DANIELLE…WORLD LOVE

I saw a vision of my daughter Danielle embracing the world, while a tear rolled down my cheek. I decided to paint it and as I did, the world became an eyeball and Danielle’s third eye is delivering Love to this hurting planet.

ASHOK…DREAMER’S LOVE

Aside from being an eminent psychiatrist, with a long list of academic/career achievements and being the great grandson of Dr Rajendra Prasad (First President of India), Ashok is also a poet. I suppose that his poignant poetry is the glue that makes him a dear friend. I visualized the dreamer in him, with his thoughts going far beyond this present realm.

ENDURING LOVE

My characterization of a couple who have lived through a lifetime of challenges and yet, the Love still remains. We all aspire to this state.

INDIAN LOVE CALL 

I have always identified with the North American Indian people. This painting is reminiscent of the Indian love story movie “ROSEMARIE.” I saw this film as a child and its memory has never left me. I was convinced that Indian blood ran through my veins.

LOVE ANTICIPATED 

A young Indian bride-to-be is anticipating her forthcoming marriage. An early painting I did in Bali.

LOVE OF JUSTICE 

Mahatma Gandhi’s love of justice inspired his people to come together as a country and he is considered the Father of India. My dear friend Kishore in Bangalore asked me to paint Gandhi. I did so with great trepidation for if I messed up, everyone would know. 

LOST LOVE

A forlorn lady from Thailand is fishing on the river. Her husband has died and now she must fend for herself.

GURPAL…PEOPLE’S LOVE

Gurpal, loved and admired by many for his untiring devotion to their pleasure and his indefatigable desire to create a beautiful environment. A Man of the People.

SENSUAL LOVE

In 2017, I returned to Halifax for a year and was inspired to paint this portrait.

MANO…LOVE’S HAND 

Mano is a reconstructive plastic surgeon. As a young boy it was always his dream to help people and follow this career path. His hands are divinely guided to save and salvage those whose bodies have been severely disfigured. He is God’s instrument of Compassionate Love.

MANRAJ…LOVE’S SHADOW

Manraj is a man who always hid in the shadows, so I created his portrait in monochrome. I had no image to follow, this was totally from memory.

LOVELESS

My very first portrait: I saw a picture of an old lady when I attended my first art class in Bali in August of 2012. I told my teacher Mori, I wanted to paint her. So with Mori’s blessing, in 4 hours her image appeared on my canvas. Her eyes reveal to me – the pain of a loveless existence. She has a place of prominence in my home and in my heart as my miraculous gift from God. I believe she is a widow (as I am) and the life of a widow, especially in India can be one of strife and deprivation. I Love her!

LOVE’S LONGING

Where I was living in India, I was land locked, no ocean nearby. I was longing for the sea. When I returned to Nova Scotia in 2017, I envisioned this scene in my mind’s eye. It represents ME longing for Love and what is familiar to my senses. Nova Scotia has a rocky coastline and is often windy as depicted. I have written several poems (Poems Page) about the maritime environment as well.

MAXI…SELFIE

I include this portrait only as a measuring stick…You’ve come a long way baby!!! J At the time, I had only a few colours at hand and decided to give it a go. Kind of the Indian version of Maxine – an exercise in humility. 

PUTU’S SISTER LOVE

While living in Bali, a young fellow named Putu, working at my place of residence, asked me to paint his sister’s portrait. It was her birthday and he wanted to gift her. The puckered lips were as she was in the photograph I used as my model.

SHARAN…DEDICATED LOVE 

Sharan a professional photographer from Bangalore was visiting Bali to capture vistas and visions of the Balinese. His love for his craft was so evident that I decided to paint his portrait. This is actually only the third painting I had ever done. I was quite happy with the results. Oddly, I have had several people ask if this is a painting of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi?

MAXINE…LOVE’S ILLUSIONS

My personal quest for Love, led me to India. This portrait is my interpretation of the illusory qualities of romantic love, with the backdrop of the most famous dedication of all – the Taj Mahal. Little did I know how my heart would expand and that LOVE in all its manifestations would lead me to my preordained destiny and the bosom of my One Divine Love.

MOTHER SON LOVE

Harsha, a young photographer friend of mine, inspired me with a post on Facebook. It was a split photograph of a Mother and baby on one side and the son grown with his elderly Mother on the other. I wanted to capture this expression. The Silver thread (of Life) separating the two images in the painting, represents the umbilical cord which metaphorically does not break. In India there is a reverence of the Mother and the Mother/Son relationship is particularly meaningful in Indian culture.

MOTHER’S LOVE 

Another earlier portrait in Bali, of a Tibetan Mother with her child. I painted from a photograph. I was rather pleased with her fur hat. 🙂

LOVE SUPPRESSED

Always it is an uphill battle to be who we authentically are, as opposed to what society thinks we should be – a constant struggle.

BEST FRIEND LOVE

To arrive at this stage of life, one has accumulated many experiences, both good and bad. A Best Friend, who listens, encourages, supports, and cares for you through thick and thin, was absent in my life, until I met Billy. He has lovingly and unconditionally helped me heal on so many levels, putting critical pieces of Maxi back together again. I loved painting his portrait. I surprised him with it! It is NOT for sale!

HIDING FROM LOVE

I pick up energies from my subjects and often that will appear in my art, without me realizing it. This particular portrait is representative of deep sorrow and hurt, a smile hiding the pain. However, a dear friend of mine, after I had finished the painting said, “Look at the figure on the left!” I had never noticed, but indeed, a willowy female had been created by my brush stroke! Another serendipitous event in my life.

CONFLICTED LOVE

This subject deals with the human emotions that we all feel. Sometimes what we want, we are afraid to express due to cultural, religious or societal biases. There’s a lot of behind-the-scenes dark matter happening here. When I got to this point, I felt it was finished, there was nothing else I could do, for the situation. Sooo interesting!