This happened before you or I were born. Long ago, on the night of April 26,1937, George steer was very busy. He had to turn in his article to hit the papers in the morning. It was about the bombing of Guernica, a city in Spain. As the clock ticked, miles away, a man named Pablo Picasso was restless, and losing sleep. How do they relate, you ask? Well, Little did they know that in time, their works would inspire each other and generations to come.. Picasso, a known painter, was working on a piece, but had lost the drive. As he turned over in his bed losing sleep, time waited.The world awakened to Steer’s story, and so did Pablo. Picasso had finally, found his painting. George Steer had given him a reason, an idea. This was the genesis of Picasso’s magnum opus..his biggest work so far,or as we call it, his ‘Guernica’.Irony or fate, on may 1st of 1937, world labour day, Picasso started painting.Hues of rose and blue shrouded by black and grey. Agony of peasants, the bull and the horse, oppression and rage! Men and Cattle, portrayed equal, their cries mingled to one. Guernica reminds us of consequences. A one of its kind, where an artform was inspired by an art, it cradled ‘Abstractism’. Today, Guernica speaks to the eyes of the beholder,to each a story as unique as their own. It inspires people, and stands as the biggest peace statements so far. And that my folks, is how two men from different vortexes of the world gave reasons for inspiration to each other…

Art, Craft, DIY, Scrap Recycling

DIY Decorative Wall Shelves From a Shoe Box

By thatsemicolon on

October 26, 2016

- Art, Craft, DIY, Scrap Recycling

With a little bit of paint and paper, dress up your empty walls by turning shoeboxes into decorative shelves. Perfect for lightweight items, get creative and display some of your favorite pieces such as small vases, found objects, trinkets or frames. Use different sized boxes and a variety of colorful paper to create your own one-of-a-kind display, customized for your home. Display a single shelf or cover up an entire wall. The possibilities are endless when you DIY. Plus, you now have an excuse to buy more shoes.

Follow the steps below to make your very own.

Materials: • Shoebox or Photo Box (pick one with thick walls. The thicker it is, the sturdier the shelf will be) • Spray Paint (for the base color of the box. I used gold) • Decorative Paper (for the inside wall of the box) • Scissors • Glue Stick • Screwdriver and 2 Screws

Steps: • Cut your decorative paper to the size of the back wall of the shoebox. We will be attaching it to the inside of the box so make sure it fits perfectly inside. Set aside. • Spray paint the inside and outside walls of the shoebox to cover up any logos it may have. • Once it is completely dry, attach the box to the wall with a screwdriver and nail. For extra sturdiness, screw another nail on the other side. Tip: Hanging the box vertically will be more sturdier and will be less likely to cause a dip on the ledge of the shelf if you display heavier objects. • Apply glue to the back side of your paper and attach it to the inside of the box. By attaching the paper once the box is already hanging on the wall, the screws will remain hidden. • Display your favorite (lightweight) decors and you’re set!

credits: www.cremedelacraft.com

Articles, Craft, Paintings

A Culture of Painted Shells: Coconut Masks of Mexico

By thatsemicolon on

October 23, 2016

- Articles, Craft, Paintings

Ever wondered where the word “coconut” originated from?

A 15th century Spanish ghost-legend used to scare children featured “Coco,” a scary face resembling the hard coconut shell. Humans are always fascinated to see ourselves in Nature; so some of us decided to paint on coconut shells. Thus was born Mascaras de Coco, kept alive even today by Nahuatl artists of the Mezcala region in Mexico. At first, coconut shells are soaked in water, scraped with a knife, then coated with clay and decorated using acrylic paint.

Traditionally, the masks showed painted human faces, the jaguar and devil-faces. But as the local artists sensed the foreign tourists’ interest in their art, they began accepting suggestions. Thus, by incorporating admirers’ feedback, these coconut masks began having animal faces and even sun or moon faces. Along with being a means of livelihood, the masks are a link for the artists to their ancestors and culture.

Articles, Artists, Paintings

‘Adolf Hitler’ A Romantic Painter!

By thatsemicolon on

October 17, 2016

- Articles, Artists, Paintings

Adolf Hitler, painting flowers on a canvas? The thought of the dictator, indulging in something so artistic as painting is off the grid for some of us. Well, as mind boggling as the idea may seem, it’s true! Hitler had pursued painting as his livelihood after he dropped out of school in 1905. Then what made him quit that? Well, he always wanted to join a fine arts school, and it was this desire which made him reach vienna,the empire capital. But he failed the examinations twice in a row, and the rest made history.How would the present world be, if he had indeed made it! And guess what? It seems he did have a love interest! In his idle days he used to be obsessed with a girl called Stephanie, and wrote love poems for her. But he never had the nerve to approach her. Hitler was also a deep admirer of beauty and architecture. He would stare at buildings for so long and be mesmerised. Its no wonder that a lot of his paintings portray flowers and buildings. Well folks, this romantic shy and artistic facet of Hitler, do make us believe in one fact for sure, like the old saying goes, clouds do have a silver lining!

Paintings

Experience Leh Ladakh through Srinihal’s paintings

By thatsemicolon on

August 19, 2016

- Paintings

Man is unique; for he has imagination. It’s the mind’s eye, that portrays his thoughts on the bigger canvas. But, where is the source of this talent? What drives the third eye? Its ‘Inspiration’. Have you been inspired? Have you been enthralled? Have you been driven by something, so much, that you captured those moments of inspiration, to indulge in those moments of experience? Our artist here is inspired. He travels along the Kunlun mountain range, and through the valleys of Leh Ladakh. He is mesmerised, and taken by the sheer beauty of this small state. With the culture and traditions strongly connected to that of Tibet, Leh Ladakh speaks it’s story through the hues of these watercolour illustrations. You find yourself visiting the experience, and your mind travels, from sights, places to people and attires. His paintings speak and your eyes soak in the tales and the legacy of Leh Ladakh. His brush turns bright and soft, leaves it plain and detailed, and you listen to it, as it speaks and tours from different objects of focus, leaving you with a train of thoughts. We experience Leh Ladakh, we accompany him, and his moments of inspiration.