Shrine Sketch with #UrbanSketchers

If you look back to my solo art exhibition in response to India, you may remember my shrines that I had set up throughout the gallery space. For some time now I have been setting up shrines around and photographing them.

Most of my previous shrines have shown up in Art Alley in Rapid City, South Dakota or around Laramie, Wyoming, but my most recent made an appearance along the Columbia River in Kennewick, Washington this morning.

I even sketched it with the group of #UrbanSketchers

You can check out my other sketches along with the others from the group on the Tri-Cities Urban Sketchers blog.

http://509urbansketchers.blogspot.com/?m=1

I will make it a link later as I'm currently posting from my phone.

More Women

In progress women paintings.

I'm still getting back into the groove of things.  You may be thinking that it's taking me a while to adjust. And it is. But keep in mind we also moved to another state in a very different region of the country.

As you may know I also had a small detour in Brazil for two months teaching English and art.

Now that I am back I am excited to start creating artwork again. People seemed to really like the women n sarees that I painted. I also like to paint them which is convenient. So I am continuing with this theme of women and the mixing of cultures...can't wait to share some new stuff.

The photos shows a few of my in progress paintings.

Dhanyavaad Doston - I had a great year with you all!

I typed a thank you in Hindi that I planned to read at the going away party but forgot it :( and I'm pretty sure it actually made no sense...as I shared it online to have it proofread and was told it didn't make sense (when I get back to the US I will share it anyways. Ok well, when I find my computer)

I wanted to thank you all for welcoming Jim and I into your community. It was really special to be a part of your family. I've heard missionaries, and less often but other travelers as well, talk about going somewhere and being welcomed into the culture.

I now have a better understanding of how special that really is. There is a difference between hanging out and getting to know people and really being a part of it all and I feel like you guys blessed us with the opportunity to really be a part of your lives and culture.

It's funny becuase after returning to Wyoming I was seriously considering grad school at Khala Bhavan. But when we realized it was a longer program than I had originally thought we decided against it. This past year, though in Wyoming (possibly the place on earth that is the least like India), I really was able to experience a mini-India and it was beautiful. I learned so much about food, culture, religion, languages, social norms, cricket, and fell even more in love with your culture and people.

I began by wanting to learn Hindi. I honestly belive my goals desires changed to simply being friends and sharing life which was so beautiful.

I will never forget my last year in Wyoming and the times that we shared. I love each and every one of you guys. 

See Dhanyavaad Doston Pt 2 which I talk about being homesick from Indian culture while in Brazil.http://feliciafollum.blogspot.com/2014/08/dhanyavaad-doston-saudades-pt-2.html?m=1

What Makes Me Happy

Henna Design
Sold
Ink+Watercolor on Paper

As a part of my fellowship, I was asked to create a list of 10 things that make me happy…Here is my list of the first thirteen things that I thought of.

Having good conversations with people
Playing Legendary with my husband
Making art that I am happy with
Dancing
Playing cricket (or softball)
Snowboarding
Studying a language
Riding my bike
Hugs
Learning about a new culture
Teaching others
My grandma
Baby animals

This is a great journal prompt. What are the first thirteen things you can think of that make you happy?

East Meets West: Artist Statement

Triptych: Unknown God
Watercolor
Unknown God 18x30
$350
Jesus or Shiva 7x18
$75
7x18
$75
(Prices for prints)

East Meets West is the result of the mixing of two distinct cultures and worldviews. As a student of Religious Studies and Philosophy, I find the mixing of religion and the lines that separate culture from religion fascinating. In the field of religious studies the term that is applied to the mixing and combing of seemingly contradictory religions and cultures is syncretism.

Talents, Mixed Media

My experiences before, after and during India have led me to create some works dealing with the meeting, clashing, and synchronization of my own religion, Christianity, and the beautiful aesthetic of Hindu culture. Eight months after traveling to India I am still trying to process my experience and have continued to immerse myself in the culture that I find so beautiful. To my surprise, returning home and actively observing American culture is teaching me almost as much as being in India did.

I find that learning about other cultures allows growth and a greater understanding of the world around you that can only be experienced when two worlds meet, clash, and synchronize with each other. East Meets West is just that, a syncretic mix of the Eastern culture and my own Western world views.



For more information or to follow my exhibition please check out the Event Page or my Facebook page.

Shadows: Weekly Photo Challenge

This weeks  Weekly Photos Challenge was "Shadows: Intricate or Simple Patterns

This photo was taken one our first full day in New Delhi. We spent half of our Day at the block printing studio and half at Humayun's Tomb. We rented out the studio for the day and had an absolute blast. I really enjoyed chatting (haha well trying to communicate however possible) with the young boys and learning about a traditional Indian art technique. As the trip went on we saw block printed fabric, saris, and craftsmen making the blocks.

The red is my practice fabric, the blue is a wood block with ink and the multi-colored table below is where all the inks have bled through fabrics in many layers. My actual fabric was turned into a shirt and I printed a matching dupida in addition.

I will share my block printed creations in the near future... 

Distant: Weekly Photo Challenge

I have so many photos just lying around and I figured it would be fun to share some of them. I found this meme called the Weekly Photo Challenge. It is simple. All you do is share a photo, newly taken or old, that fits the given theme. This first week's theme is Distant. 

Distant 

This image is from Bishnupur, West Bengal, India. It was taken inside of one of the many temples we saw while touring India.  A couple Bengali artists went with us on the overnight trip to Bishnupur.  It was funny because the artists we went with kept offering to help us find rides from temple to temple. We tried to explain it to them that we in fact were enjoying the walking....just walking around was great.

It was neat that once they understood that part of why we wanted to walk was because we were artists. We wanted to see everything and had been in cars plenty. We wanted to enjoy the little things in between point A and point B.

As the guys began to understand what we were going for, they seemed more at peace with the fact that we were just walking around Bishnapur taking photos of temples, textures, colors and so much more.

I think that the textures and patterns from the temples would be neat in some of my artwork for my upcoming show. Be sure to pay attention and see if you spot similar shapes in future work :)

100 Henna Designs

Create a series of 100 images!

Pre-India Dandia Night Henna

I found this idea in a book called 37 Assignments. The assignment is to create 100 images on a specific topic. The images can be photographs, drawings, digital. 

My Challenge:

As I continue to work on my India inspired art I will create 100 Henna inspired drawings (and as always I do plan to be creative with the definition of drawing). I plan on participating in the Thursday 13, I'm excited to get back into that (you can click the label/link below the post to see my other Thursday 13 posts). I'm sure I will share on some other online venues as well...any suggestions? Let me know below.

You can find my henna images on Twitter and Instagram with the hashtag #FFHenna100

Deadline:

I will have this series completed by my India inspired art exhibition, East Meets West, in March. Some of these designs may even be included in the exhibition.

Why not join me?

Complete this challenge for yourself.

Just a bit of Henna for me. Dandia Night 2013

What could you create 100 of? If you are an artist working on a specific field or topic like me, create 100 sketches on that topic. If you are a stay at home mom, try 100 new recipes this year? Writers, write 100 pages in a given amount of time. What ever it is that you want to do, set some goals, make a time line, and do it.

Let me know in the comments below what you would create if you took on this project or what you plan to create when you take on this project.

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