Colours. Those beautiful radiant reds, moving blues, calming greens, vibrant oranges, happy yellows, mystic purples…
It is truly a gift of life to feel, see, smell, hear, all of the beautiful images, sounds, textures and tastes in this world. There is something about the way colours move me…a lovely magenta flower perked up amidst a lush field of green, gently tilting with the breeze, against the backdrop of a clear blue sky or the deep orange glow of the sun in the horizon. I can just feel it now…and it makes me smile.
I’ve recently ventured into visual arts and interior design as an occasional hobby. I picked up a paint brush for the first time since childhood a few months ago and discovered a new world. I’ve also been experimenting with different colours in my home to create rooms that make me feel alive–energizing accent walls, peaceful hues, comforting pillows and personal mementos that connect me to special people and places. Colours have been my primary guide and inspiration and the process is always the best part. Colours ignite a sense of passion and appreciation in me for the moment.
The moment starts when the soft, clean bristles of my brush make contact with the subtly rough canvas, gliding, swerving, contouring, dabbing, whisking, flicking. Then, seeing the burst of colour, fresh and smooth, glinting with wetness, as it peels over the white canvass in a satisfying first streak. Blending it with other colours to realize new surprises, layering, mixing, outlining, thin lines, thick strokes, wide, flat, sharp, short…to create anything I want. It’s a meditative process and I feel grateful for the opportunity to do this.
I’ve also gained an appreciation for art and artists and the ways in which they can express a message, whether it be political, cultural, personal or just something that stems from the soul. Each piece is a representation of life, thought and emotion in a given space and time. It tells a story and can leave much for the viewer to imagine and experience.
My recent design and artistic endeavour was to pick some art pieces for my home. I knew I wanted to support a local artist or find a way to give back in some way. I also wanted the art piece to strike a chord with me. I connected with Kumkum Ramchandani, a Mississauga-based artist and a personal friend, and we set out to collaborate on an art piece for my home that would depict something of meaning for both me and my husband. After a few conversations, Kumkum let her imagination, artistic flare and creativity take flight and created a 3-piece painting (above) that took my breath away. We both agreed that as a way of giving back, 50% of the revenue she received would go to a charity of our choice. We chose the Children’s Wish Foundation. It was a wonderfully thoughtful and generous gesture on her part and I believe that we all felt rewarded in so many ways at the end of the project.
There is so much talent and goodness in the world and if we can all find ways here and there to create a bridge between our interests and giving back to our community, we can work together to create a more unified sense of personal success and love. A wish for a better world and some colour in our heart can lead to many a masterpiece.
1000 Ways to Help the World 