A Weekend Road Trip...

It was finally time to use the motorbike for some serious exploring, so me and Hugo set out for a weekend adventure, and my first road trip with the bike. The destination: Kundremukh National Park...The Reality: a wandering road trip that detoured us to a beautiful valley village and a night in the city of Hassan. It's about 180km west of bangalore....in India...that's at least 3-4 hours of driving!Here are some pics of our unknown destination....a fun time with lots of green scenery.

from top left: moi, of course; the train station that stops at this village; a lizard grabbing some sun; some local village ladies stopping to talk; hugo strapping the luggage to the back of my bike for the ride home; a village temple; the train passing us in the rice fields; a herd of goats get super close to the bikes; a canopy of roots from banya trees along the side of the road.

Just taking it easy in Bangalore for the last little while, attending to school, painting, riding the bike and hanging out with hugo...some random pics from the day-to-day grind...

From top: my senior art students standing in their exhibition spaces on the day of their final exam...an end to the 2-year program; eduardo the frog back in action, trying out for spiderman 4; me and the girls celebrating a bday at Bangalore's finest charcoal lamb house; hugo and me spending a sunday afternoon laptop-to-laptop...a modern day romance; me working on my new painting of Mel Brown (best blues guitarist-in my opinion)....

It's been a long time since I've partied until the wee hours of the morning, an I got to do it last night at an all night Music Festival south of Bangalore City. Held at an outdoor ashram in a nearby village, called Fireflies, there was music, dancing, food, art and social awareness going on from 6pm till 6am. A couple of friends and I held out till 3am...but like I said, the 11pm curfew in Bangalore kinda gets you used to early nights. Still, it was beautiful to participate, the best thing about this place being the giant tree that was growing through the stage for performers. It set the mood just right. Here are some pics...

It's Not Exactly The Way Moses Pictured It....

On my Passover/Easter break for the next week, and me and Andrea headed to the hills to kick it off. Went to a nearby city called Mysore, famous for its Palace, which truly was a grand site. No cameras allowed inside, but take my word for it...the place was unbelievable. After that, we took a five hour bus trip up to a hill station called Ooty. Pics from Mysore:(Mysore Palace gate; prayers on Chimundi Hill; local kids on Chimundi Hill)

The town itself wasn't anything special, except for its cooler tempatures (18 degrees celsius at night and me and Andrea were dressed in sweatshirts and toques!) But...the surrounding forests and tea plantations were amazing. Andrea and I rented motorbikes and rode around the hills for the whole day...a very free feeling compared to the congestion of Bangalore city life. Here are some pics...

Me on a paddleboat on Ooty lake; the view from halfway up Nilgiri Hills and the motorbike I rented; a step in processing tea at the Ooty Tea Factory; a random pink temple on the way to a town called Kodagiri; the mechanics who saved the day when i got a flat somewhere in the Hills.

Last one...I think...

This is my last painting in the Night Fliers series ( I think). I just had it framed today, as it was not finished in time for the show, but there is a blank wall at Opus waiting for this portrait. The portrait is of the jazz drummer, Art Blakey...so now I have a complete band set in the watercolour style. Not sure what I'll paint next..but I have a few ideas. Definitely want to stick with portraits.

Am I a Real Artist Yet???

Today I opened my art exhibition, Night Fliers at Opus restaurant. Brochures in hand and complimentary lime sodas nearby, I got to experience the other side of artistry---schmoozing and standing by your art and ideas in front of other people. I think I still like the painting part better, but it was nice to share these works and meet with friends in such a relaxed atmosphere. Here are some pics from the space and day....

From left: my name in lights (or chalk!); setting up the show..these guys were great. i suggested they think about a career shift; carlton - owner of opus and patron of the arts (and master of boggle...all artists should try boggle meditation before their shows); the space; friends enjoying the complimentary lime soda; the space.