Indian people are surprising.
I want you to meet Ramesh.
Alias ‘The Chai Guy’.
Ramesh The Chai Guy from India with his trusted bike
He’s a polite, beautiful quiet spoken Indian, who seems to really enjoy his humble occupation.
The ‘Chai Guy’ travels around Bangalore on his bike selling tea.
He appears 11.30am sharp everyday selling his wares. As sure as the sunrises, Ramesh is on time.
Now, I have spent many years in Asia, and here’s a fact…
Point 1. Asian people are not normally known for their punctuality.
I love Asians.
But if an Asian understands a westerner is precious about time, they’ll make you wait even longer. Just to prove a point.
In Australia, I drink tea.
But Chai is my favorite.
There are many varieties of Chai in India, unique local tastes that originate from different regions of the country.
Below is The Chai Guy’s bag of tricks.
Ramesh’s unique basket of different varieties of Chai Tea which is carried on his bike around India.
But here’s what really fascinates me…
Like the Chai Guy, Indian people can be highly structured, organised and very disciplined with time.
But most times, they’re completely unstructured. Even totally confused about time.
This is why it interests me…
The same characteristics are the key to incredible creativity.
A balance between the structured and unstructured, confused and clear thinking, is very important when creating quality original art. Creativity requires a high level of organisation and structure, but also disorganisation and free flowing space.
Point 2. Top artists know how to balance confusion and clarity into self-disciplined activity.
At any moment weird things can happen in India.
The electricity might go off for extended periods of time. Hot water may cease. The taxi may not appear. Noises might suddenly go off. All for no reason.
But back to being punctual…
This is why I am obsessive about time…
Just in case something weird happens. And I need time for the unexpected. I like to arrive at least 30 minutes early to everything.
Especially as a foreigner living in a strange country, leaving things to the last minute creates enormous anxiety, which I prefer to avoid.
If I have an exhibition coming up, my paintings will be completed many weeks, if not months beforehand. If a commission deadline is looming, I will be finished many weeks earlier.
Here’s another reason why I am so particular about time…
It goes very quickly.
Point 3. I like to have time available to relax and make important refinements at the end of the creative process.
However, I know many artists who operate in a frantic rush to the end. But I can’t live with that stress and panic.
It’s the minor creative refinements at the end of the process that can really improve an original painting. Becoming aware of these minor adjustments requires much time and careful contemplation.
Here’s what is essential to enriching ones creative life…
Reflection.
Just gazing in contemplation.
Silence.
When I was a child I had many enjoyable experiences with my father. One of those special memories, around age 12, was something that only a sensitive artistic boy like myself would enjoy.
I have always loved native Australian birds.
Point 4. When birds fly, so do my thoughts, birds set me free from the earth bound world.
Especially Pelicans gliding high above in the bright blue Australian sky.
As a child, after work my father would come home tired. He’d grab a beer from the fridge and we’d both check on our canaries. I would sit beside him on the bench and watch our colourful canary’s fly gracefully across the 4 meter long aviary.
He would ask about my day at school. And I’d reply, ‘It was good’.
But generally, we said very little to each other.
In the quietness of bird watching, the canaries would occasionally reach their lungs to heaven and break out into glorious song. It’s beautiful to hear a canary at full throttle.
We listened and watched the birds for hours. Observing the finer elements of bird life, until mom would call us for dinner.
These days, when I finish a painting, the same principle applies.
I need quality time with my artwork, to observe the finer elements of creativity. I need to observe the texture, and how the paint fly’s across the canvas, the composition of the painting, and how the colours sing.
“Australian Rainbow Lorikeets” by Simon Brushfield. Acrylic, Linseed Oil and Charcoal on paper (Sold: Private Acquisition)
Peaceful reflection creates space and freedom in the mind. Allowing whatever that enters to come and go, without judgment.
Just observing.
Final Point. It’s observing the finer elements of life that really make the masterpiece meaningful.
If you’re interested in purchasing an original painting, or maybe you would like to commission Simon, please click here.