Hello friends!
I cannot believe it's been nearly a month since my last blog entry. Summer has a way of making time disappear way too quickly. Anyway, I wanted to tell you a little bit about "Maya's Veils", the oil painting I just finished. 
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"Maya's Veils" is a painting about illusion, about the material world of phenomena that clutters consciousness, that distracts, and hypnotizes. Broadly speaking, in Eastern Philosophy, the concept of Maya is akin to deceit. Because the world of the senses is ephemeral and ever-changing, it is fundamentally "unreal". The senses are not that reliable; things aren't what they seem.

Rendering the veils, I, myself, got engrossed in the their seducing appeal. The task of painting these countless folds, these patterns of light and darkness absorbed my attention for nearly 20 hours. What for? I sometimes wonder... Perhaps for the sheer joy and peace of mind I get from feeling at one with my work. I find the state of "creative flow" peaceful and soothing. It's one of the reasons why I like making art.

There is this verse of a poem by Sir Edwin Arnold that always stuck with me. I read it a long time ago and it periodically resurfaces in my mind. Of course, working on this painting triggered the memory of it:

Shall any gazer see with mortal eyes,
  Or any searcher know by mortal mind;
Veil after veil will lift—but there must be
  Veil upon veil behind.
 
Lastly, on my Youtube Channel, I posted a short 5 minutes time lapse video of the work behind "Maya's Veils". Watch it to see my long process conveniently sped up for your enjoyment! As a side note, I think I am getting a little better and faster at making these videos. This is kind of nice because computers are not one of my strengths. Nevertheless, equipping myself with some basic editing skills opens up more creative possibilities in terms of video-making. Please, support my new art channel by subscribing and liking this video.

"Maya's Veils" is currently available for purchase. Contact me directly to inquire. 
For a more economical option, beautiful art prints are also available in my INPRNT store. 

Thank you so much for stopping by! 
Until next time, au revoir. 

Hey friends!
I recently finished this illustration of a Naiad or water nymph. I named her "Water Lilaea".

In Greek mythology, the nymphs or Nymphai were minor goddesses. They were basically nature spirits who presided over different aspects of the natural world. Therefore, there exist water nymphs (the Naiads), mountain nymphs, forest nymphs, etc. They embody the alluring beauty of nature, of form, of the feminine (the archetype, not the gender). Often associated with Spring, the nymphs evoke fertility, sexuality, youth, and innocence.

Now that I am done this painting, I find that there is something bewitching about Lilaea. Maybe it's her look, her gesture, maybe it's the moon and the stars that glow on her skin. To me, she represents the unconscious elements of the psyche that irresistibly attract. She exemplifies my fascination with the beautiful forms of nature that invite me to merge with the whole of Creation.

Over all, I worked on this painting for about a week. It felt great to go back to a smaller format after a stretch of larger work. I love getting lost in all the small details; large canvas are overwhelming to me and I find large brushes too hard to control! I also want to get better at painting backgrounds and, to me, developing new skills is more manageable in a format I am already comfortable with. 

I leave you with these progress pictures of "Water Lilaea". For those of you who follow me on instagram., you may have already seen them. Still, it's fun to see them side by side. It's good insight into how these things take shape. (Sometimes I forget that it is ok for the first layer to be somewhat awful.)

If you would like to adopt "Water Lilaea" she is still available. You can find out more by contacting me directly .

Prints are also available on my INPRNT store. 

Thanks for stopping by and until next time, au revoir!