Dear Lucky,
I hope all is well with you and your family. I am sending you my contribution to the Blog, which is one of the reasons that I have been so "Silent" on the Blog. When I returned to Connecticut from Sri Lanka at the end of March, it occurred to me that I had been talking about getting back to my painting for a couple of years, but had done nothing about it. It was high time to do something about it. But, before I could get started I needed to get my space organized in my new home, which took a little time, but I finally produced something. The good news is that I have a few more ideas!
I am calling this "The Verandah." It is a tribute to the verandah of our old house at No: 5 Rockwood Place, just over the wall from The Bloemfontein. I think some of my Medical College classmates may remember the house. Some came over to take showers, before going to lectures, after a night of observing people with head injuries at the General Hospital. The house had to be taken down to make way for a more modern apartment building, which we are enjoying at the moment. My family had mixed feelings about that decision, because we were fond of the house, but it was time...
We enjoyed many conversations and a several cups of tea sitting here. Occasionally, during my visits from the U.S., I managed to sneak in a nap on a warm afternoon. It was a very relaxing place.
Warm regards to you and Mangala,
Srianee
(I have Srianee's consent to publish the e-mail as well).
So nice to see you back. I can just imagine sitting there with a cool line juice and contemplating on the meaning of life! I have only been to your new build and like so many things in life, change is inevitable as is nostalgia. I love your painting and look forward to many more and of course to meeting you in March next year.
ReplyDeleteSo nice to see you back. I can just imagine sitting there with a cool line juice and contemplating on the meaning of life! I have only been to your new build and like so many things in life, change is inevitable as is nostalgia. I love your painting and look forward to many more and of course to meeting you in March next year.
ReplyDeleteSo nice to see you back--- missed you.
ReplyDeleteThat painting of your Varendah ('Barandeh' in the local Sinhala lingo!!) of what was your family homestead is really wonderful --- What talent. Unfortunately I have not had the good luck of having a shower at your place nor had the chance of a siesta in your varendah after a cool glass of 'Barley water'!!!! Only joking --- only a banter-- you know my weird sense of humour!!
I wish you all the very best & good outcome to changes to your Family Home & hope all goes well.
Good luck & best of health.
Razaque
Srianee, your 'return' to our blog is very welcome. You have rekindled our memories of our undergrad years and also given us a beautiful painting you have done. We look forward more. You are good at both writing and painting. I like your method of giving equal clarity to foreground, subject and background. It is very realistic. Your style is unique.
ReplyDeleteZita
Srianee
ReplyDeleteGlad to see you back.
"The Verandah" is very relaxing and inviting.
To me,the ochre gives it a little touch of Gauguin/VanGogh.
I remember gate-crashing in there one day with another colleague- just to be naughty-and you very generously gave us lunch!This upset my mother no end as-firstly I hadnt eaten her lunch, and secondly because I had gone galavanting from med school!!-You may not remember!-Thanks Srianee-Rohini
Nice work. What did you use- pastel, acrylic or water color? It does not look like oil.
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Thank you everyone - Mahen, Razaque, Zita, Rohini and Indra for your complimentary and encouraging comments. Please excuse my delay in responding, but I was visiting my 92 year old aunt in Vancouver and there was no WiFi in her Assisted Living Residence. (Yes, such places do exist in this world!) Rohini, thank you for remembering your visit to that house, and my mother inviting you to lunch! She always welcomed our friends, whenever they dropped in. I don't remember your visit specifically, but I recall that some of my friends came to freshen up after "Casualty Duty" after we had spent the night flashing pen torch beams into the eyes of patients to check their pupillary responses. (Remember that?)
ReplyDeleteI had a photograph to guide me while I was painting this, but I wasn't trying to be too realistic. Indra, I did use oils here and that is the medium I prefer most of the time. When I paint, I try to evoke a "feeling" and perhaps I was successful, because Mahen was imagining himself sitting there with a cool lime juice! Rohini, I was flattered when you mentioned Gauguin because I really love his paintings. It was a lovely old house, but what has replaced it is not so bad either. We have an apartment complex, where several family members reside, which makes my visits to Sri Lanka very enjoyable.
Srianee,
ReplyDeleteWhen you mentioned the use of oils for your beautiful art, reminded me of an incident in the early months of our move to Aberdeen, Scotland. My family was still in London while I was organising our future home and selling the one in London. After an extended stay with my family, I was travelling back on the 'Night Rider' train & was in the company of an American, Canadian & an Irish all working in the oil industry in Aberdeen. In our conversation I inquired if they were all 'In OIL'?? They were. What a silly question I thought? They asked me if I was "IN OIL" as well. I replied "NO,I AM IN BLOOD" as I was Working for the Scottish National Blood Service!!! That shook them initially & we all had good laugh when truth was revealed !!!!
Razaque, your story reminded me of a Pathologist's Assistant who worked with us. When people asked her what she did for a living she said that she was "In charge of the morgue!" Maybe she got rid of nosy guys that way.
DeleteSriani
ReplyDeleteThe "Verandah" is truly a masterpiece and the work of a fine artist, a true genius. The table and chairs in the centre, the fine lines and the 3 dimensional effect is breathtakingly beautiful. I love the choice of colours which brings it closer to a van Gogh. I have chosen my words carefully and this is not an attempt to praise the work of a friend.
Thank you for sharing such a wonderful painting.
ND, Thank you for your very encouraging words. I'm not sure if I deserve "genius!" I hope I will be able do a few more in the near future. Thanks again.
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DeleteWhat I recall of Louisa May Alcott's "Little women" is the enormous size of the book and the true to life story. I am also enthralled by her views about life's emotions and foibles and her views on modesty.
ReplyDelete----Conceit spoils the finest genius. There is not much danger that real talent or goodness will be overlooked long; even if it is, the consciousness of possessing and using it well should satisfy one, and the great charm of all power is modesty.
Louisa May Alcott
Srianee
My apologies for spelling your name incorrectly once again. I am a rare visitor to SL and your painting is a reminder of the peaceful and tranquil homeland I left behind. I am told it doesnt exist anymore except in the hearts and memories of my generation who grew up in old Ceylon.
ND, This is a delayed thank you for your lovely, encouraging comments, which reminds me that I should get around to starting on another painting. I will share that with all of you when I am done. I loved "Little Women" and I will try and remember this quote.
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