Comics, Friends, Pathos

A week and more has passed since the day that we called off as the “Friendship Day” happened. And I was refusing myself to stay away from blogging any friendship quotes or thoughts because I found it too stale and superficial with the poetry that overflows with no emotions on the Facebook walls of the world. But a certain inward push got me here. It happened with me coming across a nostalgic friendship turn while exploring the apps on Ipad. I own it since six months now, and I was immensely feeling like a fool to have found it only now. (Please overlook the techno-handicap in me) So, which app is that I’m creating such a lot of fuss about?

It’s the – Archie Comics- the comical adventure that has been staged since varied decades and has been a great friendship anthem to all those who were vividly fond of reading comics. And, YES I was one among them. Having no qualms about declaring myself as a great fan of comics, I have enjoyed a great deal of them including our own Amar Chitra Katha, Tinkle comics and Chacha Chaudhary adventures. Now when I look back to them, they seem all childish and predictable…But well, that was the fun of being innocent, right?

So, surfacing back to the Archie fiasco…I was put through a realm of wonderful moments being re-introduced to Archie and his gang. Haven’t we drawn resemblances to the Archie gang, as we stood up to our varied friendships? Well, the setting and place of occurrence is completely devoid our connection. But when I generalize it, each of the member from Archie club is a category to the friends we meet and depart with. All of us have had a leader-do-gooder-charmer like Archie, the simple-good-hearted lass like Betty, the suave-sophisticated-arrogant like Veronica, the brash-bully like Reggie and the food-freak, girl-hater like Jughead…and so much more likeables in our group of friends. It’s a common expression to like them or hate them for whatever they are identified with, but have we ever wondered about how their characteristics reflect on us. 

Well, I thought I’ll discuss the friendship pathos then - the negative reflections. Well, I do know that it’s never discussed nor even thought about, but why not stride along the less traveled?

 “Pathos” is a general expression to all kinds of relationships. But isn’t friendship, that one relationship that’s free off all the baggage. Friends are the only souls whom one can love and hate at the same time and not feel bad about it. But how far true is that one tagline? Well, speaking for myself…I find friendship, the most delicate relationship these days. Unless you take your efforts to make things work, lot of it seems shaky and out of control. But in this era of extremes; egos and busy-lives are reasons enough to break or make any relationship; so it be the one involving friends. Starting from where one stopped every time you meet with an ol’ friend that you have stayed out of touch is my way understanding and evaluating the friendship value between the two. Most of my friends circle around this theory cos I for one don’t take time to bury off the time that has passed by. And belonging to the “nostalgia” group of people as mentioned by a good friend of mine in her research of characterizing people, I often love to travel along the past lanes…The lanes where I have detached myself from all and sought to the ones that remain or refuse to leave…And there I spring upon true-friendship.

I’m not a veteran at this act or theory of detachment…but it sure has given a platform to put down my pathos of any relationship and later embrace the bitter-sweet truth. I take it forward as my understanding of this not so complicated relationship (as in the eyes of many) called friendship, but Hell, I know it aint as easy as it seemed for Archie and his gang.

The Art Effect!

Lines- straight, curved, zig-zag...Colors- light, dark, tones...And a Canvas to convey these strokes in its truest of emotional hues. This echoes the start to the recent dreams of mine.

Me, on a trail to the world of Art. Unaware of what it holds for me and how I'd fit in, I continue to explore among the entwined strokes and the mesh of colors. "I like it sans colors," I whisper to myself. And I see a sketch appear before me. Just a few lines and more of intense strokes, I involve myself in a rigorous session. I try to read a story out of the art that is growing before me. Am I only a part of it or is it a part of me? Before I knew how I'd answer that...I'm awake!

Art is a beautiful story when you identify the process evolving its creation. But I did not know when the process began to take its effect on me. I remember as a 5 year old, I had received my first appreciation for my very amateur artwork. I still have it in my collection; it was a fruit basket where all the fruits are hanging in the air. But I had clearly identified each of the right colors for the respective fruits and also colored it neatly without lines running out…And so the teacher awarded me a proud “A” grade. I felt over the top. 

And my artwork was displayed on the notice-board. But my eyes went over to the other examples of the same kind of work displayed along. They were done by students of higher classes and I knew that they were bound to do better work. But the 5 year old in me was, then also the very ambitious Capricorn. I stashed my drawing away with a clear aim to only exhibit my work after improving to a level I saw in the other works of seniors. (Yes, I was being uneasy to myself)

It was a long while after that I got back to world of colors and pencils in the same pensive mood. Some died along while some won little appreciation. But again I had n’t instilled in the confidence to exhibit any, even to my kinfolk. Later at school, during the art classes I started discovering the various mediums of work. Discovering them was fun, but yet I had n’t found my strong foothold in any. And that bothered me because I knew then that I wanted to make my living out of a creative medium… “Will I have to change my perspective?,” I thought worried.

But fate and perseverance brought me to a track. A track that conveyed art through a sense of calculated process- Design. I learnt to develop, mould, form, generate and convey design. Each of the steps had a specific medium. And each of the medium helped me realize a certain strength or weakness in me. And moreover it also evolved the play of words which I was always in love with. I set off too many conclusions to my final true calling to the career I wanted to finally end up with…Immensely, all I wanted was to be known for my work.

But it is in the last two years of intense and concentrated study of design that has brought about a change in the scene. I was exposed to the process itself more than the execution. And this brought me closer to “art”. I became the kid again, picking up a brush and a palette of colors to paint my heart out on a canvas. I was no longer apprehensive of any work produced by me. Whether it were just a line, a group of lines or a more complex one; all of them took a strong expression because I was able to identify myself with it. Now I know what that 5 year old was doing in her first piece of artwork, she just listened to her heart. Sensitivity has aroused in me again. I take effort to care and look for things that interest around. I read, imbibe, write (Read the restart to the blog itself), talk and observe…. I knew it was all in me or rather this is what I always was. “Art Effect” was just an excuse to get back to the life I’m identified with not for the fame but for the love of art in any form.

........Time to chase my dreams back and answer them through the art I identify with... And I began with my roots....

Re-Appetizers !!!

The session restarts...
           New to this tablet of blogging but afresh from a blogging attitude at wordpress.com, I'm here to restart on a habit that I had left non-practiced for quite a few months now. When storming through a grid-like phase, writing was a neutralizer but I rarely chanced upon a time and frame of mind to conquer it. And when I got back to this natural phase of simple and straight nuances, my mind was dreaming back to those heavy blogging days. But at the sad end I found my blog site corrupted. Felt a little irked up over having to start it all over again, but didn't wait for long to realize this juncture as a fresh start as along the lines of my current phase.

So who is this, bragging away about her phases that seem so abstract and yet trying to make them sound familiar ? The answer will strike to you through the journey that wish to unfold through my new blog. Awaiting encouragement, inspirations and endearing moments; I restart...