THE POND IN FEBRUARY
Welcome to The Pond in February, the second blog post in my 2025 Calendar Blog Series.
Over the coming year, I’ll be taking you behind the scenes of each month’s illustration, sharing stories, memories, and reflections that continue to shape my creative journey.
For 2025, I created a collection that bridges my childhood art with my current skill level - I’ve revisited some of my old oil pastel drawings and watercolour paintings, recreated them digitally, and added reflective thoughts, messages, and affirmations that connect what they meant to me then with what they mean to me now. Each month is crafted with care, representing both the season and a personal story.
And a quick plug: my 2025 calendar collection is now available at a lovely discounted price till I run out! From tabletop and wall calendars to mini calendars, calendar cards, wallpapers, and bookmarks, there’s something for everyone in my shop.
A Journey of Change and Growth
For most of my life, I believed that only the big, bold moments truly mattered. I often worried about not moving forward enough - not physically, but in life overall - and assumed every moment needed to be grand. This belief was challenged during one of the most pivotal moments of my childhood when my father took a job in a different city and we moved to Bangalore.
That move was monumental. I loved our new life; coming home to something familiar in an unfamiliar city was comforting. Yet I soon noticed that our pace had shifted. Gone were the slow days of weekend trips, family gatherings, and the gentle rhythms of a close-knit extended family. Life felt faster and more urgent, leaving me often feeling like I was chasing time.
At the same time, I struggled to adjust. I wasn’t fluent in English, and among peers who seemed confident and self-assured, I felt small and uncertain. I questioned whether my life should be defined only by grand gestures, and if the quieter days were somehow wasted. Even today, I continue to wrestle with these doubts. I’m still learning to appreciate the value of small moments - like the gentle warmth of sunlight on my face or a day of quiet reflection. These subtle experiences, much like water lilies anchored by unseen roots, nurture my growth even when the currents of life feel overwhelming. I’m still teaching myself to trust in uncertainty.
Reflections and Lessons
This ongoing journey of transformation finds its way into my art every day. So much of my work is inspired by these lessons I’m still learning. With every creation, I hope to convey the message of finding joy in life’s smaller, often overlooked moments. My art is a letter to myself - a reminder to relish gentle stillness and appreciate that not every action requires an audience.
The original for this month’s illustration is a watercolour painting featuring delicate lilies and lily pads - a piece I created when I was first learning watercolours. At that time, I was experimenting with watercolour washes, and many of my early paintings were simply a series of washes capturing nature’s fleeting beauty. In the digital recreation of this drawing, I aimed to preserve the original's evocative feeling, characterized by significant negative space. To maintain this essence in the digital version, I've scattered the lilies, placing the calendar design elements in the spaces between them.
When I reflect on my childhood, I see a parallel in the water lilies. Despite the unsettling ripples, unpredictable currents and that little girl’s profound feeling of disorientation - the unseen roots held me steady, reminding me that every uncertain moment contributes to the art of being.
Today, I continue to embrace both the grand milestones and the quiet, reflective moments, even as I struggle with doubt and uncertainty. Every experience, big or small, shapes who I am becoming. Thank you for joining me on this journey. I hope this story inspires you to celebrate both dramatic milestones and the subtle moments in your own life just as much.
Stay tuned for the next installment in this little series - look forward to March’s post, where I’ll share another chapter of personal growth and creative exploration.
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