Wooden Owls; watercolour on Indian handmade paper; 370X540mm; unframed

Wooden Owls; watercolour on Indian handmade paper; 370X540mm; unframed
 
These bright wooden owls caught my eye when I was doing some research on wooden toys of India. And to my surprise, these owls that I have spotted in almost every home in my ancestral home, happens to be made just a few miles away from my ancestral village in a hamlet called Natungram in Bardhaman District, West Bengal, India.
 
These owls are fully handmade, right from carving the wood to painting them in bright colours. Owls are considered to be auspicious as they are Lakshmi the Hindu Goddess of wealth’s means of transport. It also symbolises patience, wisdom and intelligence. Although it is symbolic to bringing wealth in Hindu house holds, it also reminds us not to get trapped in the glitz of wealth.
Well, for me the bright colours attracted me to paint them. I added a painted tin with brushes to show that they are hand painted.
 
Hope you like them
Thanks
Trivita