Thursday, October 15, 2015

Montreal Sky and Bangalore Color


One early morning sometime at 6am, I ventured outside during a Montreal winter to catch a bus to Sutton. Around me, the world was a desaturation of black, white and grey. And then I looked up and saw the sky. It was this shade of intense blue, the colour I would use as a child to colour in a night sky but while thinking that skies did not really exist in this colour and I was using this shade of blue because it was the darkest blue in my box of crayons. But here it was, that impossible blue as the real thing contrasting against strange shapes in a monochrome world. An hour later, the sky turned grey, then dirty white and everything looked bleak once more.


And then Bangalore where the brightest of bright colours clash and jostle with each other. Montrealers will wonder what the heck I’ve drawn above while Bangaloreans will instantly recognize a Bangalore sky in October - bright orange of African tulip flowers set amidst leaves that are so dark green they are almost black. Rows and rows of them emphatically making their presence felt against a bright turquoise sky.




At an Art supply store in Queen street in Toronto I saw giant bullet-shaped sticks of Senelier oil-pastel obscenely priced at nine dollars each. Here, an artist down the street has an entire box of them in different shades of red which I was generously allowed to use. 


And this beautiful woman standing with confidence in her Sunday best. I quickly hurried home and drew her in her stunning attire.

6 comments:

AntiquityTravelers said...

i know this sky. I get up ridiculously early while the stars are still up in the sky, and before any change in the horizon of the rising sun. I make my way to a train platform in New England and while I wait, I watch the sky. it is amazing how bright things are even in the dead of night. I love how you've captured the tulip trees. They must be pretty this time of year, and against the changing sky. I do so love the colors in Indian fabrics - I love these deep colors in the woman's outfit.

Priya Sebastian said...

Thank you! :-)
It also makes me really glad when a blog reader knows exactly what I am talking about.

Nancy // and while we are here said...

This blue in the first picture is incredible! I have to look up more often, when hurrying home during the foggy, cold, rainy Berlin night... Thank you for reminding! ;)

Priya Sebastian said...

I hope you will take a picture of it for me then Nancy! :-)

Anonymous said...

Every now and then, when I am down or lost or just not sure what is it that I am feeling weird about, I come back to your blog. I feel many emotions when I come here, some good, some not so noble (like jealousy) but mostly its wonderment. There are some moments when I let myself be inspired (not that you are not inspiring, just that I close myself to any such thing for the fear of having to act on that inspiration) and I feel better again.
And no, thankfully, I am not a robot! Not yet.

Priya Sebastian said...

I am not sure what to say to a comment like that Anony, but I am glad that my blog and its record of both the good and the challenging in my own life gives you a place to come back to and feel better.
I am glad to hear that you are not a robot yet.