Abstracting and abstract

Abstracting and abstract - both, very difficult subject for me...

As far as Abstract is concerned - Well.. to each his own. My inability to understand it or appreciate it is perhaps my loss... primarily because I don't like it as much, maybe it doesn't appeal to the neurons in my brain. But that doesn't really mean it is any lesser. Its still there. But yes... today, many 'wannabe artists' just start with abstract because they have knowledge of contrasts, colour combination and conflicting shapes..and maybe a little sense of harmony. And is art just about this... thats for each one us to answer in his/her own way. And similarly such works by such artists are taken by patrons who have similar sensibilities. And as George rightly put - What exactly are they abstracting? It is a summary of what?

The journey towards abstract - I am not sure if moving from realism to abstract is a sign of maturity or if its what we call attaining spirituality in the artist's sense. I don't know if moving away from details, proportions, and form, constitutes moving towards abstract... I don't know if the artist is trying to say in as less as possible as he enters the abstract frame of mind...or is it a case where he ultimately doesn't care what the viewer feels when they view the abstract work.

Why alienate from the viewer and try to put in front of him/her only what you feel in terms moods and random structures. Can an artist live without a viewer..without an audience. Artists like to imagine they want to be singularly individualistic... not influenced by how people judge them... but all along they require an audiance...isnt it? I mean... would an artist really work and throw away his works into a dungeon... never to be shown to anybody, because his objective of just venting out his spiritual self in terms of colours and shapes is met! No..it doesn't happen that way... artists are so desperate for audience... mind it... not desperate for appreciation always though... then why alienate the viewer from understanding the work... 

This could clearly be a case of my ignorance finding words here...hence, so many questions.. kind of confused I am!!!

As for myself - I am just in my own journey.. and follow my own tune. Cannot do something just because its in vogue, or because it is what people like or because it sells, or because the intellectuals love to interpret it, fashionable, blah..blah. Sorry! Perhaps I am not an artist at all... just an observer of life and people who come along my way. My works mostly reflect the world as I see it...in real terms...and abrasions in the picture is not the way my mirror reflects!

Pencil Jammers and Me!!!

It was somewhere in the third week of May 2011, I came across the name “Pencil Jammers” in an article published in a nationally circulated news paper, The Times of India. Being a pencil enthusiast I was immediately very keen to know more about it and then searched for it in Facebook and Googled it to read more about it. There is something called ‘vibes’ and I very much believe in it... and this name gave me not just the vibes but also the shivers and goosebumps. Theres something about pencils that I have always been fascinated and I was a total pencil junkie... drawing meant pencil drawing to me... and here it was “Pencil Jammers”!!! What else could I ask for more. By June second week I had found the website, created a profile and posted my first drawing – a portrait of Mother Teresa!

As a person, untrained and without any formal knowledge in drawing & painting, Pencil Jammers was a refuge, a place for me to revive my instincts that were disoriented for so long. I had always drawn and painted since child-hood. My parents always termed my skill as God’s gift. But Pencil Jammers is the place where I started honing it... toning it...learning further... maybe in a littlle discreet way... but I now paint my heart out...what a welcome change it was for me. And then there was this great oneness with all members around me... all come together only with one thing in mind when we meet at any of the Weekend Jam Sessions – Drawing & Painting it is!.

There was an explosion of media apart from pencils – water colours, acrylics, oils, dot-pens, gel pens...and techniques... I have now taken up water-colurs again...and some day will start with acrylics too. Its been now a place where I constantly learn not just by doing...but by observing, by interacting, by enjoying and soaking up on the scenic beauty of the places we visit, by meeting some of the most beautiful people ever – not just from outside but inside. I pull their legs...they pull mine...and we grow taller by the day... our heads floating higher into the clouds of artistic abode!

Over a period spanning June 2011 to Jan 2012... I have grown along with the Pencil Jammers group in leaps and bounds. Nothing gives me more pleasure to scream and disclose that joining Pencil Jammers has been like a boon to my artistic, aesthetic and romantic instincts. Here... I was transformed from an person who just drew/painted for “time-pass” to some-one who took art seriously. There was this entire change in mind-set. Would you believe if I said, I risked my well-established professional career and put my education in finance into the back-bench and the background, fully pursuing drawing and painting. It was a huge bet... it still is... and I am still riding on it...

Some incidents I will always remember –

My first jamming session... It was at The Leela Palace. I was hesitantly walking into the alley trying to locate and after a couple of enquiries to get the direction to the actual place where the group had settled down, I finally arrived at a place where I saw around 10 people seated and drawing away to glory. A moment’s hesitation and scurring everybody’s face I kept my stuff on a chair next to a pillar...exchanged a few pleasentaries and wishes and as I was sitting down, came a man... kind of bald and a little older [ ‘older’ I thought then...turns out he is one of the youngest at heart!]... he welcomed me in one of the most reassuring ways and I lost all hesitation in an instant. His name was Anil... and the ‘jee’ got stuck to his name out of respect and love. I met many people then, I remember many of them [Neha, Dinesh, Prabha, Shreyas, Parani and a few more..], I still meet them...but I will never forget him...Anil jee!

There was this exhibition cum sale of my paintings that I had at Fabindia, Koramangla and it was like a family reunion when I saw a bunch of my Pencil Jammer buddies streaming in to check out my works. There were others who had come individually and few with their families.  Do you know what it did to a person like me – I was so much full with happiness that I could explode. Sale or no sale, I had my PJ family next to me..spending time with me, looking at my works, appreciating it... Thats a HUGE boost to self-esteem and self-belief. I am still living on it... slowing sipping it in... feeding my heart and bringing it to life everyday. Thats what my friends in Pencil Jammers did to me.

There are so many instances of happiness in my life now that is associated with Pencil Jammers. A few of them I would bore you with here –

I took one more step ahead in my endeavour to pursue art, when I was offered to take a workshop at the Pencil Jam studios. Was I happy... Oh yes I was! Its something I will remember for the rest of my life... And I so much look forward to more of such opportunities. I hope, the people who came and attended the workshop also feel the same as I did!

Nandi Hills was a trip that filled me with colours and life again.. what fun it was, the journey to and from the venue..the breakfast, the singing and whistelling... the monkeys...the scenic beauty... enjoying every moment from early morning bus ride with Prabal to reach the pick-up point to the drive back in Kamal’s Scorpio and every moment in between... the company of Adithya, Donna, Prabha, Prabal, Dinesh, Kamal, Vidhu + Kalyani, Amit...so much fun it was!

I know one thing for sure now... in Pencil Jammers, I have friends whom I really love and like to keep in touch...chat...mail and exchange my thoughts... In Pencil Jammers, I have mentors and artists that I look up too...each of their works that is uploaded gives me free education and their comments encourage me... In Pencil Jammers, I have friends who seek my opinion and ask me to help them with some tips... and I hope I have shared my thoughts that have really helped them... In Pencil Jammers, I have friends that I can always disturb and still not feel bad, pull their legs, chat endlessly, eat their brains... and be so happy to be known "Soman the Demon"!!

P.S: Oh... This has already become so long now...but I guess I have to mention this.. PJ website has also got this side-effect too... addicted to the website, I keep looking forward to all the exciting new works that are posted continuously... so keep on posting. Enjoy all!