Pastel Artwork: Song of the Yellow Bird

 

My latest artwork, a pastel painting of a Yellow Bird Dancer playing a traditional flute in Apache Junction, Arizona.

"Song of the Yellow Bird" ©2022 Melissa Enderle

See more artworks on my website www.melissaenderle.com 

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Pastel Artwork: Snuggles and Simple Pleasures

 My latest pastel portrait, "Snuggles and Simple Pleasures." ©2021 Melissa Enderle

After finishing Sunday morning chores and creating a fresh kolam in front of my humble home, I sit down to enjoy a cup of hot filter coffee.  Our alley is filled with the squeals of laughter from young neighborhood children playing together. As the coffee warms my insides, the sun's early rays warm my thin skin. Soft fur brushes against my legs. It's my favorite kitten, coming for a visit. As I snuggle with him, I see what looks like a smile emerging from this contented creature. In this poor Chennai neighborhood, we might not have much, but it's these simple pleasures that keep me happy.

See more of my artwork on my website

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Pastel Painting: Leading the Sheep Through Dobroselica

 My newest pastel painting, "Leading the Sheep Through Dobroselica."

Dobroselica, Serbia

©2021 Melissa Enderle

It's a glorious early spring day. The last of the snow has finally melted and the grass has begun to green up, much to the delight of my sheep. I'm even seeing a few buds on the plum trees. I hope we'll have a good harvest this year, as I sure love to drink rakija. My sheep and I make our way towards the grazing land just past the wooden church. We'll be there for several hours, so my wife has packed me a lunch including her homemade bread, ajvar, and some cheese. The sheep begin to munch on the grass alongside the weathered road as soon as I pause to chat with a neighbor. They're content and I'm in no rush. The simple life in rural Serbia.

See more of my artwork on my website

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Artwork: Bharatanatyam Dancer-in-Training

 My latest artwork, a pastel portrait of a young girl performing the Bharatanatyam Dance which originates in Tamil Nadu, India. ©2021 Melissa Enderle

It's the dead of winter in Madison, WI. Along with other teens of South Indian origin, I am performing at the Olbrich Botanical Conservancy. Although the weather is vastly different than that of Tamil Nadu where our ancient dance form of Bharatanatyam originates, this is a great opportunity to showcase a bit of South Indian culture. I take great care to form a complex mudra with my fingers, mindful of its spiritual symbolism. Deep in concentration, I imagine myself performing in a Hindu temple far away in India.

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Artwork: Naxi Erhuang Musician

 My latest artwork: Naxi Erhuang Musician

Lijiang, Yunnan province, China

©2021 Melissa Enderle

It's another humid summer evening in this ancient town of Lijiang. In the air-conditioned of the Naxi Ancient Music performance hall, I sit amongst my fellow musicians all clad in purple embroidered silk robes. Although I am the oldest member, a few of the wizened beards belong to those in their 80's. Next to me is a young disciple of mine who has been most eager to learn how to play the Erhuang. Behind me is a young Pipa player, already confident with the ancient solemn tunes of Dongjing music. Most of the audience members have come to this UNESCO World Heritage town from other parts of our motherland, China. It is reassuring to see that they, like the young members of our band, are expressing interest in the traditional music of my Naxi people. Hopefully, they will help keep this most ancient of music alive, much like I helped ensure it survived during the tumultuous Cultural Revolution. We have just begun a slow, fluid, pentatonic melody. As my eyes begin to close, I am transported to the days of yesteryear when I performed beside my revered father.

See more of my artwork at www.melissaenderle.com

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Artwork: Young Hoop Dancer

 My latest artwork, "Young Hoop Dancer." Polychromos color pencils. Apache Junction, Arizona ©Melissa Enderle

Although I've been a part of my family's Yellow Bird Dance group since I was a toddler, performing in front of audiences with the hoop dance is something I've only done in the last few years. It takes a lot of coordination and practice to get those hoops into the different formations such as a butterfly or eagle while at the same time doing fancy footwork, accented by the jingle of bells attached to my sheepskin leggings. Everything– the formations, facial expression, movement, and the homemade costume– has symbolism. My ancestors created the hoop dance to be part of a healing ceremony, but for the past 30 years, our dance group has used a form of the hoop dance to share a bit of our culture with others. I can't grasp as many hoops as my older brother, papa, or uncle, but I'm feeling much more confident with my form. In a couple of weeks, we'll be heading to the Heard Museum for the annual World Championship of Hoop Dancing. Native American groups from all over the country will be competing. My papa, who has used 40 hoops in one dance, is a five-time world champion. Last year I got 2nd place in my age division. After today's performance, I think I can get first place. Wish me luck!

See more of my artwork on my website www.melissaenderle.com, on Flickr, or my Artwork Facebook Page.

