 Painted from life recently after being inspired by the Conference I attended. Some of the Bay Area artists meet up on a weekly basis and paint a model from life. If you want to improve, surround yourself with people who are better than you are. This is a popular saying I've heard time and time again.
I attended my first convention with the Portrait Society of America in Atlanta last month. I started out a little stressed, as I reached Atlanta without my luggage and I was terribly overwhelmed with being an insignificant grain of sand amidst an ocean of internationally acclaimed Artists. Over the course of the conference, I met inspiring and unassuming people who shared stories of their Artistic journey. Everyone I met inspired me or taught me some lesson, some in Art, some in life. I had the opportunity to meet an acclaimed Indian Artist who began his career sketching tourists on the street, a Pakistani Artist who used to paint billboards for movie releases, an American Artist who spent time in Haiti after the Earthquake helping with the rehabilitation. One Artist shared how she decided to pursue an Education in Art against her parents wishes and took up the cheapest housing available so she could afford to sustain her education. When her father found out she was living in a place frequented by the people of the night, he agreed to finance her Art education as long as she stayed in safe places. She also shared how she was invited by Bush #43 to visit his studio and she didn't want to sound too eager, so she waited all of 30 seconds before accepting the invite. I made small talk with a guy sitting with his service dog in the Lobby Bar area on the first day and later I learnt that he is an icon in his field. His lecture on Anatomy accompanied by his demonstration was like watching a magic show. I wasn't sure if he had his eyes closed or open during his demo. I attended another demo with one Artist who was so energetic she got paint all over her hair, that didn't bother her at all and it made for an entertaining session. Another acclaimed Artist only works in his suit, a fancy suit with shiny shoes polished and a slick hairstyle and mustache, he looked a little like Mr. Poirot painting with oils. If there is a secret to becoming a better Artist, it is 'Paint from Life whenever you can'. I heard this over and over again. Family and friends, beware, requests for posing for me will be coming up soon. Until next time Artfully yours Majella
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 This year has been racing along and the rains may have abated. Personally a very enjoyable year with a wedding, many milestone birthdays and an Eagle Scout in the family.
The painting above 'Cinque Terra' was one of two paintings that was juried into the 'Best and Brightest' show at the Scottsdale Artists School. However it was scooped up by a collector and has found a new home. It is one of my favorites. I have found a new love - Watercolor and Sketching. My kit is portable and goes everywhere with me. I work on oils in my home studio at leisure while I produce finished watercolor sketches rather quickly. In the pipeline I have a conference in Atlanta later this month - The Art of the Portrait which I am excited about. So many Master Artists in one place, so much to learn. Excited to partner with the School of Arts and Culture, Mexican Heritage Center for their summer program. Getting ready for my Solo show in Aug is nerve racking. Taking it one brush stroke at a time. The group shows at Aegis Gallery have been going well. Over and out from the Studio. Lot of work to do. Do pen a line or draw your thoughts. Cant wait to hear from you. Artfully yours Majella  I hope you've had a wonderful Thanksgiving celebration (if you are in the USA) and if you are outside, I hope your life is filled with love, good health and a warm hearth.
I am trying hard to be regular at blogging but I am not certain where my time has been disappearing this year. I spend every waking moment thinking, planning ,creating Art and buying more Art supplies ;) and the day is always done with me before I am done with it. There are days when I know I cannot put in 2-3 hours to work on Oil Painting and I am so happy that I have found the perfect solution to all those wasted moments... waiting in airports, traveling on a plane, sitting in your car waiting to pick up your kids etc. I have an inconspicuous tiny set of watercolors that fits in the palm of my hand and my whole kit fits in my handbag so I can take it out anywhere and quickly finish some work before anyone notices. Here are two pieces from my Urban Sketching adventure this month. This season is also a season of Giving. If you are inclined and have the means, please consider giving to someone who could use your gift. It could be your time, money or an act of kindness. Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year! To all my friends celebrating different feasts around the world, Happy Feast to you! Artfully yours Majella  We have just fulfilled our responsibility as Citizens by exercising our right to vote. If you haven't done so, please register yourself for the next one. I was taken by surprise to read that the US voter turnout trails other developed nations and some developing nations. I do not know the reasons for this but I am hoping that this statistic changes.
