Gold and goats and frolicking fun May's been full of play Featuring ideas from both of my sons We're hoping to see you in person one day...
...that day will come, perhaps in Autumn? In the meantime, bring on the summer! I love summer, it's my favourite season. I can paint outdoors...
…large works like this painting on paper inspired by the mysterious Siyah Qalam - the elusive 15th century Master of the Black Pen. My eldest son did the gold, I let him take the magic brush and let him loose in the middle. This is the amazing result! In the finish piece it happens to work really well, as if the two demons are letting fire sparks of gold from their scarves which they fling off in a mid-frenzy during their dance. The originals are housed in the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul, Turkey, which is also where this painting is going…
… while we travel back in time, online, to the shamanic wastelands of ancient Central Asia. Let's paint some demons! Siyah Qalam: The Art of the Black Pen is open for booking. Dive deep into the dance of the Black Pen - Siyah Qalam - and follow the lyric, ritualistic rhythms of the brush in its highest expression as we capture the wild, intense forms of the moving figure. Unique brushes will capture the sinuous movements of the mysterious figures painted by the elusive Siyah Qalam - the Master of the Black Pen - who created a set of miniature folios in the 15th century that combine Persian, Turkish, Indian, Mongolian and Chinese aesthetics. These enigmatic masterpieces mingle the ecstatic and the everyday, the demonic and the saintly. Their world was one of dust and stories, vagabond mystics, music and meditation and above all movement and dance. This is the heady frontier where Islam and Buddhism meet shamans and pagans. In the meantime, my mentoring project is going ahead. More here: https://www.vaishaliprazmariteaching.com/bookings-checkout/the-court-of-gayumars-art-of-attention?referral=service_list_widget and here: https://www.miniaturepaintingforum.com/forum/news-and-announcements/the-court-of-gayumars-the-art-of-attention...
…After your demonic morning, you might like to calm yourself down with an evening of flowers…
…Here's a twilight tulip from the first Flowers class. Up next for June are the Rose and the Bauhinia. What's a bauhinia? It's the national flower of Hong Kong and close to my heart. Another issue that's close to my heart is expanding the world of miniature painting to be more inclusive. Let's paint the shamans, the demons and the marginalised...
https://www.vaishaliprazmariteaching.com...
..
Book an evening of flowers here
…like this cross-dressing lady, above. My Faces courses aim to show humans in all their wonderful variety: https://www.vaishaliprazmariteaching.com/book-online ... let's talk more about miniature painting! Zoom via the Forum https://www.miniaturepaintingforum.com - our June meeting is on 15.6.21, 6-7pm GMT. Here's the direct link:
Vaishali Prazmari is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. Topic: Vaishali Prazmari's Free Monthly Miniature Meeting 15.6.21 6-7pm GMT Time: Jun 15, 2021 18:00 London Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81967208511?pwd=MExxdmx6OS94b2tucURBMy9HMlZzQT09 Meeting ID: 819 6720 8511 Passcode: 732587 Join by Skype for Business https://us02web.zoom.us/skype/81967208511
...
…and speaking of magic, how did I make my magic Siyah Qalam painting? With my new magic brush - a devilish, playfulish goat hair brush. The Pan-like, wild nature of this brush is one which you'll need to learn to tame - they're not the easiest brushes to use and will kick you in the butt if you mishandle them. However, I think it's worth the arduous learning curve up the mountain to make friends with the lonely hermit-goat. They're lots of fun when you get to know them. I'll release them later this year I hope - in the meantime, my standard range of kinder, elemental sable and swan brushes are here (just be careful with the Ether brush - it's sharp!): https://www.theperfectbrush.co.uk ...
…play is the default mood of children, who know instinctively what to do when handed paint, a roller and a giant bit of paper. My little one enjoyed painting enormously - that's his brilliant work on the bottom right of the big paper. The colour choices are also entirely his own (RED! All parents' favourite colour to find remnants of around the house!) He also now seems to want to do whatever his big brother does, including climbing into and inspecting our opium bed which is still not finished. Not seen is the revolving ceiling of the dome which is actually done (here: https://www.vaishaliprazmari.co.uk/in-xanadu); we've yet to complete the ceiling of stars and install the bed itself. Originally designed for us, it's now been designated as a family bed by our 2 kids (we got married and had a family in the space it's taken to get this far!) My husband and I have this piece on the slow cooker. Some art is fast, like the Siyah Qalam piece I painted in a single day. Some art takes 7 years. But it IS simmering away, wasting loads of electricity but the finished dish will be worth it....
...and something that little Kashi does all by himself each morning is to wake up and immediately look out of the window. That was his idea; Caspian copies him now. I wonder what they're thinking; I don't like to break the very early morning silence and wonder of children. I don't need to - it doesn't last very long and they break it themselves by giggling away like the two beloved little devils they are.
Devilishly yours,
Vaishali Prazmari