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Manipuri Dancer: My latest artwork

 

Manipuri Dancer

Pastels on PastelMat paper
Chennai, India

©2020 Melissa Enderle

The full moon is out tonight. I am playing the role of Lord Krishna as we perform at the Kalakeshetra Fair in Chennai, India. The crowd always loves seeing the love between Lord Krishna and Radha being reenacted. Just like the Bharatanatyam dancers of Tamil Nadu, much emphasis is placed on the hand and upper body gestures I make. We don't wear anklet bells or perform such forceful footwork though. The tube-skirted Radha and I dance gracefully, accompanied by kartal cymbals, a barrel Pung drum, and singers chanting beautiful Sanskrit poetry. As I move about in our courtship dance, the feathers from my headdress and tassels affixed to my arms sway in the humid air. Did our Lord Krishna have as much fun when he courted Radha? I wonder.

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My latest Artwork: Announcement at Ulica 16 Kumanovska

 My latest color pencil drawing Announcement at Ulica 16 Kumanovska. Vranje, Serbia ©2021 Melissa Enderle

It is customary for death notices to be posted on doors as well as public display areas. The highly textured, colored weathered door, along with the announcement, immediately attracted my attention while walking through the town. I had just held a solo art show at the town's American Consulate.

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Playing for the Maharaja

 "Playing for the Maharaja"

Color Pencil. Jaisalmer, India

©2020 Melissa Enderle

It is the day of the Gangaur festival in this ancient city of Jaisalmer. I'm doubly giddy about the festival celebrating our goddess of love and marriage this year since my granddaughter is in the procession of other eligible young females eager for love. She looks so beautiful and grown-up in her new dress and jewelry. Plus I'm one of the musicians selected to perform. Both me and my trusty kamaycha instrument are a bit worn but we both will sing out our best today. I've already performed some songs that beseech the goddess Gauri to bless these young women with prosperous marriages. Behold! The Maharaja has arrived! I quickly switch to a song singing the praises of His Highness. May he and his family live a long, prosperous life! The Golden City of Jaisalmer loves you!

See more of my artwork from India and other places on my website.

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Pastel Artwork: Purple Iris

 

My latest artwork, a pastel painting. 

"Purple Iris"

Pastel on PastelMat paper

©2020 Melissa Enderle

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My latest Portrait Art

Here is my latest portrait artwork, a color pencil drawing of a dancer I saw a few times in a park in Xi'an, China. It is the first artwork I did with the Polychromos color pencil set I bought. Based on her costume (especially the embroidered hat), I believe she is from the Uyghur ethnic group, those Muslims who are being heavily persecuted by the Chinese government. Some even are calling it a genocide. After the day I photographed her, I never saw any of the dance troupe again. I sure hope that the reason for their absence is not a sinister one.

You can find more of my artworks (for sale) on my website http://www.melissaenderle.com/art.html

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Desert Bloom at DeGrazia, Tucson

Here is one of my recently completed artworks, "Desert Bloom at DeGrazia, Tucson". Created with color pencils, it depicts the gated path leading up to the DeGrazia Art Museum in Tucson, Arizona.
You can find more of my artworks on my Melissa Enderle Artwork Facebook page or on my website.

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Pastel: Splashes of White and Violet

My latest artwork, a pastel of spring flowers at Olbrich Gardens in Madison, Wisconsin. Painted on PastelMat paper.

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Malian Woman with Blue Shawl

My latest artwork, a color pencil of a Dogon woman from Mali, West Africa. It is the first time that I tried out my new set of 24 Polychomos color pencils.

Having just finished pounding millet, it feels good to sit down. Although such work is quite physical, I am grateful that the Lord has provided us with a harvest, despite the sparse rainfall this year. In addition to that task, I also managed to make several clay pots this morning. I’m pleased to say that my young daughter is coming along quite nicely with her pottery skills. I enjoy teaching the young women the Dogon songs as we pound away under the baobab tree. Tonight we will be singing hymns as we dance around the fire in our village of Nombouri. I always look forward to gatherings with fellow Christians in my village. How blessed I am; How great Thou art!

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Di Shu, Water Calligraphy in the Park

In several spots within Xingqing Park, I spotted some people, mostly elderly gentlemen, doing a curious form of painting. At the end of a metal rod was a flexible piece of foam shaped to a point, just like a paintbrush. With a dip of the foam brush into water from a cutoff bottle, the man begins his temporary art form. Known as Di Shu, which means writing on the ground/Earth, this art form has gained in popularity since the 1990's, spreading to parks all over China.

The process seemed to be several things at once –meditation, exercise, art, literature, and conversation.  For some, it is a way to celebrate brush calligraphy in an era where most writing occurs on a keyboard. At times, the man was in his own little world. At other times, he engaged with onlookers. After a short discussion, he went back to adding more characters. After a short while, the once glistening characters would have faded, evaporating to invisibility. This reminds me of another beautiful temporary art form of south India - the kolam. Interestingly enough, I didn't see any of the Di Shu calligraphy artists photographing their writing. This further contrasts it with ink calligraphy, which prides itself with long-life. 

