Hope

There is no despair so absolute as that which comes of the first moments of our first great sorrow 

when we have not known what it is to have suffered and healed.

to have despaired and recovered hope. George Eliot

Losing someone you love is the most painful, gut wrenching emotion you can ever feel and it changes you for the rest of your life. When I read this quote by George Eliot, I blinked at the absolute truth behind it.

Fearless

The recent rape case in Delhi has created a huge stir in the people of the country, as it should. 

And everyone is doing their bit to ensure that the rage does not fizzle out and continues to loom across all our minds. Hopefully this will force people to see, to take action and to change. 

This is my contribution to a collection of  "FEARLESS" posters that are going to be pasted all over Bangalore. Artists and illustrators from all over the country are sending in their beautiful work as a tribute to this cause.

I feel proud to be part of such a movement and sad though it is that it took such tragedy to make this happen, Im glad it is finally happening and that people have finally woken up.

If you would like a print of this illustration, email me and Ill be happy to send you the file for you to print.

Bubbles of Promise

There is much that one can learn from watching the sea.

Good things come and go, and life has to go on.

Sometimes, the dream you have been working on and dreaming of for so long, that tickles the tips

of your toes with its tantalising bubbles of promise, may just come in with the next wave. 

It brings you peace, it exudes calm, it teaches you patience.

I miss the sea. My mind feels so clogged with dreams and hopes and thoughts and other people that I can barely see whats ahead of me. thinking of the sea helps. a trip home is due. 

Unknown Possibilities

Im stepping into the unknown once again, it really is a giant black hole and I have no idea what is

going to happen in the next few months. For someone who loves to be in control this is pretty horrifying.

(Were moving to chennai :) 

But I read a book recently, that spoke about our subconcious and it leading us to the right path. I call it my instinct, and Ive learned to trust it and not fight it. But it inevitably means that I sometimes have no real reason for doing what Im doing. Except that it feels right. After all this time, living in Pondicherry I never did read aurobindos work, and I rather like what he says below. 

Our soul from its mysterious chamber acts

Its influence pressing on our heart and mind

Pushes them to exceed their mortal selves.

It seeks for Good and Beauty. 

We see beyond self's walls our limitless self,

We gaze through our world's glass at half seen vasts,

We hunt for the truth behind apparent things.

Our inner mind dwells in a larger light,

Its brightness looks at us through hidden doors

Our members luminous grow and Wisdom's face

Appears in the doorway of the mystic ward

When she enters into our house of outward sense

Then we look up and see, above, her sun

Strangely enough, this sketch is something I did months ago, I came across it yesterday and it seemed to fit how I was feeling right now. Incase you noticed my absence last week, its because I was trudging through chennai looking for the right house, which we did find :) Its beautiful, with a garden and terrace! Something to look forward to.

New Beginnings

What a crazy way to start the new year. When nature lashes out the way it has in Pondicherry, it is.. humbling. It really is a reminder that we are just a little speck in the universe. Big trees all lying with their roots in the air. I feel really sad that the trees have got the worst of the cyclone, and that Pondi has lost about half its green. It soothed my heart to look out my window and see plenty of green..happily, my favourite tree which flowers white is still standing, but the others have been brought down. 

 from my window.

 fallen life

 the broken canal

Since I dont want my very first post of the year to be a complete downer, I think I should let you know that Pondicherry is full of life and back to normal in every other way. And we still do have a few trees standing. Energies are high ,and there is still plenty of hope. 

And i did have a marvellously inspiring trip to Rajasthan :) 

A Little Bit of Hope!

In retrospect, things with my plan to do a chiildren's book are actually going well. I lost hope last week, but I am in conversation with a lot of good publishing houses and they all seem very interested! So hopefully I will have good news to jump around about soon. Meanwhile, I continue to make samples ! :) The illustration for this story is about an old Kashmiri man and his cricket bat workshop set in Kashmir.


The other little bit of excitement right now is that today is my first day working with a sort of Orphanage here in Pondicherry. They are called Santhoshananban and they take in street children and educate them, and also provide a home for orphans! Wonderful people and a beautiful idea. I am planning to work with the kids on art and stories! Lets see how it goes :) They seem like a very bright and happy bunch! I just hope I do them justice. Wish me luck!!


This work by amrita is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

The Light that Blinds

                     

You hold on to yourself

you're afraid you might

get left behind

and so you hide your eyes

afraid that the light 

will make you blind

- Alexi Murdoch

It's hugely unnerving to take a risk and make that leap of faith that may make every one of your dreams come true. But what is the point in doing something you dont love just because you dont know what could happen if you did something you did? Ever since Steve Jobs died, Ive been reading up on the things he said and did (always too late,sadly). But the way he lived was incredible. I would die happy if I achieved as much as he did in a lifetime. So really, there is no time to waste. Embrace the light!


This work by amrita is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.