The use of vibrant colors, evocative imagery, and a thoughtful blend of tradition and modernity in the composition make these paintings both visually captivating and emotionally resonant. I am using a Madhubani style of background & Kalighat style of thick lines in these paintings, as a means to highlight a couple of the traditional folk art from India, combining it with my unique technique of piping acrylic paint to create exciting textures. Through this series, I aim to celebrate the strength and resilience of Indian women and honor the individuals who provide unwavering support in our lives.
Within the warm embrace of each family's love, there stands an elderly woman whose quiet strength and wisdom resonate with the ages. Matriarch of Reflection is a portrayal of an older South Indian woman who plays the pivotal role of a confidante to her family, guiding them with her profound insights and unwavering support. The painting captures a moment of contemplation in the matriarch's life, her saree is a tapestry of tradition, a symbol of the heritage passed down through generations. She is the repository of wisdom, the listener of secrets, and the source of unconditional love. She is the compass that guides family members through the complexities of life, offering counsel that is steeped in experience and boundless compassion.
Silent Blooms: Unspoken Fortitude, 36" x 24"
Amidst vibrant flowers, the elderly South Indian widow in 'Silent Blooms' symbolizes unseen strength within sorrow. Clad in a simple saree, devoid of jewelry, bindi, flowers on her hair, her reflective gaze reveals a nuanced journey of grief and resilience. The flowers that surround her are not mere symbols of transient beauty; they are affirmations of enduring spirit—a testament to the unspoken fortitude that becomes a source of strength for herself and the world she touches. In a moment of profound sadness, I hope the painting captures the enduring spirit that not only sustains the individual but becomes a source of quiet strength for those touched by her unspoken resilience.
New works will be added here as I create them. As always, I appreciate your feedback!
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Some of your favorite artists are joining hands to host this fundraiser in this time of desperate need for the people of Ukraine. Artists have donated their work in an effort to encourage more donations. We want to shine some light in these dark times. All the funds raised will be donated to Razom for Ukraine (razomforukraine.org), a wonderful non-profit that has been providing critical medical supplies and amplifying the voices of Ukrainians. This fundraiser ended March, 20th, 2022. You can still donate directly to Razom for Ukraine.
Please visit Art for Ukraine and check out the art that was donated by the participating artists and please check out their website for more amazing art!
Artists contributing to this fundraiser:
Ærica DiPonzio - Oberon Ocarinas
Autumn Aslakson - Aslakson Pottery
Carla Bank - Carla Bank
Courtney Denise Lipson - Micro Mosaics
Darcy Horn - Darcy Horn Beadwork
Don Widmer - Don Widmer Paper Arts
Elfried Somberg - Unusual Earrings
James Parker - Parker Parker Design Photography
Jen Loberg - Scarred for Life
Jody Ochs - Jody Ochs Design
Jonathan Franklin - Jonathan Franklin Art
Julie Billups - Silverfish Designs
Karla Hackman - Karla Hackman Designs
Kristin Perkins - Kristin Perkins Glass Jewelry
Lavanya Challa - Lavanya Challa Art
Lucile Martin - Lucile Martin Jewelry
Mark & Patti Mohrenweiser - Beyond Letters
Mark & Wendy Zoschke - Vetro Caldo Designs
Megan Horan - Megan’s Jewelry Box
Melissa Banks - Rapt in Maille
Michelle Detering - Michelle Detering Art
Nevenah Smith - Nevenah Smith Designs
Serena David - Don David Designs
Susan Frawley
Vinnie Sutherland - Vinnie Sutherland
]]>As most of my canvas paintings have an iridescent background, I am always asked if the painting is on silk. In my artist statement I talk about how the colors of my paintings are influenced by the luminous glow of silk sarees worn by women in South India. After ruminating over the idea for more than a year, here’s my painting of a textured henna-style acrylic Peacock Painting on silk mounted on 1.5” deep wooden panel. The silk used here is an old silk saree that is no longer wearable and graciously given by a friend.
Though this peacock is a first, I have one more peacock and a festival elephant also in the works, I am creating this series of paintings on silk with a specific purpose of giving back to the South Asian community - all profit from the sale of paintings on silk sarees will go towards supporting South Asian individuals & families suffering from domestic violence and emotional abuse.
The three non-profits that will be supported through these paintings are Apna Ghar - based in Chicago, an organization we have supported in the past, Raksha - based in Atlanta & introduced to me by a collector, & AFSSA - based in Austin & supporting the Texas Asian community.
Got an unused silk saree or blouse material? I would love to use them for this project!
]]>For me, this time has been unreal not just with absence of shows & loss of income but finding myself trying to sell our home & pick up our lives to move to Texas. For those of you who have experienced moves, you understand the stress - things were either dragging or moving too fast to keep up. I couldn't be in either relaxation or production mode. The little time I have in between the move activities, I am seeing as an opportunity for introspection and planning on how I can improve & progress.
I also managed to take the time to do the work on something that's been on the back burner for way too long. Those of you who know us, know our love for National Parks. Almost all of our vacations involve traveling to one and so far we have been to 38 of the amazing parks in our NP system. I have done a few paintings inspired by our visits in the past and a series has always been on my mind. I am kicking off with the first one of Isle Royale National Park. For our 10th wedding anniversary, S and I did a 4 day kayak tour of the Isle Royale National Park and had a great time.
For this painting, I used reference images from our trip and combined the memories of those to create the painting.
I am happy the way the painting turned out to be - there is always a sense that may be I am not doing enough justice to the actual landscape but I hope I have managed to capture the serenity of Isle Royale in my painting. I have used a lot of iridescent colors that the sky changes color from the blues to a purple haze, the water has a slight movement to it, and the clouds have a silver lining based on the angle of light. The name of the park is also spelled in morse code in the rocks.
I am looking forward to painting the next park in the series from my new studio in Texas next month!
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