Oscura- Oil on Canvas. 18x24 Inches

 

The first in a series. ( Hopefully). Black is, after all so much a part of life as is White! 

Las Temporadas- Oil on Canvas

From the series Las Temporadas depicting 4 seasons - 12x 12 inches , each.  

El Invierno

Winter comes in different forms in different countries. It's a season that one prepares for, especially in places where it snows or the temperature gets really cold! Food storage, warm clothes, heating and firewood are all different elements leading to the expectation of this season. We get a respite from the heat but at the same time we face the iciness of life. Winter is a season with many layers! It is also the season with many festivals, all over the globe. Who hasn't wanted to be part of a white Christmas or be in Lapland at this time?

Raag Malkauns is said to be a winter Raag, a raag with minor notes rendering a serious and sombre mood. Lore has it that this raag was sung to cool down the simmering temper of Lord Shiva ( Indian God).

El Verano

A part of the series Las temporadas, this work depicts Summer. The season has its own sense of beauty. Bright greens and florals blooming against a blue sky , Summer brings many important things to us- vacations, holidays, travel and of course, in India, mangoes !

Primavera

I loved doing this. Getting back to my familiar flourish was a combination of delight and therapy. This artwork is a representation of all the undulations of the year gone by. The pandemic, still raging strong, changed lives for all of us. Being homebound and working away at our computers gave us a different way of life. As for me, my routine has changed. I used to yearn for my colours and painting time like a thirsty animal. So when I started being home at all times, I diverted my mind at times with many other things than art. Online courses, movies and music. But am back and how!

This has to be Spring, the Primavera!

El Ontoño from the series Las Temporadas.

Autumn is one of the most mysterious seasons. It embodies hope, giving away the old to welcome the new. It's one of the most beautiful seasons all over the world.The Raga associated with the Indian season aligning with Autumn (Sharad) is Bhairav, a sombre morning Raag, which has minor notes.

This painting gave me a lot of movement. I was on all fours whilst working on this and gave me some workout in these days of being shut inside!

Prisoners of Secrets - Painting for a Book

When author Lata Gwalani asked me if I can do a cover for her upcoming book, I was excited! However, this proved to be so different from a usual painting I would do for someone, or for an exhibition!

I had to make a painting which spoke volumes about a volume ( pun intended) !

We met in a cafe one fine day and she gave me a brief about the book. It wasn't so easy as she had to let me know enough, without my knowing enough! The book was yet to be released you see and she couldn't divulge the entire plot! I had to understand the chief protagonist, Mira and the importance of a certain tree in the whole story and come up with a work which revealed enough to create intrigue but not enough to let out much or look too cliche!

Over the next few weeks, I did a few drawings which all went into the bin. Finally after another call, I understood I needed colours to create that magic and aura of the story. I went straight to the canvas and made this work. Yes, that was it! She liked it, her husband liked it and so did the publishers!

It consumed quite a few of my sundays.

Lata, am dying to read the book now.

The Kindle version has been released on Amazon but me, am a real touch and feel reader! Waiting for the physical version of the book to be released.

 

Bottled Inclusion

My series " Bottled Inclusion" was displayed in Phalgun 2076, a group show in the prestigious Bombay Art Society in Mumbai in February 2020.

Incidently, the painting titled "Pride" from this series was also used in my workplace Pride Week Celebrations 2020 as a piece for Art Expression to open conversation and raise awareness and dialogue around Inclusion.

Well, we all come in different shapes, sizes and colours. Don't let society bottle you into who you should be. Wear your own colours with pride!

Primary

Pride

Perfect

Invocation Performance for Naari Narayani Show

A rendition in Raag Des I performed  in the inauguration ceremony of   Naari Narayani show in Bombay Art Society.

Bhairav Se Bhairavi Tak

A series of paintings , inspired by Indian Classical Raagas (North Indian). Six of these pieces were showcased recently in Naari Narayani Dwitiya, an exhibition by 17 women artists, on the theme 'Rivers of India', curated by artist Vasanth Rao. Just as a Classical music concert moves from Morning to Evening and back to morning again , singing Raagas from different time periods of the day, I have imagined the daylight on the waters of a river. Beginning with a morning Raaga f...rom the Bhairav family, the concluding piece in the concert is a morning Raaga from the Bhairavi family.

