Now isn’t that a bizarre word for something creative. Many of my friends including me could not fathom why that word is used ☹. However, I have reflected on that word for a while now since I did paint a couple of negative art. They gave me tremendous amount of peace while I was doing the painting. Most were just my own imaginary world and it was great therapy.

Maybe before I ramble on let me try to define what negative painting means in the art world. It’s a technique where you outline what you wish to draw like trees or flowers or leaves. In every art, there is always that positive and negative space. So that shape that you outlined is the positive space. The area around is the negative space.  Hence in our world of painting we always draw attention to that positive space. I will include some of my amateurish work so that you can better understand it.

I want to return to that word negative. Why is it so detested? Everything we see will have an opposite. We have sunrise and sunset, sunny days and rainy days. We have light and dark, hot and cold, spicy and bland and of course happy and sad. The list is endless. Hence if we were to just reflect a bit more on these opposites, we realise that we may favour different likes and dislikes. Yet to appreciate life we need these opposites. In art I find that its this combination of both aspects that makes the art more interesting. Its about what you wish to bring your attention to. Its like in life. Some like to project the positive qualities of themselves for fear of being rejected by others. But if we are brave to reveal our negative traits and are accepted by others, I find that the relationship will be stronger as there will be no sudden surprises 😊. Well, that’s just my thoughts on negative and positives of life. Hope to read more from you guys about acceptance of negative philosophy of life. It would be very enlightening to other readers.

My friends who saw the paintings that resemble leaves asked me if they would have this in fabric. One wanted the print to be on her cushion covers, another wanted it on her silk scarf and another wanted it on her sari (Indian dress). I was very touched as all of them wanted these negative paintings as personal items. Wow isn’t that fantastic. We can also love negative aspects when we look at them from a different perspective.

I painted this bird a species from Costa Rica called Motmot. Allan loves Costa Rica and sent me that picture to paint. However, I decided to place that bird in a mystical jungle of my imagination as I don’t know the natural habitat of this bird. Now that mystical jungle is in negative painting. So here I combined both positive and negative techniques. I must once again stress my work is very amateurish😉. However, creating that art was highly therapeutic. Thanks Allan.

Motmots are unique because they are vibrant and have these racket shaped tails. There are many stories about that tail. I think you must check out the fable by the Bribri Indians in Costa Rica. It is hilarious and many of us can relate to that story. Hence, after you read that story make sure you take care of your tail😊😊. Hope to read more stories from others while I think of my next story. Bye for now😉.