Sketched Memoirs -- Turahalli

The many visits to Turahalli ... through the years...

Stepped into this rocky hillock area for the first time in 2002... when i was trying to follow some directions to  meet the bird-watching group. i got lost  and bumped into another lost car. So we ended up birding by ourselves and headed back home. I was amazed to see this lil' green patch so close to home... and i was hoping that i would remember my way to reach here next time !

It was in mid-2003 that i got to know about the rock-climbing activities that go on at Turahalli. I enrolled with KMA (Karnataka Mountaineering Association) and landed up the very sunday with my cousin... to see what rock-climbing is all about ! I was so happy to bump into a familiar birding-climber amongst the group.... i got comfortable... and got hooked ! Not-to-mention, that my very 4th consecutive sunday... i had a bad fall from my favourite Krishna rock... had to be literally carried down the hillock.... and after some Xrays and check-ups, got to know that it was a ligament tear in my ankle. For little more than a month my leg was wrapped up in a cast ! Well, after about 3-4 months. i slowly resumed my climbing activities again !! :)

Ever since... Turahalli has become home !

May it be for birding, climbing, sketching or just to relax the mind and walk around... Turahalli has been there. Not once does it cease to surprise our curious minds. It always has something in store for us and an endless treasure of stories to share.

"GreenScraps" - Nature Journaling Workshop

Shilpashree & I are conducting an exclusive workshop for kids... teaching them how to keep a Nature Journal.

The Registrations are limited to 10-12 participants, so do hurry !

Please enlarge the attached image to find all the details.
Contact us for more information about the workshop.

Doodling with the Canopy

Here's one other mail that was long pending..

Towards the end of October was the 5th International Canopy conference 2009, held in India for the first time. Its main venue was IISc (Indian Institute of Science), Bangalore! The whole event was mainly organised by ATREE http://www.canopy2009.org/index.html . There were a whole bunch of talks, some very interesting Plenary speakers, poster presentations, fun hand's-on tree climbing demo's, art & photography contests... everything related to Forest Canopies.

So, after wondering 'if i should or not, should or not', i managed to doodle around something on paper, on the final day of the deadline. I guess, probably something just came upon me in my sleep.. coz i woke @ 6 with this vague idea in mind, immediately started doodling around, had absolutely no clue what it would turn out to be, breakfast was served to where i was painting, i think i just ran down for a quick lunch and the rest of the time, i was literally SO glued to my studio... and by 7 pm, i had this lil' window-like painting well framed and ready!
And after all this.. i looked at it and thought 'not bad i guess, i could enter it into the art contest'. A very simple technique of pen on paper, a wash of watercolor and a fine air-brush spray to add some mist.


Well, the painting did manage to get hold of the third place! And here comes the best part of the third place... i received an autographed copy of the book on canopy research "Its a Jungle Up There - More tales from the treetops" by Meg Lowman(who gave one of the best Plenary talks at the conference), and to add to this(it gets better)... the first three artists have won a trip to KMTR !!! (KMTR = Kaalakaad Mundunthurai Tiger reserve) I have been soooo longing to go to this place for a few years now. Well.. after being pushed from December, to Jan, to Feb.. its finally-Finally Happening!! :)

However.. taking a picture of this painting was quiet tricky as i had got it framed with a regular reflective glass. So, please excuse the reflection in it. And thanks to Deepa Mohan, who insisted on making me stand next to the painting for a picture. After she sent me the picture my mail.. i thought 'am glad she insisted!' :)

The King of last year...

How many times have i opened to type in a new page.. and instantly, my mind goes blank, my fingers dono what to type and an echo in my own voice that says 'Ah! forget it... why post??' .....
Was hard to write with enthusiasm or type anything exciting, if at all!.... and it was easy to give up n' sign out.

well, after many months... exciting, or not... enthusiastic, or not... here is something from now and then , through 2009...

Did this KingCobra image for somebody (client/friend).. but there were a few changes i had to make to it. Its partly a watercolour finish.. so its difficult to rework on them if i need the similar effect. Either i need to start a new one or give it an opaque-ish finish.
For some reason i kinda didnt feel like altering it.. so have left it as it is. But havn't yet got myself to work on a new layout either. Too many other paintings on the priority list already. Hope i'll get to work on it soon!