Awake...

Photo: Nuwar elya,Sri lanka 2004

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 




 
 
The City sleeps while I stay awake
On a winter night – It’s half past one;
What do I do for heaven’s sake?
Solitary nights are no more fun
A mosquito sings on my right ear
I clap my hands and blow my palm;
The dogs are busy- their growl I hear;
I shut the window to regain my calm.

I surf the TV channels in discontent,
From rerun movies to tele-shopping;
Bored with the repeated advertisement
I grab the remote – more tele-hopping!
What’s in sport? – Let me see – Golf!
Whoever thought that that’s a game?
The other’s showing yachting in Gulf-
My view on that is just the same.

I decide to watch the late night news-
Rape and murder, quakes and flood!
Repeated headlines, views and reviews
My eyes are already red as blood.
Stocks are falling, the market’s bad;
I turn it off ‘fore I fall into their trap;
The lizard on the wall must think I am mad,
To sit at this hour and watch such crap.

[From my archives]
060911

Express Estate Sketches...

the Octagonal smoking room

The rear side...

Parapet detail

These are few surviving pencil sketches that I had made for our Building Conservation project during my Masters program in the year 1998....This heritage structure was once the Madras Club inside the property famously known as the Express Estate in Chennai. A shopping Mall (Express Avenue) has now replaced this heritage structure ..

The Cardinal...

Art by Ashok....Poster colors on Paper

Flowers...

Art by ashok

Dawn...

Cuddled to my pillow, I lie so still
Half Awake –as in chemistry class;
The lone myna on my window sill
Rhythmically pecks on the tinted glass.

In chorus my neighbor’s cocks crow shrill;
I look up the skylight- two herons pass.
The wavy silhouette of a far off hill-
Sleeping in peace like a curvy lass.

The early breeze is fresh and chill
Caressing the dew drops on the grass;
It eases through the bamboo frill-
Soothing the soul like Ilayaraja’s bass.

The mongrels bond and bark at will
To greet the milkman’s chiming brass;
I flip my pillow for a cooler quill-
Soaked in the moment’s languid jazz.

I yawn and soon I yearn for a fill-
Coffee in bed is not so crass!
I snuggle, nuzzle and laze until
My mobile rings to break the impasse.

[one of my favorites from my archives, 09.05.2011]

Bird on the fence...

Poster Colors on paper

The Red Fighter...

My favorite Red Fighter fish..... Poster Color on Paper

I saw a similar work (using palette knife on canvas) on the net. I attempted something similar to amuse my daughter...

Some of my friends wanted to know what these “Poster colors” are and why that seems to be my favorite medium.

 Poster colors are basically water soluble colors. Unlike water colors that are transparent, poster colors are very much opaque and give a smooth matt tone. They dry fast and have a uniform spread. With a little skill and by varying the use of water you can also get a water color effect. Now a days the poster bottles also come in the name of “Tempera colors” and are primarily used in art classes at schools.

In my younger days I had experimented with many paint mediums. But now I don’t get the luxury of time. Poster colors are ideal as they are opaque and quick drying and I can finish my paintings in less than an hour.

If you had observed closely, I have used not more than 6 colors in all my recent works. The reason is that, I am using the Poster color box intended for my daughter (she is into crayons and water color!) I am using a single amateur brush that came with the box.

Hopefully, I might buy a full set of paints and a few professional brushes one of these days!

The Walk...

Pen on Paper by Ashok

I was inspired to sketch this scene from a snap posted by my blog friend & photographer Indrani on her Frozen Moments! I was sketching with Pen after years and realized that I was a bit rusty...and impatient with my strokes.

Charge...

Art by Ashok
Poster Color on paper...

The Musical Abstract...

Music - abstract by ashok
Poster Colors on Paper...

On my request Grace had obliged me with this master piece to complement my painting !!!
http://a-sweetlust.blogspot.ca/2012/06/piano.html