Fireworks

Have a super duper Diwali, everyone!

The best part about Diwali for me is the fireworks and here are some unusual and beautiful illustrations of fireworks. This Diwali, may your mind and hearts be filled with light.

Michala Caney, Fireworks

Sharon Turner, Retro Packaged Fireworks

Bryan Willis Thomson, Fireworks

Falcon St Lazarus, Dying Fireworks.

My life sucks like the centre of gravity.

Art: Brian Coldrick, Gravity

Take Flight

Considering how much I just want to fly and get away from where I am, I have compiled some of my favourite 'flight' pieces. You'll find my super fave, Terry Fan, Judith Clay and others I have stumbled upon along the way.

Flight of the Elephants, Terry Fan

Voyages over Edinburgh, David Fleck

Take Flight, Oliver Lake

You should see the Moon in Flight, Aaron Thong

Innumerable Wandering Balloons, Emma Fitzgerald

Whale Flight, Heather Landis

Night Flight, Judith Clay (I love you, Judith!)

Birdgirl takes Octopus for his Afternoon Flight, Chamindika Waduragala

Now, all I need is a bunch of balloons.

DIY Green Thumb

This Diwali, how about being green at home? There are such super ideas to pretty up your home space, with used bottles, fish bowls and of course, ceramics containers. Not just indoor plants, sometimes even branches and flowers make such a huge difference! Here are a few ideas.

Repurposed perfume bottles as table top vases.

Old clear bottle. Using lots of transparent glass brightens up rooms. If you have a lot of sunlight, it will make such beautiful light, especially with the sunlight reflected off water.

Succulents, which grow especially well in warm weather, also make for excellent indoor plants.

Also, check out these awesome pots by Tracy, from twpottery

Jug eared

Hanging pots

My favorites, wall pots.

Image courtesy: designsponge.com; blogdelanine.blogspot.com; twpottery.com; designyourrevolution.blogspot.com

Missing: Inner Peace

It's been a while, yes?

Things have been a bit crazy the past few weeks. Ma had a major surgery right after Durga puja and the day she came back from the hospital, I fell sick. I was so unwell, I had to be hospitalised too.

The thing is, I haven't been emotionally well either. It's been hard watching my parents become weak and old, almost all of a sudden. I am beginning to get really really tired of the life I am living and things at work haven't made things any easier. I really need to change things but I am still trying to figure out how. If only I had Abby Diamond's stupendous talent.

Hot Pair

Isn't this awesome?! 

The weirdest thing is happening to me. Physically, I am itching to make something. But when it comes to entering the studio and putting pen to paper, my mind just gives up, every single time. I guess I need a little inner peace. (Master Shifu, are you there?)

Edit: A lot of people have emailed me saying they can't add comments to my blog. I don't know why that is. I have tried to fix it, but it's not working :(  

Durga Pujo 2011

I love the five days of Durga puja, my favourite five days of the year. This year was no different.

Ma Durga at Sushant Lok 1, Gurgaon.

Ma in "daaker shaaj" at Paras

Dhaaki. Dhaaker awaj, dhup dhunor gondhho, Ma Durga. 

 

My husband and I, on the last day of pujo.

To me, pujo is a part of my identity -- a reminder of who I am and where my roots lie no matter how far away from home I may be. The five days of Durga pujo keeps me humbled, grounded, and at one with everything. The noise, people dressed in new clothes (no matter what one looks like, during pujo, I think everyone looks so nice. Much of it has to do with traditional clothes, too, I guess. Indians always look nice in Indian clothes) and the fact that the super rich and the really poor stand together, sharing the same physical space, with heads bowed in prayer. Before Ma, we are all the same: her children, who she put on earth and will remove from here on will, whose lives she can bless or break at whim.

 May the year ahead be happy and prosperous for everyone. May everything you prayed for this pujo be granted to you. Shubho Bijoya.

Mahashashti

Durga, by MF Hussein. Oil on canvas

Elena in NY, Unusual Cups and Saucers, and Play

This post is a bit of a mish mash of things I have discovered and loved this week. 

No ordinary cups and saucers, these.

Porcelian, embroidery, and organza

Porcelain, cotton, and embroidery

Porcelain, organza, and thread

 If you look carefully, you'll notice that these images aren't painted or printed on to the cups and plates. They are actually minute thread and cloth work suspended by some magic on the surface, making the pieces little three-dimensional, frozen bits of time. 

Diem Chau's current work explores the periphery of narrative, moments forgotten and faded, or too brief to retain. The artist is a master story teller.

I also just discovered Silvia Bolognesi. How awesome is this series, titled "Play"?

Put me in a room like this, with her art work framed in black or red slim frames above my bed, and I am a happy happy girl.

Image via designsponge.com

And finally, my friend Elena del Fabro had a show in New York!! 
I hope she has many more of these! Love you Elena, wherever you are!

Durga puja starts tomorrow. May the light and strength of the goddess always be with you.