Kilim

Since young, I have always been obsessed with the designs on bed spreads and cushion covers etc. I remember tracing the pattern with one hand and holding onto ma’s little finger as I fell asleep. This went on for many years and even to this day I like to look at the prints on fabric or just about anything. Sometimes when I travel, my mind conjures patterns but I always forget them later.

I have always been obsessed with kilim. While I cant make those beauties, I thought I’d try painting them. So, I googled and found a pattern I thought was easy and I liked and replicated it on the elephant poo-paper I got from Sri Lanka.  I did not use a pencil and painted directly. You can see what that resulted in 😛

I haven’t used water colours for ages now. Somehow, I prefer micro tips, pencils and crayons. I love hoarding paints but never really use them much unless am painting them on glass pebbles or any non-paper medium. Yesterday I bought another set of water colours and thought, “Why not?”.

The edges are rough and I haven’t even given the finishing touches yet.  Also, poo-paper is tricky when we use water paints. It sucks up the paint like crazy and refuses to be evened out later. But the joy of painting on poo-paper is unparalleled.

Painting gives an all-time high. When I paint, I am flooded with thoughts and tend to find metaphors. When I loved painting on the poo-paper, I couldn’t help but reflect on how we need to appreciate the beauty of a canvas. It lets you do anything with it! And if you find it beautiful, you will be inspired to make it even more so. So much like our lives, no? And then, the way colours mix and create newer ones. The process is amazing! Sometimes you least expect it to happen and then it does.  Sounds familiar?

And then, I made a lot of “mistakes”. I could have crumpled it or postponed for later. But instead I  just went ahead, trying to make up for the asymmetry and trying to make the asymmetry as pretty as I could.  Sometimes it worked out, sometimes it did not. Ah well! I enjoyed doing it anyways. There are a lot of imperfections but I loved this. Will I do it again? Heaven, yes!

Heavy-duty philosophy on a Sunday evening, I know.

Oh, by the way, K did a couple of strokes. He always does whenever am doing something. When I ask him why, he says he does it so that we can say “WE did it together.” And he always wants to paint the “main” part it seems. If I cleverly ask him to outline, he blatantly refuses to do it accusing me of giving unwanted work – my eyes are rolling 360 degrees now-

Back to the main point – Have you fallen in love with Kilim?

Happy monday! Make a blessed week, folks! 🙂