How to Find Your Artistic Voice

If you are a creative person reading this, please, I need your help!

What's my artistic voice? That's the question that's been bothering me for a while. I feel I've been dabbling with too many subjects and styles and neglecting to develop a signature look in my art. I guess one reason for this could be that I truly don't paint nearly half as much as I should. It's always been sporadic. A slap-and-dash affair when I did it.

I came to Canada about eight years ago, I've exhibited at the biggest art fest in the Niagara region for six years now. Each time it was a bunch of paintings hurriedly completed between work and school and trips (I traveled quite a bit for extended periods) and family visiting, just in time to meet the deadline. And because it was always such a long gap between painting sprees it usually came out all different from the last time. So I've never really had a consistent body of work. Fortunately, each year my work was well received, and sold amidst tough competition.

And I never went to any sort of art school where I could explore and discover my own style. I can't even figure out what subject or medium I like best! Everything looks exciting and worth trying, and so much fun! Aggghh.

And now I have the little BumbleBee running all over the place and not sleeping till I am just as exhausted as she is. She takes an afternoon nap these days, thankfully, but usually wakes up a couple of times during it, which really keeps me on edge and inhibits my painting with full concentration, if I'm even able to get around to getting started!

Another reason: I have no room to make art. None. I used to, when I lived in a smaller house, which is funny.

So now I have a shop full of mishmash, or at least what looks like mishmash to me.

I need to find my own voice somewhere in those diverse styles and subjects, and stop being carried away by every new thought of 'experimenting'.

Any ideas, tips, suggestions? Please share your thoughts!

Looking Pretty Good

I finally managed to finish the illustrations for the latest book assigned to me. It had 17 pictures in all and as soon as Ramadan started I got kinda derailed with my deadline. Thankfully it was only a self-imposed and private deadline. I hadn't been given a set date to finish by and I hadn't made any promises as to when I'd deliver.

So anyway, that's DONE.

Meanwhile, I got some reproduction prints made of Red Leaf. I played with the colors in PS, but this one is in the original colors. Here it is, in a simple black frame from Walmart, that comes with a double mat and costs less than 20 bucks.

It looks pretty neat, I think!

I'll be making more colorways available in my shop.

Pics-From-My-Camera Department: Rain

"If I were the rain,
I would look shiny and silvery
Drop to the ground.
I would drop down shining,
Like a rainbow,
Playing on an umbrella
Tapping on the windowpane.
I make beautiful music."
Jason

Beautiful, amazing, magical rain.

These are pics I took of rain drops on the glass doors leading to our patio.






Do you like the rain, dear friends? Did you capture your rain moments?

Ramadan is here!

Alhamdulillah, we have been graced with another Ramadan, another opportunity to become closer to God, another opportunity to renew our commitment to generosity and patience!

This is DaddyBoy's fifth Ramadan. Before he was Muslim he couldn't conceive of voluntarily leaving food and drink from dawn till sunset, everyday, for 30 days. Now he does so like he's done it his whole life.

Of course, Ramadan isn't just about that.

It's about appreciating our blessings, being patient, and being generous towards those who are less fortunate than us. It is about gaining the right knowledge, contemplating our purpose on earth, and strengthening our resolve to become better people.

If you are among those who observe this month of fasting, Ramadan Mubarak to you!

Oh, and I forgot this one...

Now I'll have to choose which style to go with for the NROS - all five pieces should go together, I think, or not necessary?

Niagara Region Orchid Show - I'm in!

There'll be mostly orchid growers there, but they also have a section for orchid art and crafts, and I have I spot!

The show is in November and I'll be showing five new orchid paintings. How exciting! I used to paint orchids quite frequently, but haven't done many lately. These are the last ones I did, but that too a while back.

The show will have brand new pieces!

Orginal watercolor: SOLD


Digital collage using original painting, available in my shop:


Digital collage using original painting, available in my shop:

Fly

This is a section of a mixed media painting I did early this morning, when the BabyBug was still asleep (!!!). Watercolor, acrylics, paper and stitching!

You can see the whole piece here.

