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 

Tweet

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

Tweet

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

Tweet

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.

Tweet

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.

Tweet

Pastel Artwork: Purple Iris

 

My latest artwork, a pastel painting. 

"Purple Iris"

Pastel on PastelMat paper

©2020 Melissa Enderle

Tweet

Pastel: Splashes of White and Violet

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

Tweet

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. 

Tweet

Sanghyang Dancer, Pastel

My latest pastel painting - Sanghyang Dancer

As the last performer of the night, I want to leave a lasting impression on the audience and of course, the gods. I am proud to be one of a small select member of the Pemangku temple priests. I deeply breathe in the incense that a fellow priest wafts in my direction. Now possessed by the celestial soldier deity Gandarwa, I enter a trance and mount my hobby horse.  The chants and percussive rhythms of my fellow performers encourages me to imitate the movement of a soldier on horseback as I dance in a circular motion around the blazing fire of coconut shells. After several circumnavigations, I have achieved the state needed to pass directly through the fire, filled with the energy and powers of Gandarwa to scatter the red hot coals with swift kicks of my bare feet. Surely I, as with previous Sanghyang dancers, now have been endowed with the power to drive out illnesses and disease. 

See more artworks at http://www.melissaenderle.com

Tweet

Pastel Artwork by Melissa Enderle - Meditation: Ramayana Dancer

My newest artwork

A pastel painting of a Ramayana Ballet dancer in Prambanan, Indonesia
44x46 cm

See more of my artwork on my website or on Flickr

Tweet

Bongwonsa Temple, Spring

Pastel Painting of Bongwonsa Temple in Seoul, South Korea

See more of my artwork of South Korea on Flickr and www.melissaenderle.com

Tweet

Hyangwonjeong Pavilion, Spring

Hyangwonjeong Pavilion, Spring, originally uploaded by melissaenderle.

Pastel Painting of the Hyangwonjeong Pavilion at Gyeongbukgung Palace at springtime.
This pavilion, located on a small island within the palace walls of Gyeongbukgung Palace in Seoul, is one of the favorite destinations for visitors, regardless of the seasons. This pastel painting depicts its beauty in springtime.

Tweet

Hanbok Woman with Dragon Pin

My latest painting, a pastel portrait of a dancer wearing a hanbok in Seoul, South Korea.

Tweet

Purple Labryinth

Purple Labryinth, originally uploaded by melissaenderle.

Another monsoon day in Chennai enabled me to work on this pastel painting of a tulip.

See Melissa's Artwork page on Facebook

Tweet

Separating the Rice Bundles

Separating the Rice Bundles, originally uploaded by melissaenderle.

The monsoon weather in Chennai has enabled me to finish this pastel painting of a rural scene in Tamil Nadu.

See more of Melissa's art on Facebook

Tweet

Hauling Hay (Pastel)

It’s hay season again and time to gather what my brother and I cut yesterday with a sickle. I’m grateful that my brother could help me, as my lame knee makes it painful to bend in the swooping motions needed for efficient cutting. Today I’m all alone on this slightly marshy piece of land. I use my cane to walk over to a patch of dray hay and stab the cane into the soft ground. Then I use the pitchfork to sift and gather the hay together until I have a large enough load. Hobbling over to reach my cane, the load now feels more secure on my shoulder as I slowly make my way over to the small, mounded stack. It’s tough work for an old man, but I love being outdoors. Besides, it’s the only way of life I know.

Artwork available for sale. 
Blank greeting cards can be purchased at Zazzle

Tweet

Sigi Nogo (Pastel)

Early in the morning before the sun gets too intense, I go with my mamma to the Niger River to get some water for cooking and cleaning. I can now balance a bucket on my head, but it’s not nearly as big as mamma’s. I also help mamma go shopping in the Badalabougou West marché and pound millet for our evening meal. I need to get better at all the chores mamma does, as soon she will have another baby. Then I will have to carry my little brother Amadou on my back, just like mamma does now. Sometimes I get a little sad when I see my older brother Boubacar go with his friends to play football in the empty lot while I have to stay and work.

Artwork available for sale. 
Blank greeting cards can be purchased at Zazzle

Tweet

Applying the Kolam Powder (Pastel)

Every morning I sweep the area in front of my house and then wet the area, preparing it for the kolam that invites blessings into the home. Today is a festival day, so I am making my design extra large and am using colored powder instead of just plain white rice flour. Even though I have done it many times, I love to see how the design grows and emerges, as if it has a life of its own. Sometimes I plan a design on a piece of paper, but usually it just comes from my head, a repository for the many designs I’ve created or seen. My fingers are now practiced enough that I can carefully control the powder, varying the pressure to achieve thin and thick, curvy and straight lines. It’s especially exciting when I see the colors transform the white outline into a brilliant design.

Artwork available for sale. 
Blank greeting cards can be purchased at Zazzle

Tweet

Before the Dance (Pastel)

My brother, his friends, my sister, and I perform our Rajasthani dance for tourists. Sometimes it gets a bit tiring performing for audiences who know little about our culture and what the songs really mean, but I need the income to support my young family as well as my aging mother-in-law. The first several songs of this performance are instrumental and vocal only. On occasion I sing as well. But it’s not until the dance numbers that I am truly happy and can showcase my talents. Then I am the highlight of the show.

Artwork available for sale. 
Blank greeting cards can be purchased at Zazzle

Tweet

Fog-Enshrouded Hill, Munnar (Pastel)

Like most days in the hill station, a thick layer of fog rolled through Munnar. It seemed to slither over the contours of the tea hills, diverging as it encountered a tree. A hint of a warm sunrise tried to make its way into a predominantly cool palette. A feeling of peace enveloped the whole landscape.

Artwork available for sale. 
Blank greeting cards can be purchased at Zazzle

Tweet