Finding my artistic voice

A journey of adventures and art

Hello there!

Today has been quite a day. Over the past couple of months, I’ve been incredibly busy, juggling learning, traveling, and a variety of experiences. There’s so much I want to share with you. I’ve been traveling back to back, attending workshops and weddings, which has been exhausting. I got so tired from traveling that I took a vacation—only to travel more, haha.

While painting in the mountains, a surprising thing happened. A monkey attacked me out of nowhere. It really scared me. I've spent a lot of time around animals, so I know they can be unpredictable. Usually, animals attack when they feel threatened or if someone bothers them. I was just painting, not bothering anyone. There were about 7-8 people watching me, too. But suddenly, the monkey came and attacked me. I was shocked and didn't know what to do. I couldn't defend myself because my hands were busy with the paintbrush and canvas. I felt helpless, surrounded by people, and being attacked. Eventually, I managed to gather my senses and leave the area, leaving my painting behind. Anyway, I’m on my rabies vaccine just to be safe.

I’m sharing this incident on my art blog because I want to remind you to be safe when painting outdoors. This experience has made me scared to paint in nature, and I hope to overcome that fear soon.

Despite everything, I’ve been teaching kids and spreading my love of art. I’ll share more about that later. But today, I woke up feeling a bit off. I’ve been doing commissions and studying art so much that it’s been a while since I’ve created art just for myself. Painting has always been my passion, but lately, I’ve been too consumed with responsibilities. As I scrolled through my gallery, I realized I haven’t painted for my own enjoyment in a long time. This morning, I felt a pang of guilt. What kind of artist am I if I don’t create original pieces or simply pieces that I enjoy making?

I’ve been asking myself, where is Therapy with Colours? In my quest to acquire more knowledge about art, why am I letting go of the essence of what Therapy with Colours truly is?

Let me present these beautiful pieces to you. They come from my heart without any bounds, and I’m sharing them here proudly because I can call this MY art—art that tells stories and evokes feelings.

Abstract Art on Cardboard

First, let me show you “Studio View,” which I painted this morning. It’s abstract, representing what I see in my workspace. This space is my ecosystem, built over the years. I have potted plants and visitors like sparrows. Once, a red-throated bird visited me, and I was almost in tears seeing something other than sparrows, pigeons, or crows on my Mumbai 2nd-floor balcony. But hey, I love my sparrows. This art was a warm-up to get my creative juices flowing.

The second artwork is “Panchgani Blooms.” I recently visited Panchgani, where I was attacked, but overall, it was a beautiful trip. It’s very hot here, but in Panchgani, it was pleasant and rainy. I was impressed with all the blooming flowers, including hydrangeas, lotuses, and the famous bougainvilleas. I felt like a child lost in wonder.

Abstract Art on Cardboard

These are the other two pieces I love. Through my journey, I’ve learned that abstract art is more feeling-oriented but requires experimentation and planning. In the left one, I did too much, making it look chaotic. But in the right one, I retried and kept space, controlling my urge to finish the paint on my palette by adding more marks because I was enjoying it so much.

In conclusion, these experiences have been a rollercoaster of emotions, from the unexpected monkey attack to rediscovering my love for painting. They’ve taught me a lot about balancing my responsibilities with my passion. I hope these pieces resonate with you and inspire you to find your own balance. Thank you for joining me on this journey, and I look forward to sharing more of my art and experiences with you soon.

By the way, I made a small online store where you can purchase from The Botanical Bliss series (only for Indian customers).

I found the courage to write and express myself after reading my friend Rishabh’s newsletters and also attending his wonderful writing workshop. Do read his blog.

Happy Creating