Wednesday, March 21, 2007

conversation

Anshuman( After a couple of drinks standing at one end of the kitchen) - " Do you want the toast? You know I'm not going to give it to you. You can look at me like that for as long as you want but I won't change my mind. Do you think this toast is so important? Do you believe that toast is life?

Ninna ( sitting at the other end of the kitchen probably thinking) - "So you gonna give me the toast or wot?"

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

I'm in love

Yes I'm having an extra-marital affair. I have fallen hopelessly in love ever since I made a painting at Jam Jar, an art gallery where you can go and paint whatever you like. They provide you with all the acrylic colours, brushes of all sizes and a colorful apron. I made a nice drawing of a woman with a fish tail and wings who seemed to be drowning instead of flying due to the wrong angle of drawing. Then once I got started with the colours it was like I had a taste of heavenly love. I forgot about what I had drawn as the magic of brush strokes took over. It took me barely an hour to finish the 2x3 ft painting and I was exhilerated like never before. I didn't fall in love with what I made but I fell in love with how it made feel as I was painting it.
The painting hangs in our living room now. Anshuman thinks it looks incomplete. I beg to differ and in any case I'm the artist so I get to decide when the painting is done. Feels really good to call myself an artist, sends little shivers down my spine. So there was a lull after that as it costs a lot of money to paint at Jam Jar and going to Dubai to do it. Someone told me about this place called Emirates Trading which sells art supplies. So I went. I walked around in that small shop for nearly an hour just drooling at boxes and boxes of water colors, dry pastels, oil pastels, oil colors, different kinds of papers, easles, sketch books, charcoal, loads and loads of beautiful winsor & Newton brushes and all sizes of canvases. Bryan Adams comes to mind- Thought I'd died and gone to heaven. I just didn't want to leave. Since I had decided not to buy anything I came back empty-handed.
The shop moved very close to where I live so one afternoon I went looking for it and after taking a circular route finally landed at the door of my beloved. Several carpenters were working outside and a cloth banner with the shop's name hung outside. Inside was a bit of a mess but I was thrilled to be there so I walked around again opening and closing boxes and sketchbooks. Some of the colours come in these lovely wooden boxes so beautiful I may never use any of the colors lest they should lose their pristine quality. My dilemma was becoming whether I liked painting or being in the presence of colour. The sheer potential for beauty was killing me. I sighed a deep sigh as the shopkeeper smiled a tired smile. I left thinking I will come back when the shop is in order.
So then one evening I washed my hair and got dressed in nice clothes to go to the shop to buy some colours. I was positively glowing and there was a spring in my step. I was in love. This time the shop was in a better shape though there were still carpenters working inside. I looked around till I had touched nearly everything. I picked up some water colors, a large sketch book and 5 brushes. Triumphantly I put them in front of the shopkeeper and asked-" Do you accept credit cards?" He looked at me like I was nuts and said -" I just got my phone line today" My face fell with a loud thud. " Oh!" I said. I turned around to go and then turned back to ask how much was the sketch book. He told me. I did have that much cash so I fished for my wallet which for the first time here I had left back home.
I quickly walked out. Ghalib comes to mind-" Bade be-aabroo ho kar tere kooche se hum nikle" which roughly translated means I left your street much embarrassed. ( I apologise for the bad translation)
So now the plan is to go to Bombay and find a similar shop which will cost me less and provide me with the same satisfaction. Although I will always be in love with Emirates trading. I believe love once born does not go away, like energy it just changes form. What do you think?