Friday, May 06, 2016

Exploring Life - and the Painting Mediums

Life takes us to unknown and unfamiliar territory. But I do have an optimistic outlook and look for the good side or the brighter side of life while acknowledging the realities.

A year ago, I was in Chennai, teaching as Associate Professor, and had no inkling that life was going to take a sudden turn. It was more than 15 years of passing out from NIFT in the year 2000 and I had been in full time jobs without a break. A year later, now I am in US, and pursuing full time art and writing. I don't know what life has in store for me next. However, I am trying to make the best out of the present time. Drawing, painting, photography, and writing (so far my PhD dissertation) has been keeping me busy.

Exploring acrylic on burlap canvas

These days the process of exploration is on again, like when I started as a fine art student way back in 1995. Am working with watercolour, acrylic, mixed media, pen and paper. Also exploring watercolour canvas, burlap canvas, and other bases for different results in painting. Abstracts, and geometric non-objective art has been fascinating me and that's what I am exploring these days. Combined with that, the folk art tradition of my native place that is seeking my attention, the Mithila art or the Madhubani painting. It is a folk art that I have watched my grandmother and aunts paint during marriage ceremonies in my family and community. It is fascinating to see and more fascinating is the process of exploring it in the context of contemporary art.

Work in progress - Watercolor on Watercolor Canvas

A sketch of Fish in the folk style of Mithila Art

Explorations have no end. Hope to post more photographs soon on my blog. Also going to update my website soon. Do let me know your feedback and comments.Will be happy to hear from you.