Inspiration

How to Listen to Music – Dame Evelyn Glennie’s TED Talk got us Listening

January 13, 2010 Filed Under: Inspiration By Ishrath Humairah 3 Comments

“My whole life is about sound. It’s what makes me tick as a human being” says Evelyn Glennie. These words come from the world’s leading solo female percussionist and is one of the finest artists in the world who feels the music and lives by it.

There is no other better way to jumpstart my day than by sharing with you an amazing talk by Evelyn which continues to inspired me – almost every day. If you love music, I urge you to watch this video.

TED Intro: Evelyn Glennie’s music challenges the listener to ask where music comes from: Is it more than simply a translation from score to instrument to audience? How can a musician who has almost no hearing play with such sensitivity and compassion?

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Almond Blossoms Painting by Vincent Van Gogh – A Rare Desolate Bloom, Frozen in Time

January 1, 2010 Filed Under: Inspiration By Ishrath Humairah 16 Comments

Monet’s Lilies.
Vincent’s Sunflowers.
Salvador Dali’s Melting Clocks.
These are the classic icons of the art world that we often come across in our daily lives, in forms other than the stretched canvas. These iconic masterpieces are so popular that they represent the art-world to the world. But there are many more paintings and work by the same masters that, I’d say, are far more captivating, beautiful and awe-inspiring.

Almond Blossoms Oil Painting by Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890). Oil on Canvas – 73.5 X 92 cm

Vincent Van Gogh’s Almond Blossoms is one such masterpiece. Having studied Van Gogh at length, his works, life, including closer to his life fiction, I am surprised how I missed out on this classic painting that tells me a lot more than biography on him would. Guess I missed the Almond Blossoms midst Sunflowers, Irises, Open Fields and the portraits.

One fine afternoon, I chanced upon Almond Blossoms. Strange that I saw this painting on TV on Art Beat on NDTV Good Times. Yes, my jaw dropped then.

Almond Blossoms came across as a complete surprise as most of Van Gogh’s paintings were known for melancholy and loneliness. Painted upon good tidings of the birth of his nephew, Almond Blossoms is an unusual piece from Van Gogh’s collection. This turquoise and ivory masterpiece seems like a breath of fresh air in Vincent’s’ as well as our lives.

No one can help but admire the beauty of the panting. Watching Almond Blossoms is like having a conversation in your mind. What draws and trains the eye are not the ivory white blossoms, but the knots and gnarls of the branches in simple brush strokes.

Almond Blossoms branches are twisted and gnarled like a complicated mind with few blossoms of hope. I wonder if it is my imagination and my bent of mind going there instead of landing on the feather blossoms. In simple brush strokes, Van Gogh had managed to complete a true picture of the moment. The myriad expressions he must have felt, at that one moment, are for us to experience.

A sudden departure from his color palette, strokes and hues, Van Gogh has conjured up an entirely different painting. It shows how much gloom was in his life and a piece of small news made him paint in a different way, conveying a rare emotion that he felt. Wonder how Van Gogh’s paintings would have been if he was a happy person.

His limited color palette is another surprise. His turquoise blues, sepias, white, pink, black, and greens are nothing but born of his color mixing mastery. Something tells me that Vincent must have ran out of colors while he painted it and therefore we can across this rare muted color palette with many tones in between – making Almond Blossoms an absolute rare one.

The innate simplicity of the branches and the brush strokes, the amount of color on the brush, are all to engrossing to mull over. Almond Blossoms is a painting you can quietly stare at without a lump in your throat but with a lot more going on in your head. Many art lovers who have seen this painting live have said to have felt mixed emotions watching it.

Vincent van Gogh Stichting, the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam now houses this masterpiece. If I ever get to goto Amsterdam, it will be to see Almond Blossoms amongst the other masterpieces. I guess I would need at least a week to spend my time in the museum. Here is short description of the painting in the museum website:

On January 31, 1890, Theo wrote to Vincent of the birth of his son, whom he had named Vincent Willem. Van Gogh, who was extremely close to his younger brother, immediately set about making him a painting of his favorite subject: blossoming branches against a blue sky. The gift was meant to hang over the couple’s bed. As a symbol of this new life, Vincent chose an almond tree, which blooms early in southern regions, announcing the coming spring as early as February.

True to his nature, Vincent Van Gogh had unknowlingly created this masterpiece. He died the same year. Isn’t this painting a glimpse of, perhaps, one happy moment he savored before his death?

The best book that I came across on Van Gogh, is Irving Stone’s Lust for Life which I would recommend you to read it if you want to understand his paintings more.

100 Paintings in 100 Days Marathon – Get your Portrait Done in Fauvian Style by Carol Nelson

December 26, 2009 Filed Under: Inspiration By Ishrath Humairah 2 Comments

100 Paintings in 100 Days Marathon

Once in a while you come across a painter’s work of art and say Wow! But there are very few artists whose works continually go beyond the wow-factor and make you want to linger around a bit more than usual. Carol Nelson is one of them. I admire her works which are so strikingly beautiful… and sometimes get inspiredd too.

Carol is going strong with her 100 Paintings in 100 Days Marathon. She is accepting your portrait photographs, to translate them into 6 x 6 paintings in her favorite Fauvian style.

My 3 Potrait Photo Entries for the Painting Marathon

I had sent her three photos of the three different people hoping that she may selects at least one. She liked all the entries and may take time to decide which one she would like to paint. But paint one, she will. I am more than excited about it. I can’t wait to see how she is going to translate these slice-of-life photos of these 3 lovely people and beautiful souls who have me humbled and happy, onto a 6 X 6 masterpiece.

