Biro Love

I've been doodling away with my biro and rediscovered the joy of drawing with the bare minimum.  I rely too much on Photoshop and get distracted with colours, brushes and pen nib widths! It's actually a relief to draw with limited tools.  

As I'm in Nepal and surrounded by Hindu imagery, I thought about doing my version of Lord Shiva, which turned out to look a lot like he is a character from a 90's beat-em-up... 'Hindu God Kombat'?

Lord Shiva

My next drawing, started out as a drawing of a female, but morphed before my eyes into a classical style greek male.  This is one of the main reasons I like to draw without reference.  You can draw without really thinking and the results are always unexpected and interesting.  

Male

Last Days in Nepal

Dashain is officially over today.  Throughout this past week, I have been to numerous feasts of amazing Newari food, rice beer and rice wine.  Not forgetting the lovely people and their families who have welcomed us, strangers, into their house and showed such warm hospitality .  I am going to miss Nepal a lot.  Only 4 more days left of teaching and then goodbye Bhaktapur.

Me getting my tika on!

Context

3 years saving money.  1 year planning. 6 months waiting.

Travelling.

5 and a half months has gone by along with Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam.

Each country with varying degrees of wonders, fun, challenges and dangers.

Currently I reside in Bhakatpur, Nepal, entering my 2nd month as a volunteer who teaches English in a small school.  My journal, which I treasured, was stolen along with my passport - in Vietnam - which is one of the main reasons I am now blogging.

Beautiful Bhaktapur

Durga

Durga

Little doodle of Durga I did to illustrate my blog post.

Rainy Dashain blogging

So, I'm reconsidering my blog and blogging in general.  Initially, I wanted a blog that would showcase my art, with very little chat.  But... more and more I want to chat.  Chat into the empty vacuum that is the world wide web.  I will still post my art, but with more words.

I have to admit I always thought 'bloggers' were a bit sad, but now I'm converted (or sad). Speaking out to everyone (and no one) is quite exhilarating.  The urge to write may also have something to do with the boredom caused by the non-stop raining in Bhaktapur, Nepal.  It hasn't stopped since yesterday afternoon, just after I witnessed the sacrificing of many goats and buffalos - as part of the celebration of the Hindu festival, Dashain.  It shook me a bit, I have to be honest, but I figured that as a meat-eater I shouldn't shy away from the slaughter of animals. Even if it did take an inordinately long time for the goat to stop moving post decapitation.

Anyway, the rain continues to fall.

Is this now a travel blog?

So, It's been too long since I updated my blog and although I don't have any artwork, I do have words.  I don't want my illustration blog to be overshadowed by a 'finding myself' travel blog but I do feel the urge to express myself through the written word.  Currently I'm settled, temporarily, in Nepal.  I'm a volunteer. I'm teaching English.  It is exhausting.  I love it.  My paintbrush has been replaced with chalk, my canvas replaced with a blackboard, and my head is filled with sentence structures, pronunciation and grammar.  Cursed grammar!

My trusty stash of emergency art stuff - in case the notion to express myself artistically became too overwhelming - was snatched from me by some unknown somebody in Vietnam little over a month ago, along with the usual travellers junk: ipod, tablet and... passport.  That's an entirely different story which I have no energy to recount at present so, in conclusion: I don't have any way to create or upload art to my blog because all my stuff got knicked! 

Anyway, I shall return with my art work soon... I hope.