Chai...A sip of India !!

When I was told by The Indian Trumpet

that their March April issue is celebrating Chai

and that I needed to do some illustrations for them

I was thrilled because

Chai is ...

a sip of India !!

It carries a great importance in the life of an Indian :)

and so I began my journey...

Do you drink Chai ? Which one is your cup of tea ?

Different regions in India have their own special Chai ...with special names !!

Masala chai is a healing elixir if it creates a state of balance within our being. 

During winter, warming spices like ginger, cinnamon and pepper

 will keep us in harmony with the season. 

However during summer, 

mint, fennel, coriander, saffron, and the cooling nature of sweet milk, 

can help us stay cool and balanced.

Hum Saath saath hain (We are always together)

 shows the various things that go absolutely, crazily well with a cup of Chai...

I asked a few friends the first word that comes to their mind 

when I say Chai...

and then this illustration came up :)

These are a few tea labels which I illustrated ! Some known...some old  :)

These are a few of the excuses we Indians take to enjoy a cup of Chai !!...

morning chai....chai with breakfast...

chai for no reason....family time chai

chai with friends.....and so on  :)

This is the humble Chai waallah (Tea Seller) who is the life line of India :)

Hope your voyage with my cup of Chai has been memorable :)

Dance...Love...Sing...Live !

A lover asked his beloved, 

Do you love yourself more 

than you love me? 

 The beloved replied, 

I have died to myself

and I live for you.

I've disappeared from myself

and my attributes.

I am present only for you.

I have forgotten all my learnings,

but from knowing you

I have become a scholar.

I have lost all my strength,

but from your power

I am able.

If I love myself

I love you.

If I love you
I love myself.

...RUMI

I hope you enjoyed my tea bag illustrations last week too !

Wondering why the first one has that pinkish hue?

...well I used the natural organic color from beetroot here  :)

Be awesome today !!

Soar...like never before

I have no fear of depths and a great fear of shallow living !

This is my favorite quote

 and my mermaid love does not allow me to forget this either.

My mermaid wears no mask
for she knows she is glorious !!

Can you guess

 what have I used here as the base of my illustrations ?

I find my days too short for all the art I wish to make
for all the words I wish to write
 for all the happy thoughts I wish to think
for all the books I wish to read
 for all the laughter I wish to share with my family
and to be with all the friends I wish to see...
....
and so ...so many other things I wish to do !!

Celebrating every moment as it comes...


A lot many arty events are coming up
 and I am so anxiously waiting for each one of them !
Loving my pens and my paints even more now
...they hold the power to make my heart smile
 and my eyes cry for the pleasure
so divine
and in the process I love who I am becoming !

Keep wearing that SPARKLE in your eyes !!

So I am back again with some more memories of Street Night Art

through my lens,

as promised in my posts

Street Night Art 

snd

Street Night Art...Cosmic Adventure

Have I brought a smile to your lips ??

Are you feeling all Arty ??

I am sure ...you are feeling all recharged and happy at heart :)

After a few experiences

this week

I have had some great learning

and now

I am investing in my JOYFULNESS  !!!

Yes I am determined now

 to dare...

to dream...

and meet my heart's longing !

I will risk

looking like a fool

for my passion...

for my dream ...

for the adventure of being alive !

I will dance

 with wildness...

and let the joy fill me

to my tips and my toes !!

I will shatter my fears

 and celebrate 

each day 

my little victories!!

Yes I am determined 

to clean out toxic influences 

that diminish my happiness

and will march forward

making each day an absolute best day in my life!!

I designed this zentangled piece for VOSS water lately !

and I just love what I wrote for there...

"Keep wearing that SPARKLE in your eyes !! "

My patterns just kept flowing 

one after the other while I was doing this piece 

simply...

freely...

generously...

and this is how I wish to write the story of my life

without letting anyone else hold the pen !!

Wishing you all a sparkling day ahead :)

Street Night Art... Cosmic Adventure !

As promised I am here with  all the fun and adventure 

I had during the event Street Night Art.

I am sure you did read about it all in my last post

Street Night Art

So now let me take you on an adventure !!

Yes I am sure you are going to lurve it  :)

"Did i forget anything?"

...the question I asked myself a thousand of times...

.although I knew I was going to get everything there  :)

This is how the street looked when I reached !

