Jul9.2017:
Introduction: I was going through old photos from 2013. I remember that particular summer much clearer than any other summers of my life. I was living in a tiny "shoebox" with no air conditioner. So during the day, I left all the lights off in the room so I can keep the temperature somewhat low. In fact, I survived three summers there without an air conditioner.
1.1: That summer I was into:
plums
Indian traditional music and Octet by Bruch
Jackson Pollack and Andy Warhol
walking in the woods (more so than the past)
1.2: That summer I tried new things:
learning to skateboard
taking photos wherever I went
eating a yellow watermelon
playing music with electronics
2.1: I partially switched to oil painting in 2014; and 2013 was a year of an awkward middle period of experimenting with acrylics and crayons. Because I had such a tiny room, I didn't have the luxury of stretching oversized canvas in my room or keeping oversized canvas.
2.2: So I bought a set of small canvas boards, and a set of acrylic paints just to explore. I was in a steamy hot room: listening to Indian traditional music, drinking iced coffee, eating plums, and painting – all at the same time.
3.1: Anyway, trying new things and establishing unusual plum obsession kept me busy the entire summer, believe or not. My summer certainly didn't have enough room for boredom to march in.
3.2: I kept myself occupied really well. I was inspired to experiment with acrylics and crayons. I bought different types of plums. I learned more about Ragas. I went out for skateboarding. etc.
4.1: Now I am reflecting on the summer of 2013. One question comes to my mind: how did I constantly inspire myself to get excited about little things?
4.2: The follow-up questions would be:
where does the inspiration come from?
what makes one keep moving forward?
searching for the inspiration? or letting the inspiration come to you?
4.3: I guess 'how to keep oneself inspired all the time' is every artistic being's ongoing quest. We try and will keep trying.
5.1: These are the photos I was looking at:
plums
yellow watermelon
my skateboard
summer passed, autumn came