News from my studio. I have been busy getting my paintings varnished and framed for the Holiday show at the Aegis Gallery in Downtown Saratoga. I dropped off my paintings earlier this week and am so excited about the show. Do stop by if you are in the vicinity. The show goes on until the end of December. We are 21 Artists showcasing our work - Paintings, Sculptures, Photography, Felt, Scarves, Jewelry and more. You may find just the right gift for your Holiday shopping. There is a reception on Nov 9th, I will post some info on my Instagram feed soon. Thank you for viewing my art and supporting Artists like me. Artfully yours Majella  Hope you've had a fantastic week, enjoying every moment and living every minute in the best way one possibly can. My weekend started off with celebrating a friends 40th birthday, art classes, a beautiful 12 mile hike and then a funeral of someone in the community.
The words of Robert Frost play endlessly in my mind these last few days The woods are lovely, dark and deep. But I have promises to keep And miles to go before I sleep And miles to go before I sleep Here is a prayer from my studio - I pray for the repose of the souls of all who have died during the last week and for the living, that they live their lives joyfully, peacefully and fruitfully. The above painting is one that I had started during the 30 day challenge in Sept. It had the books and the candlestick holder. I added the Nutcracker and some Christmas Ornaments. I have a goal to finish up a few paintings for the Holiday show at the Aegis Gallery. Almost done with my paintings, just need to wait for them to dry, then varnish and choose a suitable frame for them. Artfully yours Majella PS: I'd love to hear about your week. Send me a note.  After a long summer break I am back at my blogging desk and plan to be more regular now. During the summer we celebrated a family wedding in Mangalore, India. It was lots of fun.
Met scores of friends and family during the trip. Visited 12th century temples and temple ruins in Belur and Halebidu, witnessed the Flag lowering ceremony at the Wagah-Attari border, hiked to Dainkund in Dalhousie. This summer my older son who turned 18 recently left home to start college. Lots of changes but Art remains a constant in my life. My younger son started High School and has taken Art as a subject. :) I recently participated in a 30 day Strada challenge to paint/ sketch everyday from life with no reference to photos or imagination. It was fun and challenging, leaving me on my toes and a good learning experience. Thank you for reading and do pen a line or two. I'd love to hear from you. Artfully yours Majella  As I prepare myself for a trip to India, I am sharing an older painting I did almost 2 decades ago. During my early years in California, I experimented on Watercolors to earn my rite of passage to Acrylics and later Oils. Almost a decade after I finished this painting I had the opportunity to watch a Kambala race with my family and expose my American children to a little bit of South Kanara heritage. The local percussion group were kind enough to allow my then little boys to make some music and create some beats. My children also learnt they were related to a winner of one of the races.
Kambala is an Annual Buffalo race held in the South western parts of India. The race track is a slushy mud field. It is a simple sport which entertains the local people. Like the race horses and the Jockey, the buffaloes and the racing farmer prepare themselves for the race. The prize money can be anything ranging from coconuts and bananas to gold and silver coins. It has been in the news recently for the criticism it received from animal activists for the use of the whip on the buffalo. Hope you enjoyed this little bit of trivia from South India and my water color painting. I will try to blog while I am in India exploring new places and soaking up all things Indian. Artfully yours Majella  Welcome to my first blog post. I am moving from a newsletter to a blog in order to reach you spontaneously.
I want to thank you so much for following my Art and my progress. My painting most often starts with a feeling, it could be the memory of a place or experience or people I meet that become the inspiration of a painting later on. I met this lady selling fruits on my way to Bangalore many years ago. As soon as I returned home, I started this painting. This painting is with a collector now. The lady was happy, humbly adorned, teeth stained with betel nut and happy to pose for me. Those bananas I bought from her were delicious. Stay tuned for more. Artfully yours Majella |