This exhibition was a different experience for me. Extremely tightly curated, the concept and research itself started since more than six months before the exhibition. Then meetings, drawings, submissions, rejections, composition finalisation, colour composition and finishing touches. I feel I have reached somewhere, though according to the curator, my journey has just begun. I have to work really hard! #raagaproject
Note: A Raag or a Raaga is a musical setting in Indian Classical music, using at least five of the seven notes, wherein compositions are made using these notes and some prescribed rules.

Bhairav. 24x24 inches. Acrylic on Canvas 

 The sun breaks through the morning skies, casting beautiful, bright but calm colours into the waters of the river.In India, morning river is used for a holy dip and offerings to the Sun God.Bhairav is often the opening composition in a concert, associated with calmness and solemnity . Sung early in the morning, it is also associated with Lord Shiva. Many devotional songs are composed in this Raag

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Jaunpuri . 24x 24 inches. Acrylic on Canvas.
Mid morning light on waters of the river. Raag Jaunpuri is sung during mid morning to noon, as some folklore suggests that this Raag took birth in the darbar ( gathering in a royal court) of the Sultana of Jaunpur. The Raag has an appeal of grandeur and has also been widely used in Carnatic Classical music

       Brindavani Sarang. 24x 24 inches. Acrylic on Canvas.

   The afternoon light is steady and composed on the waters of a river. It neither has the trepidations of the morning , nor the in-between uncertainty of the mid morning. It is nice and lazy . Brindavani Sarang, an afternoon Raga, is also a Raaga sung in the Summer Season.

 

Poorvi. 24x24 inches. Acrylic on Canvas.

The river at dusk is full of romance.Many a courtship has bloomed in this light . The river is heavy with the secrets of the day and waits in anticipation of the beautiful night! Raag Poorvi is sung at dusk and has a mysterious and quiet nature. Though not a very commonly sung Raaga, some of it's related Raagas are more commonly sung.#poorvi

     Bageshri. 24x24 inches Acrylic on Canvas.

The night river is still but deep with emotions of its own. The same river which was shining with the glints of the sun during the day is now shimmering with the shine of the moon and stars . The night

   river is dauntingly beautiful, yet heart tugging!  Bageshri is sung late at night and its compositions often speak of the angst of a woman waiting for a lover who has gone to another land .

    

 

Bhairavi. 24x 24 inches. Acrylic on Canvas.
The morning dawns with great promise , as the light rays of the sun break through the waters of the river. It is time to rejoice the end of a full cycle from morning to dusk and again back to dawn!
Bhairavi is a morning Raaga which is often sung as a concluding piece in a musical concert. The concert which opens with a morning Raaga ( Bhairav) and traver...ses through the different time periods ( prahar) , has now passed through the night and as dawn breaks, it ends with Raaga Bhairavi. It is time to go home. Start a new day! Bhairavi is associated with sweet minor notes and the mood is pleasant and compositions in this Raaga are replete with modulations. In mythology, Bhairavi is also deemed the consortof Bhairav ( Lord Shiva). Many light and semi classical compositions like thumris ( semi classical , sweet compositions) are based on this Raaga. 

Lit-o-Fest 2019 Mumbai

My Painting Serendipity got exhibited in Lit-o-Fest 2019 , by Gallery Art Desh managed by artist Gautam Patole. Was nice to be a part of this prestigious gallery! 

"Basant" in a Noida home

    

My Painting Raag Basant 2, finally reached the Noida home  for which it was made! It takes pride of place in the exquisite set-up of the drawing room, above a beautiful setee!

A lot of planning and toil has gone into this work. A complete dry run with samples made to match the colours of the upholstery theme and sizing went into the pre plan! The painting itself took me three weekends and then almost a month of drying time. As about the courier, that was another story. But finally there it hangs, resplendent in the golden frame! 

Raag Basant Series 2

16 x 34 Inches

Oil on Canvas

Made on request, this piece made me come back to florals after ages. It is now drying on the easel, to be shipped off to someone in North of India!

Raag Miya Malhar Series displayed in India Art Festival 2019 Mumbai



Two of my artworks from the #Raaga Project, from Raag  #Miya #Malhar series were displayed in India Art Festival 2019, Mumbai by Galerie Art Eterne. I was delighted to see my babies hung on the same wall along with works from eminent Indian and International artists. I knew all these years, that my love for Hindustani Classical Music and my love for Art should merge and finally they have ! What better platform than the canvas, where they come together in the most beautiful way, with a myriad of colours! My heartfelt thanks to Galerie Art Eterne, from Delhi for exhibiting my artwork consistently for a few years now. Their professional approach and quality of interaction is great and I have been lucky to get associated with them. Some of my friends took special effort in sparing time to come and visit my booth and I was overwhelmed and filled with renewed energy to paint again! My evenings are going to be colourful!     



