My First Portrait

This one is a copy of "The Milkmaid" by Raja Ravi Verma. This is my first attempt at drawing a portrait. It was a great learning experience. The rest of her came naturally, however her face was not easy. It started off as a completely different person. The face was slightly broader, the skin darker and eyes and lips more defined. Then as I changed the shape of her face, lightened her skin, changed the shading and made the eyes and lips less defined she transformed into a very different person. ☻. My daughter commented on how she looked so much older when I first started painting her and how she got younger with me playing around with the colors and shades. She does not look like the original painting by Raja Ravi Verma... in his painting she looks much younger and has a different feel to her. But I think I like my milkmaid the way she is. ☺.

~Painting by Shweta Mitra - May 2010

Copy Of "The Milkmaid" By Raja Ravi Verma.

Divine Love Reigning

I wanted to share my painting, that I've been working on for the past month. The painting isn't originally mine; the general scene and theme come from another artist. However, the overall look and feel, the colors and vibe, etc., are very different from the original, and represent a fresh interpretation of Radha and Krishna. And although this is not an original Shweta Mitra painting, it is one that has flowed from the heart and stillness. It was lovely to watch the colors merge and create a beautiful Radha and Krishna. I really wish I could say I created this... but any time my mind was actively deciding what to do, the paints and colors just did not flow... then I stopped... became silent... asked the divine/stillness to paint... and everything... the colors, the shades, the paint, the brush strokes... it all just flowed beautifully. I don't think I have experienced anything like this before.

I hope you enjoy the stillness that went into this painting... the cosmic romance of Radha and Krishna.

 "Divine Love Reigning" ~ By Shweta Mitra, May 4th 2010.

I have this one posted at my website too, along with a beautiful poem By Katrine Kristiansen called The Fragrance.  Katrine and I independently started working on these pieces about a month ago, without knowledge of each other's efforts. I was looking for a poem to go with my painting, and she was looking for a painting to go with her poem. We were pleasantly surprised when we did share our creations with each other, and saw how beautifully they fit together. 

I also want to thank my aunt who introduced me to painting when I was really young and my friend and current art teacher for all her help with this painting... she helped me pick up a brush and paint again after 26 years.  

I'll end this post with these words from Richard Norman Schooping's song "Be Here Now". VIDEO: (Song) Be Here Now

Everything’s because of you and the things you do, my beloved
Yeah everything is flowing fine as we dance beyond rhyme, my beloved
You calmed the storm inside of me and now I’m free, my beloved
So now I let the battle go and watch you run the show, my beloved

All I want to do is sing of the joy you bring, my beloved
Praying that these songs awaken those who feel forsaken, my beloved