2012, Here We Go
I arrived in Hyderabad with what seemed like a cold, but I think it is just a case of pollution overload from waiting in the New Delhi airport for five hours for my next connection to Hyderabad. It was smoggy inside the airport and I instantly had asthma like symptoms. …Anyway, I arrived in Hyderabad and went shopping for art supplies,
then headed out the next day to the orphanage. Before coming to India, I was able to get a projector and some Bose speakers to go along with it from the calendar sales, and they are in use almost every day for classroom and of course movie time. But first order of business is showing the kids the calendar that was put together of the photos we worked on last year in Photoshop. Much excitement about this!
Then a look around at the grounds. New gardens since last year.
Bringel---eggplant
tomatoes
and this is the outdoor cooking area. We are going to build an earthen tandoor oven out here. David stirs the pot...
Girls have taken over cooking meals
The afternoon I arrived we started out with Kung Fu Panda. I also have a slew of nature videos that they have been liking a lot , I haven’t seen them yet either and it is quite amazing footage, and projected on the wall it’s like traveling to the arctic tundra to visit a polar bear family just waking up and then on to a bat cave in Burma. It’s all happening in our little village in Chandrakal.
The girls try them out for size.
\
Sony takes a test run in front of last year's mural (so 2011)
With paint left from last year, the girls painted these murals:
Boys painted these:
I have arrived in time to catch the monthly sojourn to the hospital in Hyderabad. This is starting out in the morning, everyone's fresh. Unfortunately, we got stopped by the police along the way for a random check to see if the bus was legal or something. We had the proper papers, but then they said it would take a couple of hours to write a report about how we had the proper papers, knowing full well we had a busload of HIV+ children going to the hospital . Basically they needed a $2,000 rupee bribe. That guy no doubt will have his arms and legs fall off shortly from bad karma, poor thing.
Ok , we shall start out with very important matters here....little kids drawing class, learning to draw a turtle and mix some colors.
and the results:
The ol' turtle with a flower in it's mouth
So , this year I'm having the older kids drawing class do portrait painting. First class we practice just drawing noses , eyes and mouth and some perspective on faces. Then, we jump right in and have grandma pose for us. Why not, the best learning is to just do it, and the results are pretty amazing. Makes me like painting all over again!
First, we tell grandma who is out sunning herself that she is our model for class. We give her a minute to get ready.
ok, Grandma is in place, and sketching ensues before the paint...Ravi starts out pretty good.
Anil is ready to paint..
Adivya observes grandmas eyes looking sideways...
Renuka observes a round face...
Vishnu starts in with the paint...
Dinakar is sitting practically under grandma, so is observing some unflattering neck angle...
and the results are in:
Adivya's with the sideways looking eyes:
Mareshwari's
Vishnu's grandma is looking a little slight of figure...
David's grandma:
Mine looks a little E.T.ish...and I'm the art teacher?!
Dasu's
Samuel's catches grandma's expression
Renuka's
Christu has a touch of Picasso...
Ramsudheer's
Vinod's
Anil's
Ahswini's
and remember Ravi? I think he hasn't worked with watercolors much...he's laying the paint on a bit thick...
Grandma was a good sport.
Well, I'm closing up shop here in the computer lab, everyone else is in bed I think. My day today was like thisL: 6:30am yoga class, breakfast, then taught english class...here's today's vocabulary list:
More results from portrait classes...
Munju in the hot seat
and another sketch class of David
then headed out the next day to the orphanage. Before coming to India, I was able to get a projector and some Bose speakers to go along with it from the calendar sales, and they are in use almost every day for classroom and of course movie time. But first order of business is showing the kids the calendar that was put together of the photos we worked on last year in Photoshop. Much excitement about this!Then a look around at the grounds. New gardens since last year.
Bringel---eggplant
tomatoes
and this is the outdoor cooking area. We are going to build an earthen tandoor oven out here. David stirs the pot...Girls have taken over cooking meals
The afternoon I arrived we started out with Kung Fu Panda. I also have a slew of nature videos that they have been liking a lot , I haven’t seen them yet either and it is quite amazing footage, and projected on the wall it’s like traveling to the arctic tundra to visit a polar bear family just waking up and then on to a bat cave in Burma. It’s all happening in our little village in Chandrakal.
The next day was Republic Day, which means dress up and go across the street to the hospital clinic for a short ceremony hoisting the Indian flag, tribute to Ghandi, some sweet treats, then back home for some cake.
Leela is the newest addition to the family. She’s come just in time for shoe distribution day,
The girls try them out for size.
\Sony takes a test run in front of last year's mural (so 2011)
With paint left from last year, the girls painted these murals:
Boys painted these:
I have arrived in time to catch the monthly sojourn to the hospital in Hyderabad. This is starting out in the morning, everyone's fresh. Unfortunately, we got stopped by the police along the way for a random check to see if the bus was legal or something. We had the proper papers, but then they said it would take a couple of hours to write a report about how we had the proper papers, knowing full well we had a busload of HIV+ children going to the hospital . Basically they needed a $2,000 rupee bribe. That guy no doubt will have his arms and legs fall off shortly from bad karma, poor thing.
Ok , we shall start out with very important matters here....little kids drawing class, learning to draw a turtle and mix some colors.
and the results:
The ol' turtle with a flower in it's mouth
So , this year I'm having the older kids drawing class do portrait painting. First class we practice just drawing noses , eyes and mouth and some perspective on faces. Then, we jump right in and have grandma pose for us. Why not, the best learning is to just do it, and the results are pretty amazing. Makes me like painting all over again!
First, we tell grandma who is out sunning herself that she is our model for class. We give her a minute to get ready.
ok, Grandma is in place, and sketching ensues before the paint...Ravi starts out pretty good.
Anil is ready to paint..
Adivya observes grandmas eyes looking sideways...
Renuka observes a round face...
Vishnu starts in with the paint...
Dinakar is sitting practically under grandma, so is observing some unflattering neck angle...
and the results are in:
Adivya's with the sideways looking eyes:
Mareshwari's
Vishnu's grandma is looking a little slight of figure...
David's grandma:
Mine looks a little E.T.ish...and I'm the art teacher?!
Dasu's
Samuel's catches grandma's expression
Renuka's
Christu has a touch of Picasso...
Ramsudheer's
Vinod's
Anil's
Ahswini's
and remember Ravi? I think he hasn't worked with watercolors much...he's laying the paint on a bit thick...
Grandma was a good sport.
Well, I'm closing up shop here in the computer lab, everyone else is in bed I think. My day today was like thisL: 6:30am yoga class, breakfast, then taught english class...here's today's vocabulary list:
More results from portrait classes...
Munju in the hot seat
and another sketch class of David
This is incredible! I'm jealous! I want to be there helping out out! You're changing the world! Go Bethany!
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Still got me on RSS feed hi tec girl?
Where are you? I'll be back in the Hamptons again this summer to work no doubt, and grow spirulina.
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Hi Bethany,
So fun to see the great work you are doing. I love the portraits - looking forward to seeing more paintings from you perhaps one day.
Big birthday for Mom last week - the big 80. I must be getting old.
Give those kids a hug for me OK?
Doug
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