By the way I was there an hour and a half early...

now doesn't that show my overwhelming enthusiasm :)

The big blank panels we were supposed to work on !!

And here I am all set with a pencil and ruler ...

Six o'clock in the evening....

and the adventure begins...

smiles all the way ...

lines by lines...

strokes by strokes...

the canvas starts to brighten up...

And there was a band on a trailer 

...playing some awesome music

 ....yes we had live music too :)

The "Cosmic Adventure" has taken its shape!

 

There were two buses which were painted by the team of START ....

there were many cheerful kids, exhibiting their enthusiasm 

and my sons were there to paint too :)

and this is how it finally looked like :)....amazing isn't it !!

Now a few words about what I painted...

Cosmic Adventure

As the stars glitter in the big wide space …

like cosmic confetti sprinkled all over,

 He stands there gazing into oblivion.

Bored of his monotonous terrestrial life

He is ready to explore and discover.

 He is not a mere onlooker but has a dream

… a dream of some enchanting celestial venture!

Intoxicated with the celestial bliss he is up for an adventure…in a new territory!

He knows deep in his heart that a new chapter in his life is about to begin.

And as he sees another free spirit

On another celestial body floating in the cosmic Jacuzzi…

He is exhilarated

And feeling at awe

He is ready to take a leap into the unknown!

Yes and he is determined to grow his own wings while on his journey!

....do you see a shadow of another being on the other planet ??

Keep visiting for soon I bring in what others did on their panels !!

Street Night Art

The beginning of the new year could not have been more arty !!

Dubai is a plethora of art and culture
and this beautiful city keeps surprising me with various opportunities
to nurture my passion for art
and at the same time meet and learn from other artists !!

I am a part of Dubai Art Fans 

which aims at working together

 on community art projects for public displays.

They can also be found at Meet Up and facebook.

This group, under the leader ship of  Mona Al - Assa'ad strongly believes in 

painting together

holding workshops

and learning new techniques from each other.

All of us in this group are striving hard

 to turn our dreams into plans....!!

Now twenty artists

 from this beautiful group Dubai Art Fans 

are participating in a wonderful event called Street Night Art !! 

Can you smell the excitement ? 

I am sure you can !!

Picture courtesy Street Night Art

It is an initiative of all quoz project.

The aim of this project is to create interaction between cultures, 

participation and creativity from over 200 nationalities

 united in one city and that being Dubai. 

Street Night Art is being held on the 24th of this month 

from six in the evening till midnight....Isn't that amazing !!!

Around fifty artists, 

and I am one of those lucky ones of course :)

 will be painting on the streets of Dubai...all together...live !!!!!

Just imagine the arty aura that would be spread all around ....

 oh I am so anxiously looking forward to all that fun!!

...and all this fun for a cause....what else could I wish for !!

The art pieces so produced will be auctioned 

and the money will be used for laborers in Dubai !!

Now how about some art work that I have done recently....

He is a Motu (fat) Chaiwaala (tea seller) blowing the Indian trumpet !!

 Can you guess what is that 

tiny sheet of delicate paper ??

 ...Hahaha...I have done this illustration on a used tea bag!!

I have just finished a project on "Chai" ... 

the national drink of India....as I call it  :)

 for my favorite ezine called The Indian Trumpet ... 

I will be posting the other illustrations as soon as the magazine is out !

Some zentangling on a used tea bag again :)

...and this one is for my childhood lurve !!!

some matchbox style art :)

Are you wearing a crown of flowers

 on your head today ???

well if not...go...wear it now

 and let its roots reach your heart :)

Weeds and Buds !!

Weeds and buds entwine together

and so is the  law of nature

The year that has just passed

 brought me both...

and while with buds I adorned my hair

weeds taught me to be brave and take care.

each bit and every moment has turned into memories 

...which I treasure.

I tried not to overlook or dismiss

 that what is quieter, beautiful

 and delight-filled .

I learned to pause 

and savor the natural rhythms.

The clouds which came in my days

 to add odd darkness

I used them instead

to add colors to my sunny skies

Hey friends I wish in 2014 

WE ALL SHINE ON

like the sun and the moon and the stars !!

Thank you  all for your support throughout the year. 
 Your daily visits and encouraging comments 
are a constant source of inspiration . 

Lets continue to shower love and happiness on each other ...always !!

Wishing you all an ARTY and a very Creative New Year :)