with my work...... wt a relief u knw though i havnt improved much than drawing faces.... :)

Nishanth said...

“Edison...switch off that damn bulb and go sleep …”
Haha lol.

Let the readers see that art of yours.(not the morphing one) :P

ciao

starry said...

interesting to read ab out your passion for painting,truly there is nothing better than a box of crayons for a child.They cn run wild with their imagination.

Nanditha Prabhu said...

appo artiste aanalle?
what better gift to give kids than a few colors and crayons.... yesterday my kids got this very same gift from their grandma and in no time one of our walls is adorned with their art work..

Sreejith Panickar said...

Genius!!!!!!! :-) :-) :-)

Happy christmas and ny to you!

Prats said...

Came here from PS's blog and enjoyed reading this...
and please don't change your thought process....art that coems naturally is what is more enduring...it has more meaning too..
Hope you egt back and get into painting what you love..would love to see them.

Usha said...

I hope you get to paint on a canvas sometime soon! make sure you put up a snapshot of it in your blog! :)

well, even I count on painting/drawing as a stressbuster. I do that at times when Im too focused on something or at times when Im trying hard not to focus, like during a concall in which Im a passive listener or during some of those boring lectures in school. Though I never used to tear off the pages.. I used to have these decorative patterns on the corners of the pages on most of my notes. :D They can still be found on my office notepads.. they've become more like a signature statement now! :))

And Im so with you about the 'learning' thing. I never took lessons in painting too. Techniques can rob the charm out of the whole activity.

and hey, wish you a merry merry christmas! have fun!

Priyankari said...

Nice post! It made me feel how much i miss my canvas too! :(

VIDYA said...

Happy new year

ramblings said...

dropped in via PS's blog. just had to say..absolutely love your tag line!! :)

Unknown said...

"a"cute angles meaning not cute...:D

had a friend with a similar taste. He went off to America after he got his H1 and got stuck with some roommates who were pretty boring.. so boring in fact that he bought all the painting material and a "learn to paint" kit and shut himself in his room. Last heard he has grown a beard and smells awful but is a good painter!
Loneliness can do stuff to you...:D

Sapna Anu B.George said...

Great to meet you and greet you here and have great year ahead

Pooja Nair said...

Missing the SPARK...where you disappeared?

happy new year to you!

mathew said...

@all
sorry for the delay in replying to comments…the vacation was too good and internet was forgotten for a month..:-)

@Rahul
angane onnum vilikalle..;-D
I love pencil drawing and painting has become a old story..not that am great at it anyways..

@Scorpio
well..did not take many snaps…I was too lazy to take my camera around…but I thoroughly enjoyed the trip.

@Mishmash
hehe…thank you…I think I ll find time to do that again..:-)

@Hammy
I have seen that link of yours before..though never commented…quite impressive it is..

@Anju
:-) I guess there is not a person who wouldn’t agree on it more that you…

@Cris
Always gift kids what they love to do..and never gift them money…I think it sort of never would mean the same for a kid..

@Saphire
haha…yeah..with quite a good number of encouraging comments I am really inspired..

@Vidya
well I need to start in the first place..:-)

@freespirit
exactly..so true…I think its important note to lose that phase..

@Red Soul
yo yo..was on vacation…

@How do we know
I hope so too..:-)

@Pooja
haha…why are you reminding of those times..:-D
anyways I remember drawing those digestive systems several times..

@Devil Incarnate
I don’t think I have improved either..but the point is just enjoy it even if it looks silly…

@Nishanth
:-D

@starry nights
yes…I think we should allow kids to be creative when they can..

@Nanditha
so glad to see you back….am as good as the kid with a few colors and crayons..:-D

@Sreejith
finally someone called me that..:-D

@Prats
thanks for visiting…and the words of encouragement.

@Usha
exactly…I do the same during boring telecons…and my office pad has got everything from random sketches to cartoons..:-D

@Priyankari
thank you..:-)

@Vidya
Wishing you the same..

@Rambling
thanks a lot for visiting…

@Abraham
LOL!!..don’t me scare like that..;-D

@Sapna
thank you..and wishing you the same..

@Pooja
hey was home for past one month…am just catching up with all the blogs…wishing you a great year ahead too..

Hari said...

Late comment! :D

Missing the spark. Badly!

J said...

Happy New Year! Hoping to read some interesting posts here soon!

Anonymous said...

hey...im no blogger..bt js happened to c u r blog.....n,it js instantly tuk me bak 2 my childhood....those benches,those horribl maths classes.....i luvd ur writing style.....so have bookmarked ur page...wil get bak 2 read more...

but shud say....u made d child in alive aftr long!

pleasure reading u!

Pooja Nair said...

http://indiadrant.blogspot.com/2009/01/how-many-artists-are-there-in-room.html#links

this post reminded me of you. :)