Mussoorie Home Stay

One unexpected development while in Mussoorie was doing this wall mural outside the front of the residence in which we stayed. Originally we thought the building was abandoned, later we discovered two coolies lived in it! When they came home, they were very pleased.
Before:

After:










The occupants:













Some of the artists who helped...










Inside the home in which we stayed...




















A view of the Landour sector of Mussoorie with mosque in background:


Below is the area known as "Cricket." On the left is considered the Muslim sector. On the right the Hindu sector. And straight ahead is considered the Tibetan sector. In practice however, these groups are intermingled. We ate in two of the homes in these sectors.









This is the infamous ditch Janis fell into one night as she was reaching to smell a flower!

1x1 Abstract Exhibit - "Mindscapes"

Reflections Art Gallery in Delhi sponsored an exhibit of 1'x1' abstract paintings on the theme of "Mindscapes." Janis completed two pieces, Chuck also completed two pieces, and together we collaborated on one piece. This is something we're looking forward to doing more together.

"Quo Vadis" - Janis (acrylic on canvas)


"Torn Soul" - Janis (mixed media, cloth and acrylic on canvas)...

Sometimes our minds tell us things which are untrue.

Until just recently, I thought the fabric of my soul had been torn as a child, because of experiencing years of severe abuse. I thought I could mend the tear that affected my worth and value as a human being. For a long time I tried to repair it by doing good for others, hoping each good deed would add one more stitch to lessen the gaping hole. I now realize this hole does not exist, because my value does not rest on the past and there is nothing I need “to do” to prove my worth. We all have been gifted with innate value that is ours for the receiving.


"passageway of color"- Chuck (acrylic on canvas)...

How do humans actually see color? Between the path of light from an object to the receptors of the eye, and the electrical impulses transmitting that information to the brain, eventually leading to the brain’s processing of that information, many complex interactions have taken place allowing us the privilege of seeing and appreciating color.




"a beginning..." - Chuck (acrylic on canvas)








Janis and Chuck working on the collaborative piece...








"Eye Cue" - collaborative by Janis and Chuck (acrylic on canvas)...
Will there ever be a way to assess all aspects of a person’s intelligence - ”a complete intelligence quotient”? Our minds are so complex and continually undergo change as we learn and experience each new day. Daily our “mind’s eye” - or imagination - plays an essential role in adapting, solving, and creating. If there is ever an exam to accurately assess the whole of our intelligence, the imagination should be one of the first aspects tested.

The paintings on display in Reflections Gallery...

Varanasi Artists' Workshop - "Pollution and the Ganga"

September 19-22 we participated in an Artists' Workshop in Varanasi co-sponsored by an Ashram with Kingdom purposes and a community agency for the preservation of Varanasi heritage. Here are some of the visual highlights...

The inside of the Ashram...





Opening of the Workshop by Swami-ji and a Professor of Sacred Architecture at Bararas Hindu University...






Two of the participants from Delhi were a husband/wife artist team. He is a professor and Academic Dean at Picasso Art School, she is an interior designer, both practising artists...




These are two works done by a friend of ours from Delhi who is an emerging artist originally from Orissa...



This is our installation - representing the birth, death and rebirth of the Gange - viewed from the 2nd floor. We were very discouraged about how this piece was turning out until Janis saw it from this perspective...