Malhar in paints

Vernissage in Josselin, France

Josselin Chateau

Josselin Church Choir

Josselin Town Prep for Medieval Festival

Josselin Square

Me with my sketch of Josselin Chateau

Oldest house Josselin

                                                            Ornate door of an antique house

                                                             Restaurant in Josselin

With fellow Artists Payel and Supriya from France and London respectively and a little boy!

In June 2018, I travelled to France to a quaint commune called Josselin for a vernissage between Indian, Spanish and French artists in Galerie Espace Zen. Though the display itself was not organized well, I had a great time and saw different styles of art and also learnt Papier Mache from a French Sculptor. We ended up doing a beautiful sketch crawl in Josselin, which is a quaint but touristy place due to the Josselin Chateau belonging to the Rohan family. The whole town was in preparation for the annual Medieval Festival in July and wore a festive look. Healthy French food, beautiful cool weather, long walks and slight drizzles made Josselin a great experience. I have come back with impressions of Brittany , which is where Josselin is and the colour blue reigns high on my mind. I have already started some work where am influenced by Brittany colours ! After the display, we did museum tours in Paris and it was great to see the artworks of all my dream painters for real! It was my second trip to Le Louvre, but am not done yet!  

Waiting to get back to France soon!

  

My Art corner at the Bhavan, London

A snapshot of my art corner at the group show in London, which came to an end yesterday. A very well curated and well publicized show, the Bhavan is one of the eminent spaces for the Indian crowd in London. A friend of mine, went all the way from his office , changing two tubes to go and visit my show and also send in pics!

Little did I know , when I met Supriya in Josselin, France two months back in an art display where both of us were participating, that I would be displaying in London so soon! 

I must say I missed being physically present but these days technology helps create many bridges and so cannot really complain!  

  

Group Show- London

Happy to announce that 4 of my florals are getting exhibited in a group show in London from 25th August 2018 to 27th August 2018. If you are around London city at that time  or live there, do try and visit the show, carefully curated by a renowned Indian artist based out of London.

Meanwhile, am I excited! 

Rhythm Des Fleurs and Rosa

I am here after a long time. These two sets of paintings are travelling to far shores to be exhibited in a small show and am I excited! 

 Rhythme Des Fleurs

My connection with Indian Classical Music is known to most and it has largely crept into my artwork and way of living. When I was asked to exhibit what I think constitutes me, what more could I think than music and flowers! Each bouquet here is vying for space along with each piece of a set of Tablas ( Indian percussion instruments used for accompaniment in  Indian Classical Music). The tablas are a very important part in North Indian Classical music. They determine complex math which correspond to each note of a rendition and  are often responsible for making or marring a performance. I am lucky to have a set at home, belonging to my Guruji and this is not the first time I have made these serious set of instruments pose for my art! The tablas are a formidable set of instruments for every classical singer - a source of delight as well as fear for the possibility of missing a beat and spoiling the whole performance! All in all, they are the most sought after apparatus in music!      

Rosa 1 and 2

These abstract flowers represent the complexity of life. We exist among so many dynamics, but yet we make a beautiful presentation of it!

Beer Festival in Grand Place Brussels

Cafe Chaloupe d'Or

Grand Place de Bruxellas

Beer festival 

Grand Place de Bruxellas

Caught hurriedly on tissue paper I did these sketches a few months back when I was on a quick tour to Europe. Grand Place de Bruxellas was in the happy frenzy of an ongoing Beer Festival and the live energy amidst the beautiful and ornate architecture around brought out the artist in me. I was in the midst of sampling some delicious Belgium chocolate but I kept the confectionery aside to perch myself under a baroque lamp-post and capture these sketches! Unlike in India, people did not peer or gather around you when you sketched in the open. It seemed to be a done thing. Happy beer guzzlers bonding in camaraderie, stylish people wearing the latest fashion, parents with babies in strollies, selfie clickers straining their necks to get the perfect shot and introverted artists all comprised the mix of crowd milling around. I had a wonderful memory and the most beautiful experience sketching there!