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| “Hope against the Pandemic”....Alcohol Inks, 2nd place in TOAA Member Show |
Hello MANA Friends!
January 2019! Joyous celebration everywhere around the world, to welcome the new year. January went into February with people getting used to the idea of saying 2020. But unknown to the world, a new world was about to be born. It was not a joyful event, but an ominous monster that was lurking somewhere. It had connotations of disease and even death!
Late into February the world started to wake up to CORONA VIRUS! The dreaded virus which threatened lives all over the world and soon shrouded it in its vile sheath. Curfews, quarantines, social distancing and face masks became household names. We were in a pandemic!
Through this all came about a change in the life styles of all human beings on earth. Work places changed from offices to homes, online schooling a common practice everywhere. Shopping habits changed drastically and even Mother Earth seemed to be rejuvenating. And a “New” order began to unfold, albeit slowly.
Yet, some good did come also. People became more introspective and kinder or not so sometimes. New qualities were discovered in people.
Some of us found more time to spend time with family and sometimes we were kept
apart from loved ones because of the quarantine.
We artists....aah yes! We who always yearn for time to pursue our passion, we finally found time to do just that. So, even with all the restrictions and the fears of COVID, its mutations/vaccine availability etc. we artists find our peace in our little pursuits of Art.
I have been so lucky to be involved with the Thousand Oaks Art Association, here in S. California. We meet regularly (not in person), but on Zoom and hold our board meetings to discuss different ways we could interact as artists in this new reality of COVID 19. We hold online Member Shows as well as Open Juried shows, and keep the members informed through monthly newsletters, which I’m in charge of, and we hold virtual tours of different artists of various artistic skills. We hope to resume our Plein Air outings once restrictions relax a little. Once people get vaccinated we can all hope to resume such outdoor activities.
Anyway, this being my outlet for artistic pursuit, in our last Member Show my painting, “ Hope”, won a second prize in Alcohol Inks.
Recently, one of my paintings got juried into the TOAA Open Show, “My backyard family”.
Anyway, let’s keep creating and thus make ourselves happy and seeing the level of Art coming from such wonderful artists of MANA, I get more inspiration and sheer joy seeing the works of these very talented and professionally trained artists.
I just received a photo from Pune from my brother. It’s Someshwar temple near Baner. I was so inspired by it that I had to create a painting.
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| Someshwar Temple, near Baner, Pune |
So friends, let’s keep those creative juices flowing always.
Stay safe as I leave you with an artistic thought:
“If you feel safe in the area that you’re working in, then you’re not working in the right area”—-David Bowie
