India Influence

These watercolors reflect how being a month in India–the province of Uttarakhand north of Delhi–as a result of an artist residency PECAH 2016. Many of them show how influential the traditional painting style called AIPAN has been. I did a blog post on Aipan and my art. If you wish to read this post, please go to: http://www.scottponemone.com/lessons-in-aipan/ Most of these paintings also are part of my sky series called PLANETS. To see the complete Planet series, please go to: http://www.scottponemone.com/portfolio/planets  These are presented in the order that they werre painted. The first seven were painted in India.  The rest were painted in my studio in Baltimore.

Manila I

Watercolor, 18 Feb. 2016, 15″ x 10″

The top border was from the edge of a table, while the bottom border was from a carved wooden toolbox.

Manila II

Watercolor, 24 Feb. 2016, 12″ round

In this painting I adopted the shape of my Planets. For the border I chose colored that reflect the Indian vibrant sense of color.

Aipen I

Watercolor, 26 Feb. 2016, 9 11/16″ round

My playful, first attempt to adopt Aipan-style painting.  Note that I included Greek-style anthemions.

Aipen II

Watercolor, 4 March 2016, 12″ round

Here I mostly adhered to traditonal Aipan design, even to the extent of included the (dreaded in the West) swatik.

Sky Aipen I

Watercolor, 5 March 2016, 12″ round

This is my first use of aipan-derived design as a border for a sky roundel.

Sky Aipen II

Watercolor, 6 March 2016, 12″ round

I got bolder here by choosing indigo as the border ground color instead of the traditional red ochre.

The feet represent Laxmi, the Hundu goddess of fortune.

Sky Aipen III

Watercolor, 7 March 2016, 12″ round

Sky Aipen IV

Watercolor, 4 April 2016, 20″ round

My first at-home Sky Aipan has the diameter of my Planets paintings.

Sky Aipen V

Watercolor, 21 April 2016, 20″ round

Sky Aipen VI

Watercolor, 11 May 2016, 20″ round

Here I include the Hindu symbols of sun, moon, shell and bell in cartouches that break out of the circle.

Mughal Sky I

Watercolor, 4 June 2016, 20 1/8″ x 20 1/8″

Border is adapted from a stone inlay along the platform of Humayun’s Tomb, Delhi, India

Mughal Sky II

Watercolor, 14 July 2016, 21 3/8″ round

Border adapted from stone inlay pattern along the exterior of the Taj Mahal, Agra, India

Mughal Sky III

Watercolor, 10 July 2016, 22 3/4″ x 21 3/4″

Octagon border adapted from a carved stone grill on the ceremonial gate to the Taj Mahal