Being Cheerful😊
20th Jan 2022 Dr Beena
Hello everyone😊. I want to share this aspect of art that I just learned. It is called Pointillism. Hm………….now I have never heard of this word. So let us delve in and see what it means.
I did this art classwork yesterday. However, it took me six hours to complete. At the end of the work, I was tired☹. Then my art teacher informed the class that this type of art is called Pointillism.
What is Pointillism? It is a type of art that began in 1886 by Georges Seurat and Paul Signac. In this technique, small distinct dots of colour are applied in patterns to create an image. It is a branch of Impressionism. Here, I used acrylic paint as we do not want the colours to bleed as what happens in watercolour painting. In Pointillism, despite adding on colours, they remain distinct. Of course, the mainstream artists ridiculed their work and coined the term Pointillism☹. What is new here? We are still the same, despite many years of civilisation and progress?” 😊😊.
Anyway, I wanted to write my thoughts today as my friend Radzi remarked something this morning. I send Friday morning greetings with a message. This morning the greeting was ” Happy Friday, may your weekend be as cheerful as this garden”. Now Radzi found this strange. How is it that garden which is inanimate be cheerful? He said, ” I always think I am cheerful. The garden makes people cheerful”. Hmm, set me thinking. Then I replied, ” Well, this garden is alive and cheerful for me.”
Imagine a garden where the plants are dying; even the garden will not feel cheerful☹. I felt that Radzi opened my eyes to something I never reflected. I realised that I wanted to go to the nursery when I was down. Before I go, I tell myself that I will not purchase any plants. However, when I am there, the plants cheer me up, and I buy more plants than I need😊😊. When someone gives me a gift of plant, I feel elated😊. Has anyone had a similar experience? Please share your thoughts😊😊.
Till the next musing, stay safe and cheerful😊.
7 thoughts on “Being Cheerful”
Your colourful painting of a field of flowers has an openness that is full of joy and hope. I love it. Plants definitely cheer me up, and I think buying and owning one give double cheer: lovely plant + retail therapy.
Pointillism reminds me of Yayoi Kusama who used polka dots. She is bold and in your face where Seurat’s effect is soft and gentle. I thought you might like to read about this eccentric artist who has associations with plants and mental health and explores her art around the latter.
Nyuk, I knew you will like this painting knowing what an avid gardener you are. But painting was a daunting task. I have to explore Yayoi as painting with dots is not a simple task but using oil or acrylic as the medium helps. As I am partial to watercolour, I don’t think I will paint using this technique. But in an art class, we are exposed to various techniques to experiment:).
Dear Beena, now that is a blooming garden! It may come to mind that the best ideas are often ridiculed and being different is always a daring act. As it happened, pointillisme is the ancestor of the pixel. Who’s to be ridiculed now? Ah ha!
Annie, you are right on the dot. Yes, have faced enough of being ridiculed and treated as a pariah. But I feel that made me stronger too:).
Beautiful thought Reminds one of William Blake’s lines and I quote:- ” To see a world in a grain of sand and Heaven in a wild flower, holds infinity in the palm of your hand and eternity in an hour. “.
If our mind and our inner self can inculcate a garden within us then life would be walk through come what may. We would start emitting sweet fragrance of positivity Hope joy and love for all which could deter annul another’s negativity. Thank you for this thought I needed it. All we need is to sow a garden within. Thank you take care.
Hi Susan
Thanks for your profound thoughts:). I do simplify life and its ways as we know from experience that keeping things simple is the way to live a stress-free life. However, realistically, that simplicity needs tons of practice. Isn’t that intriguing?:)
Well said, Susan. I fully agree with what you said.