Want your portrait done?
You can send her bust length photographs of the subject you want painted and it can include yours. She is skimming through many photos that have been sent to her by her art admirers but would prefer the kinds of shots that have more depth, light play, shadows, and a striking story to tell. Flat flashed photos on face are not really exciting to her. Here is the link to her blog post which clearly spells out the eligibility criteria. It is very easy to go for it. If you like her paintings, made from the photo you have sent to her on gessoboard or MDF panel, you can buy them too.

One thing I know for sure is that I will, once again, be amazed. To see the photo translated onto a canvas, through the artist’s creative eye, will be quite an experience.

I would say, experience it yourself. See some of her finest works on display and for sale here

Frugal Table Centerpiece Ideas for Holiday Decorating

December 18, 2009 Filed Under: DIYs and Crafts, Inspiration By Ishrath Humairah 32 Comments

This holiday season calls for doing your dreams, taking those risks and trying things that have been in the back of your mind. Keep the ‘quirky’ mantra alive and have fun decorating this holiday season with somewhat strange yet beautiful arrangements. Here are some unusual table centerpiece ideas that use the traditional decorating items with a new twist.

Overturned Wine Glasses with Tealights
Turn your glasses upside down for a different toast. Place holly leaves, nosegay or any decorative piece inside the overturned glass and light a tea light or candle on the overturned base. It looks beautiful in daytime and enchanting at night.

Great Conversation Starter with Overturned Wine Glass with Tealights

LED Fairy String Lights with Floral Accents as Table Centerpiece
If fireflies made your forests magical, little fairy lights can bring in the same sparkle, warmth and glow to your holiday decorating. Get creative with Fairy Lights String to kick start some twinkling decoration ideas for this holiday season. Here is a quirky table decoration idea that inturn becomes a conversation starter. Invert your large glass bowls with fairy lights bundled up inside. Light them up. Accentuate these glowing bowls with twigs, branches or flowers for more striking drama.

String of LED lights inside Glass Bowl for Holiday Table Centerpiece

Overturned Glass Bowls with LED String Lights Table Centerpiece

Table Centerpiece with Plain Crystal Glass Votives and Candles
Just grouping pillar candles of different heights can make any dull corner come alive. Similarly, wine glasses, glass motives and tea lights of different heights can be grouped together to create a warm table centerpiece that needs no embellishment. Its warm fuzzy candle light reflected on your crystal cannot be missed.

Club Candles, Votives & Wine Glasses of Different Heights for Festive Warmth and Glow

Table Centerpiece with Limonium Dried Flowers, Glass Votives and Candles
If plain vanilla table arrangement is not your type; accentuate. Add some dried flowers such as limonium, dried baby’s breath, or plain twigs for a simple and elegant table centerpiece. Use Limonium sparingly so that the delicate dried flowers are seen instead of clubbing them too much. Let the tea lights play with the shadows.

Tealights in Gladd Votives for Festive Warmth and Glow

Tealights in Glass Votives for Festive Warmth and Glow

Dried Flowers such as Limonium and Baby’s Breath are Perfect for these Evening Table Centerpieces

Take a no holds barred approach when it comes to decorating. Feel free to depart from traditional centerpieces, yet retain the festivity and charm of holiday decor. Create ideas instead of following them. What was the quirky thing you did last? Did you do anything different at all? Come on…

Marigold Flowers and White Candles make an Exotic Floral Centerpiece

September 22, 2009 Filed Under: DIYs and Crafts, Gardening, Inspiration By Ishrath Humairah 12 Comments

Bright Sunny Yellow Marigold Flowers with Hibiscus Leaves – An Exotic Candle Arrangement

Marigold is commonly known in India as Genda Phool, Banti Poo, etc. The striking aspect of this lovely flower is the burst of color radiating for the clustered petals. Even one flower is enough to add striking color to any floral arrangement. It may not smell as great as other flowers but helps keep many insects and pests at bay from your arrangments and thats one of the reasons these flowers are used in abundance on the traditional doorways and house entrances.

It is one of the hardiest flowering plants that needs minimal care. Compared to other flowering species, these can survive in tough climatic, soil and water conditions and need minimum tending. These features make marigold a common occurance in many Indian gardens, homes and road sides.

Marigold is very easy to propogate. Each petal is actually a flower by itself and dries up to become a seed. All you have to do it to let the flower dry on the plant. Once completely dry, collect the dried flower bits and store them for future use. More often then not, you find many marigold flowers around the mother plant as many seeds drop off.

Marigolds are widely used in India for many cultural, traditional and religious festivities. You cannot miss this striking flower midst celebration. From weddings, poojas, housewarming, to many other ceremoines, Marigold brings in the sunny cheer and festive atmosphere to otherwise drab areas. These flowers now find themselves pitted against Oriental Lilies and Carnations in many floral decorations.

For this simple table centerpiece arrangment, you need a handful of marigold blooms, candles, florist foam and green leaves.

Easy Floral Centerpiece made with Rich Indian Marigold, Hibiscus Leaves, White Candles and Love

Use a florists foam to give a good foundation to your marigold floral arranngement. Insert the flowers and the candles.You can either inserts the leaves or just place the leaves stalk next to the flowers; either way it is strikingly simple.You could use two tones of marigold flowers, though single tone is always the best.Here is a great article on Marigold Flowers talking about its practical, spiritual and mythological significance.Marigold may be a poor man’s rose but is deeply rooted in many ancient references.