Ironically, I've been getting more sleep than ever, but I've started to develop dark circles under my eyes and hardly feel like I have any free time. For the latter, I blame disposable income--in 2016 I spent a lot of time shopping, going out of town, spending time with friends, buying too many books I have yet to read, and watching copious amounts of TV with my new Netflix subscription (now cancelled, finally!). But sometimes, during my parents' dinner parties, someone will look at the calligraphy in our house and ask why I don't do it anymore. Well, honestly, it's because my parents don't have much wall space left, and I don't really sell or teach much anymore.
(Actually I've been pretty out of touch with most of my old pastimes--the last time I made brioche was probably January, I can't stand poetry anymore, I hardly remember even Surat al-Qadr, and I only picked up reading books again recently.)
Yet as it often happens after trips abroad, I feel like I should do things differently since coming back. So, here's something I worked on this weekend:
I forgot that calligraphy, even for me, is much like ballet or kathak--it looks so effortless and natural done, but when you actually attempt it you realize that there's a great deal of work involved in building the gracefulness that makes it attractive. And on top of that, I find nastaliq really difficult. During my last semester of college, I spent what felt like hours at this workshop with a calligrapher from Iran, just trying to write my name! But it is my favorite style, of course, it being the standard font for Urdu and Persian.
They are so far from perfect, but I will probably illuminate the latter if I don't keep trying to improve my style.
By the way, I don't know who to blame for my dark under-eyes--they don't run in my family!
(Actually I've been pretty out of touch with most of my old pastimes--the last time I made brioche was probably January, I can't stand poetry anymore, I hardly remember even Surat al-Qadr, and I only picked up reading books again recently.)
Yet as it often happens after trips abroad, I feel like I should do things differently since coming back. So, here's something I worked on this weekend:
I forgot that calligraphy, even for me, is much like ballet or kathak--it looks so effortless and natural done, but when you actually attempt it you realize that there's a great deal of work involved in building the gracefulness that makes it attractive. And on top of that, I find nastaliq really difficult. During my last semester of college, I spent what felt like hours at this workshop with a calligrapher from Iran, just trying to write my name! But it is my favorite style, of course, it being the standard font for Urdu and Persian.
They are so far from perfect, but I will probably illuminate the latter if I don't keep trying to improve my style.
By the way, I don't know who to blame for my dark under-eyes--they don't run in my family!
