I have recently returned from a month away travelling in South India and Japan. Kerala, South India was a gentle way of easing into the experience of travelling in India. The South is very lush, humid and exotic. The colours of the South are really vibrant. Although, not as heavily populated as other parts of India, there was so much to take in visually. I particularly loved the drive though the tea and spice plantations up in the hills around Munnar. Passing through towns and villages, seeing the local s going about their everyday activities was fascinating. The last few days were spent in in the noisy chaos of Delhi. Throughout our trip, I loved visiting the markets. The assault of vibrant colours was truly inspiring. In particular, I loved handling the magnificant, fabrics, saris, silks, scarves and shawls that are made and sold everywhere. I know that my art is going to be influenced by what I have experienced there.
We left the chaos of Delhi and flew to the eery , misty, snow covered expanse of Hokkaido, Japan for some skiing. The freezing weather, the sparsely populated countryside and the Japanese obsession with cleanliness were a total contrast to the previous weeks in India! However, we quickly adapted to our new pristine environment. I did not ski but managed some strenuous snowshoeing. I also managed to find a calligraphy class to attend. I wrongly assumed that I would have an advantage, being an artist. Actually, I found the brush technique for kanji quite difficult to grasp.
The trip ended with 5 days in Tokyo. I love the Japanese sensibilty for balance and design. I visited the Tokyo National Museum and saw the most beautiful kimonos, calligraphy and woodblock prints.I also bought some beautiful hand printed Washi paper Now that I am home in Australia again, I am sorting through my photos and am already feeling inspired to take a new direction with my art.