Would you expend energy making such impermanent art?

For more information on Di Shu water calligraphy, check out this and this article.

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Xingqing Park - with a swoop of a brush

A plethora of activities occurred in all parts of Xingqing park. Two of my favorites included the use of a brush.

In one part of the park, people gathered around a man doing traditional Chinese brush painting. The man worked with confidence as he laid down broad brushstrokes without the aid of an initial drawing. It was quite obvious that he had painted many such horses before.

After his energetic horse was painted, he wrote vertical columns of calligraphy in the space above, also with black ink. Folowing that, he pressed several signature chops into red ink pads.

The artist with his completed horse ink brush painting. Notice the ink, brushes, and stamp pads in the lower portion of the photo. 

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Artwork: Burnished Bronze and Faded Wood, Bongeunsa

My latest artwork, a color pencil drawing of a Buddhist temple door in Seoul, South Korea.

Burnished Bronze and Faded Wood, Bongeunsa

Color Pencil. Seoul, South Korea

©2018 Melissa Enderle

See more of my artwork on Facebook or my website.

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Kathak Dancer, India

My latest painting of a Kathak dancer. I saw her performance in Chennai, India

Kathak Dancer
Pastels on PastelMat paper

It is my turn to be on stage. The scent of jasmine from the previous Bharatnatyam dancer still lingers in the air. After giving a salutation and paying respects to my guru and accompanying musicians, I begin the thath sequence with slow movements - first with the eyebrows and neck. I bend one elbow and extend the other arm, making elegant but gentle movements with my upturned wrist and fingers. At this stage of the dance, the scarf covering my head is limp. Sensing the quickening pace of the music, my eyebrows move up and heavily-lined eyes widen. The small Ghungroo bells on my ankles collide as I rapidly stomp my feet on the stage floor in perfect syncopation with the music. As my feet movements become lighter and more complex, I pick up speed and execute a series of turns, causing my skirt to lift like that of a whirling Sufi. 

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Xi'an Bound

In a few short months, I'll be departing the land of cheese and bratwurst and calling the city with all those clay soldiers my home.

Starting in August, I will be teaching art for grades 3-5 at Xi'an High Tech International School. This relatively new school was set up to meet the needs of a growing international community, including the neighboring high-tech companies. Samsung and Johnson & Johnson are two such companies that send large numbers of students to the school. In fact, 39% of the students are Korean. While there are 22 nationalities represented, a large percentage of the students are ethnic Chinese.

Campus (drawing)

The school has been busy constructing a brand new $130 million campus on a 66,600 sq meter campus. An architect firm from Washington, DC has undertaken the project. The campus has a 3-floor building for general classrooms, and separate buildings including an indoor sports center, indoor swimming pool, theater, and black-box theater. A state-of-the-art HEPA filtration system is installed.

Classrooms (PK-12)

Enrollment in the 2017 school year was 320, but they anticipate to have 400 students for this coming school year. More than half of that number is at the elementary level. The non-profit school is now a full IBO world school, with its newest certification of PYP occurring in 2016. Currently, the elementary school has one class per grade level, but this will be expanded to two starting in the 2018-19 school year. Class sizes will typically be between 12-22 students. With the increase in classes, it was decided that a second art teacher was needed.

Indoor Swimming pool

When speaking with the elementary principal (who is from Ireland), he said that art, music, PE, etc. teachers are called "single-subject teachers" at the school. Although he was good with scheduling, the principal (a former PYP coordinator and teacher himself) he wasn't all that knowledgeable about the unique aspects of such subjects. Therefore, those teachers were asked to design their schedules. For the upper elementary, students will have art for two 40-minute periods per week, typically as a double-period. There will be two art rooms, one of which contains a kiln room. Below are some photos of the yet-unfinished art rooms.

Art room with new tables

Unfinished and unfurnished art room

The school also has a Makerspace area and a Teaching &  Curriculum Center. For tech, the school has SmartBoards, iPad cart, MacBook Pros (more hopefully coming), a 3D printer, and some drones.

The school is located a distance outside of the main city of Xi'an and also is about 45 minutes away from the mountains.

Tomorrow I'll write a bit about the city of Xi'an.

Another adventure awaits!

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Artwork: Just Me and My Goat

My latest artwork, a watercolor of a little girl from Gujarat, India

Just Me and My Goat

Watercolor

Dasada region, Gujarat, India

©2018 Melissa Enderle

Since I finished helping my sister carry water for cooking, I finally get some time to play with our baby goat. He is a lot less wiggly now because he just finished drinking from his momma. I like carrying our baby goat. It is fun and will help make me strong. Then it will be easier for me to help carry more wood for our cooking fire. I also have to watch and make sure that the baby goat doesn’t walk too close to the road. Daddy says that the goat is not so smart yet and might get runned over. I feel important when I can help my family.

See more artwork on my Facebook page - Melissa Enderle Artwork  or my website www.melissaenderle.com 

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