goodbye to bicycle?

when i was in school ,bicycle was the vehicle in our village.there was no bus service. no motorbikes. no cars.bullock-cart was the only companion to bicycle.my teachers have many a times taken me to nearby city places for various competitions,exams on their bicycles.i am having albums of those journeys and the fatherly love of my teachers .in pune, satara and other small cities i used to see roads full of bicycle-riders! we can see this documented in some old movies ,especially songs.

but now with the introduction of automobiles bicycles are on the verge of saying goodbye!

this water colour is for those bicycle memories.

i like this painting very much because it really catches the motion!

with the speed of a bus..

once i tried to draw in a running bus.here objects were also running away from me.and then disappearing into blue.it becomes a memory drawing whatever you try to draw.

this is a small sketch of trees here.

conductor of the bus saw me doing sketches.he sat beside and saw my sketch-book.then we talked a lot about drawing.he was also fond of the subject while in school.but had never given a minute after leaving the school.after seeing my sketches he had a thought of doing sketches again.he said he had plenty of time sometimes and nothing he had done so far.

memorable monkeys

seeing a monkey while going somewhere is a common incidence .i was on my bike and i saw these two.they were busy with their routine job.i can't say if she was mother or father of that child!as always i was having paper and pencil with me.i started sketching them.

now they were aware of me. the child came closer to mother (must be no?)i got two pictures then!sketches are ordinary but the memory of those moments is not!

this reminds me of...

when i painted this twig,i was quite pleased because it had the soft look which i was trying for.two years back i used to do at least one such painting a day.i was studying shades of green.so much of variety in shapes,colours and textures i met in leaves it was a wonderful time. after finishing this painting i had few lines in my mind which i shared with my daughter,

'this twig reminds me

of our family-photograph,

you may agree,

or simply you may laugh!'

Sonal,a great little artist

I remember Sonal quite often.now she is in seventh and is at satara.she loves painting , singing, acting and is all the time busy in learning some new thing.she was there with us for three years.we used to talk a lot.she liked to ask me some difficult questions and answers to those she only knew! once she asked me,"baba,what is the easiest thing to do?" obviously i could not answer."so simple",she said,"drawing!"

"how?"i had to ask.she had a very sweet answer...

"you just have to draw lines and it becomes a drawing!"..

a great little artist!

i always remember her and more when my confidence shakes.

Yaa,she is Sonal in my pencil sketch.

I always forget...

you appear from nowhere...

and

look at me

and

go on looking forever..

with

your candid eyes..

but

i just forget

and

always forget..

that,

these are my emotions..

poured on a paper!

as if

it is..

a shadow of my mind!!

In the previous century...

Life was so much different just hundred years back!I would have been like this,riding on a horse.Not that today I can't do that, everybody will make fun of me.You are compelled to live life of your time.Seeing the conditions of roads now a days we do experience horse riding!Can shortage of petrol throw us back in the previous century?How much is the cost of a horse these days?..just to know in advance!!!

this is done in 'paint'.

Pashupatinath!

What a great thought in the name 'Pashupatinath'!Since childhood I have seen the images of Lord Shankar at many places and in many poses. The one meditating,one in a family photograph, one playing some interesting game with Parvati.Natraj is such a famous image,it is as if carved on every art-lover's heart. Mahesha ,the greatest God as it means is a great idea of loving nature!Not to have fear of a snake ,even a cobra! To have friendship with the ghosts!!!The moon at his head and the river ganga all the time bathing him!Isn't it a cool nice thing! The blue color he has always reminds us the sacrifice he has made for others.

His image of 'ardhanarinateshwar'also gives us a thought to know and respect the other sex!So many and many more thoughts in one symbol!!!This two minutes of brush sketch of mine is not yet completed as it should have been.

stone starts breathing ..

I am amazed by the idea of putting life into a stone.Such a dense and heavy object!So abundant and neglected!Not aware of the day or the night!! But when touched by an artist,takes a lovely shape.The stone starts breathing.Mood of the air changes.The sky comes down.Music flows with the wind.Stone is no more a stone.It tells the story of that era to the ages!Trees grow and fall.People come and go .The storyteller lives.I have just tried to do a pencil sketch here of

such a storyteller!

It seems he is recollecting or has stopped for a while.No need to put a stethoscope ,I can hear his breath sounds.Can you?

i see you everywhere

wherever i turn my eyes i see a human figure there.i like watching clouds,trees,old walls,shadows,as they always come out with nice ideas of postures, compositions,textures...they do provide a new subject for my paintings.this is a water colour by me and i had seen these people on a wall at a particular moment one day. since then i meet them there always. i have brought them

on paper with their request only.they made it happen with my hands.

i have many such ideas having painting potentials.time will come. human figure ,faces,are crowded in my mind and i see their reflections in the surrounding.as if the world is getting coloured by my mind.