The Ripple Effect

11th September 2021 Dr Beena

Hello everyone, time for another musing. This picture that I painted is from a tutorial by Paul Clark. It is Penhurst Place built-in 1341. The history of this place is astounding. I knew nothing about this place when I was painting it. However, let me share my struggles with this picture.

Firstly, it was the manor itself. I find drawing buildings a grim task. In my first draft, the windows seem to lean out of the building☹☹. Next, for the chimneys to be part of the building, I had to align them. However, the most cumbersome part was the ripples, with the two geese swimming in the water. All these are aspects of understanding perspectives.

Before we move on to the ripples, let us delve into the history of the Penhurst Manor.  This tranquil place had a dark history. During the reign of King Henry VIII, many close to him were executed under the pretext of treason. Like any past history, it had the trappings of greed, corruption, senseless execution and much more atrocities. Anne Boleyn’s home was only a few miles from this manor. We know what happened to poor Anne. Some parts of this majestic building were used for Hollywood movies and you may have seen some of them. I encourage you to read the history of this place. How it has transformed from a dark part to a tranquil present😊.

Oddly am musing on ripple when I just finished waves😊. I assure you that it was not planned. The Ripple effect happens to us ordinary folks often. We may not realise it is a ripple effect. Just to illustrate a simple example. On 6th May 2002, I was in a shopping centre when the newscaster on TV announced that Aung Sung Suu Ki was released from house arrest. We all clapped, and there was this sense of jubilation. It was spontaneous😊😊. Likewise, when 9/11 happened, we felt a sense of gloom for the people in the Twin Towers. When oil prices increase, people worry as prices of commodities also increase☹☹. Just like waves, the ripple effect impacts our daily lives. The impact varies based on intensity or on our own state of mind at that moment.

Now, this painting evokes a sense of tranquillity despite the dark past. Just like waves, the impact of the ripple at the periphery is very mild. The pandemic has impacted the whole world. However, there are places like Tonga, where they are yet to see a single case. Most of us have endured many ripples in our lives and come out stronger. I hope the ripple effect in my painting is gentle and pleasing😊.

Let me know your thoughts on this rumination on ripples.  Please share your own story on waves or the ripple effect. Till the next contemplation, stay safe and bye for now😊.

10 thoughts on “The Ripple Effect

  1. Thank u Beena for this lovely picture
    The striking part of it is of course the ripples in the water with its calm and peaceful effect
    The castle in the background was brought to the foreground with the interesting history 😊When I first saw it I just thought of it as a building where ordinary people went about their mundane lives .Now after ur stories ,I look at it with a sense of apprehension !
    Now to the ripple effect
    It is a central event which can affect people or events in a different way like a ripple
    Eg. a rise in fuel prices will increase the price of commodities (due to increase in transport costs) which in turn make people’s life harder and unhappy as they cannot buy enough to eat or they cannot travel long distances for work …
    But here the ripples are so beautifully done that their effect is to make us happier .Thank u dear !

  2. Hi Mariam

    Thank you for an in-depth analysis of the musing:). I just love to read comments. They make me understand how others think. Ripples impart a serenity and we never know what lies beneath them. Here the geese are enjoying their time on the water. They are oblivious of the past history of that place. Sometimes, I feel it is good to be present and enjoy the moment.

    Glad you liked this one.

    Take care

    Beena

  3. Beena it was once again an appealing combo of good writing and sketching.The depiction of the tranquility of the scene has been effective and the hisrory of the eerie looking manor interesting.The ripple effect has been simply explained.Last but not the least your humility in admitting to your flaws in the initial draft is remarkable.

    1. It was a challenging picture to paint as the building n the ripples were not an easy task. But its the joy of finishing and writing something and reading comments that gives me great pleasure. Please continue to post your comments😀😀😀

  4. Serene painting Beena. Interesting to read about the history of Penhurst Manor. Today is September 11 and I am remembering the ripples across the world when the terrorists attacked the Twin Towers. I was in a plane travelling back to the US from Osaka, Japan with my boss. An hour into our flight, the pilot came on and told us that we had to return to Osaka because all the airports in the US were closed. You can imagine the ripple effect that caused – from us in the plane not knowing what was going on, to my husband and family not knowing where I was for many hours. And we still feel the ripple today. Some ripples are very small ones and don’t leave a memory. Others are huge and stay with us forever.

    1. Thanks for sharing about the long term effect of certain ripple effect. Nature is tied to us but we dont realise that very much.

      Each year on this particular day it is just as fresh as when it happened.

  5. Interesting that you chose this Tudor garden for ‘The ripple effect’ .
    Penshurst place is a splendid Manor House,set in magnificent Elizabethan Gardens. Kent is blessed with beautiful gardens and stately homes like this.
    Another beautiful creation from you 👌👌
    Please keep on rippling us with your weekly paintings

    1. What is interesting about this painting is that I learnt about the place after I completed the tutorial. Hence am glad that it is in your backyard and you would have been there:). Of course, it is peaceful now since it is under the Sidney family who has opened the place for the public to visit. You know, learning never ceases with art. When I paint sometimes, I learn something new not only about art but about what I painted:).

      Sure will keep posting my weekly work and hopefully, readers will continue to read the stories and contribute to more stories.

  6. Beautiful one , Beena. Loved the ripples with the swans/ geese, the manor and the greenery in the background! The history of the place and the ripple effect is an interesting read! Ripples are there in our lives – by events, emotions, people! Loved the way you highlighted it. Waiting for more
    Thank u dear

    1. Hi Savithri

      In fact, I didn’t realise that connection until I started to pen my thoughts on the history of Penhurst. Then it occurred to me the connection between nature and life events:). Strange how writing triggers it. Glad you enjoyed reading these musings :):).

      Will post soon. Take care

      Beena

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