Trees And Flowers

My Trip to India Oct 10-Nov 7 2013

Those who know me well know how long it has been that I've dreamed of returning to India. I grew up there arriving in 1959 and leaving in 1976 (with about 5 years int the States). Most of the time I spent going toWoodstock School in the foot hill of the Hymalyas in a town called Mussoorie.

While I was somewhat curious to head "home" to see my old stomping grounds, my main purpose was to begin a journey of understanding my ancestral connections to India and to discover what India has become.

Yes, I found there are a lot of changes in India, but in truth the most remarkable thing was how "familiar" it was to me.

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Trees And Flowers

11/13/2013

4 Comments

To explain the multiple pictures of plants on this blog post:

in high school our art teacher, Frank Wesley, taught us the Kangra Valley art form. One of the remarkable features of this art form is the incredible detail of nature: trees, plants, animals, birds, rivers, clouds, etc. Details of clothing, architecture and the human body also are incredibly detailed. Often these are miniatures yet a single loose strand of hair is captured if you look closely.

My heart resonates with this art because it captures my wonder with the abundance of the life that we all are richly given if we but just look around us and observe the subtle details.

4 Comments

Ted Feierabend

11/14/2013 08:38:01 am

Mary, beautifully done. All your friend from Woodstock days will understand and enjoy your comments, and the pictures selected are great. We look forward to when you can put it all together in book form - I believe you have enough thoughts for two books.
Love , Dad

kelle

11/18/2013 06:21:07 am

Looks like KW or even Miami...

Kamala

3/26/2015 03:09:56 am

This is priceless and educational. Again, you have bridged time and timelessness! Loved what you said about Kangra art, needs to be understood more by viewers. I can see that your first steps out into the garden of Love were in Mussoorie, and every leaflette holds your heart still...I think it is so, Muir, Debois, they all comment on this deeper connection to the land, waters, plants, of where we are from.

Mary Girard

3/27/2015 06:25:26 am

Thanks!

I would love to 'retreat' to set time out just devoted to painting based on the plants of India. It's a bucket list kind of thing to go to the Kangra Valley and take some time studying and painting there.....Taking the time to "smell the roses" to really see this beautiful world that we live in and are stewards and guardians of! Until that day I try to incorporate creativity and to be in nature every day.

My Trip to India Oct 10-Nov 7 2013