Agonized

“Agonized” is one of my most recent works. I was very enthusiastic to wrap up with it, especially because I was eager to see the end result myself.  I’m so glad it has been receiving so much appreciation, particularly because the “emotional cry out” of the work spell bound me the minute I laid eyes on the original picture.

I believe the painting speaks for itself; or rather “cries out” for itself, though a synopsis of my experience with the work would not be such a bad idea, so here goes;

The reference picture, though horrifying for many, was quite a delightful surprise for me and the desire of capturing the “cry out” in the painting pulled me out of my cozy bed at midnight. I worked on the painting till dawn, until I was happy with my progress, only to realize that I would be looking quite similar to the woman in “Agonized” the next morning at work. Nevertheless, I was done with the painting in the next few days and eagerly uploaded it on Redbubble, hoping for a good feedback.

As I mentioned earlier, I was more than elated to get such positive feedback, especially because I feel that everyone can connect with the painting in real life. I’m sure you’ve faced a time in your life where you felt like pulling the trigger on the person in front of you or just jumping off a cliff! I know I did quite a few times.

Hope you guys enjoy the write up and the painting. Let me know.  *hug*

Mirror Image

Ah, the agony of looking at a painting with your eyes squinted and your brain constantly trying to absorb the signals and grasp the true meaning of the work. Is that a kettle or is it a moon or is it a man with a head of a kettle?! Mind boggling at times, isn’t it?!

Being a young artist, I often came across paintings which seemed so beautiful with the elegance of the strokes and the vibrancy of the colors, however appreciating the depth of the work was a milestone I’d often stumble over.

They say determination is the key to every hurdle and it sure was for me. It may be dishonest of me to say that I’ve mastered the art of truly recognizing the depth of paintings, but I could easily say that I’ve moved a step ahead from being hopeless.  

Ever since, Cubism has been my forte. I have worked with cubism for a few years now, although Mirror Image is one of my recent works. Why is it so unique? Let me answer the question through the true explanation of the work.

The work is known as Mirror Image as it is my perception on how an individual looks at himself through a mirror, not physically but consciously.

The reds in the painting portray the ambition, the drive and the fire inside one’s self to achieve what they desire. The swirls in the face and the chest define the confusion, the misery and the hardships one faces through the trials in life.

Moreover the symbols of fire on the chest depict how failure burns every part of one’s soul. Hardships tend to drive a person towards evil, in search of an easier way out. Peace and serenity tend to be at the back of our heads (as portrayed by the peace symbols in the background) though we fail to notice it.

 As represented through the huge sign of peace on the chest (the only area left purely white as part of the human body), every human is in search for eternal peace. We may not realize it now, especially when we’re all busy chasing our dreams, but we will some day.

For many the definition of peace may be to achieve their eventual goals, but we must realize that true peace can be achieved from as little as a smile from an innocent child, or helping the ones in need. I’m not suggesting that we should all stop dreaming or running after our ambitions, I’m just saying that we should all take a minute to look at ourselves in the mirror and evaluate where we stand.    

To sum up, the Mirror Image symbolizes the stages of one’s life and hopefully helps us realize the true meaning of PEACE.

To get you started here’s an image that’ll help you smile! J

Silent Cry

As I swept by the table, my eyes fell on something which pulled me back to it; the very next second. It was more than a picture to me. I was overwhelmed by the contrasts which added such intensity to the emotions of the man. At that moment, I had the certain urge to make the picture MINE, and the only way of doing that was by accepting the hypothetical challenge, pulling out my acrylics from the closet and getting to work. At 15, it seemed like quite the challenge, but my ambition to capture those emotions defeated the fear in no time.
That night I eloped from the world and hid in my own cave of music. Even though the next 12 hours flew by quickly I can clearly recall the emotional stages I went through while painting this piece of work. The contrasts had to be perfect for the emotions to cry out loud to the viewer, and that was all I was aiming for!
I was eager and ambitious though frustration and anger kept popping up every time I was unhappy with the strokes. Also, I was least bothered about the fact that I hadn’t slept for the past 24 hours or that I wouldn’t be getting my sleep for the next 12 hours either or that the pain in my back was killing me. All those thoughts were numbed by the sheer impatience to obtain the perfection I required to do justice to my own thoughts.
Satisfied with the contrasts/ emotions, I finally put my brush down with a smile on my face. Coming back to reality, I glanced around to see my room in what I may say was an “artistic” mess. That morning, I felt like a true artist, or one in the making at least.
It is one of the most amazing/ fulfilling feelings to know that the thoughts in your mind and the itch in your hand can magically turn up as a painting which you can proudly call your own. It was surely a proud moment and connects me to the piece ever so strongly!
I call it the “Silent Cry” because the man, surrounded by depths of darkness, expresses his agony through the intensity of emotions rather than tears in his eyes, while he looks up at the sky in search of hope.

This is an overview of the work I have been publishing on RedBubble. The detailed experience of each work follows in my upcoming posts. Requests on the work you would like to know more about will be entertained.