I'm so inspired by artists who do a new piece every day. Wow. I'm trying for two a week, juggling between the baby and my book illustrations, but I'll be aiming for one a day.

Wish me luck!

Diary 2010 - a yearful of art

392.

That's how many artists and crafters from around the world are collaborating to create a diary for 2010. Each page in the book will be decorated with unique art - what a great way to start the day! The dates will be in English, French and Spanish, and the book will soon be available here.

And I was fortunate enough to get a spot in it!

This is how it looks, and some pics from last year's book:







And here's my page for the upcoming 2010 version:

Pics-From-My-Camera Department

White flowers. Of all the colors of flowers there are, and there are about a gazillion lovely ones I think, I like white ones the best. They always look so pure and innocent.

These were on a tree in a park. I don't know what they are. (Cherry blossom? This late in the summer?) But there they were, and I had to take pictures.

Umm, yes, I did play around with the picture, just a little bit.

Here they are in their natural profusion:



A pond in the park. We usually spot a heron here:



And Lake Ontario, a great backdrop to any park:



Hope you liked my pics!

Niece? Second cousin? Who cares - she's brand new!

My cousin (one of very many, trust me) in India, himself barely more than a kid, just became a daddy!!! The baby is so new they haven't even decided on a name yet. I do hope they call her Sara, my very favorite name, that would've gone to the BabyBug if DaddyBoy hadn't preferred Aisha. But we have NO Sara's in the family, so I really hope they pick that.

Regardless, she is CUTE.

I don't usually post family pics, but this one is so sweet. The new daddy with his little critter, taken by the new daddy's older brother, who is himself due to fly to France in a couple of days for his MBA. He was hoping the baby would come before he left, and it did!

Eat this!

Have you ever felt a craving for something fresh and green and deliciously simple? I sometimes do. We all know we should eat a salad everyday, but do we? I don't! Which is silly considering I really love salads. And I love simple, elegant and yet surprising combinations, so this piece from the New York Times was great to read.

Look at this picture: Every one of those salads is making me drool! Hope you enjoy the recipes. Now excuse me while I go dig out that feta I bought the other day! YUM!

Painting of the day - Three Leaves

I think I now have THREE paintings now that I call Three Leaves, because they all feature...three leaves!!!

Anyhow this is the latest:



I'm not really happy with it, although I can't pinpoint why. Maybe it's several reasons, not one. But sometimes it helps if I leave an unsatisfactory piece alone for a bit and come back later and look at it again, and I can suddenly see clearly where the fault lies.

On the other hand, even pieces that I do like initially on going back to them seem full of things I could have done/avoided. I hope that's a good thing!

Does anything jump out at you about this piece that you don't like? I'd appreciate your feedback very much!

Blue + Green = Lovely!

One of my most favorite color combos is blue and green together. Since there is so much blue and green in nature I guess it's inevitable. Anyhow, I did this little sketch yesterday while painting with the BabyDragon, and although I painted it with the drop like shapes on the top. I quite liked it when I turned it upside down! Now it's like a bunch of submerged water droplets in a bluey green pond, and the blue that was actually water is now the sky.

I actually took the time to list this one, and you can get it in my shop!

Vacation's over

My parents left for Houston today. Having them around the past couple of months was like a holiday, and I didn't do any painting or illustrating (I have a book in hand I haven't even touched, and my only saving grace is that I didn't get a deadline for this one). It was lovely to have them, and BabyBird is already missing her NanaNani. Even DaddyBoy said the house feels weird without them. We wish they'd move here and stay with us, but I don't know what would convince them that they wouldn't be imposing.

Meanwhile, maybe I could fly over to Houston for a few days while they are still in North America, before they head back to India!

And now, I really, really need to get back to work! I'm looking forward to being able to concentrate on the many tasks ahead of me, but I also feel empty inside. I found this picture I took recently of BabyBird's little baby shoes lying on the sand exactly as she'd taken them off, and it fills me with the same mixed feelings I'm experiencing right now.



No, the sand wasn't blue, but those shoes really are rainbow-colored.

Sketch of the day

Sketch of the day