Painting - my medium for self expression

‘Chasing dreams that are always running ahead of me’ is how I introduce myself to the world in my social media profile pages. An artist and writer, my work is inspired by and centred around my personal experiences. I consider myself a painter of sights, sentiments and memories.

Travelling to places of historic significance and capturing the sights I see, my photography skills have proved invaluable in feeding me with ideas and insights for my art works and writings. Curiosity about the events that might have taken place at the sites and their relevance to the present times that we live in, are thoughts that remain in mind after every such visit.

Stemming from my interest in memories and the ethos left behind by our ancestors, my work leans towards representing aspects that create a dialogue between the then and the now. I look for the similarities between the past and the present and attempt to create something fresh and new from the legacy.

I am currently working on a series of paintings that have been inspired by my interest in history, culture, tradition, literature and the art and architecture of the recent as well as distant past. A glory that seems to have gone out of fashion and somehow does not seem to have stood the test of time. Distracted as we are today, how different are we from the common sparrows that freely flit around our ancient monuments? Not quite sure if history as we know it today is the whole truth, we see it in parts and remember it even less. We return from our travels with blurred memories with scarcely a thought to the preservation of our heritage. This is the sentiment that I strive to convey with these pieces that have been in creation since 2019.

My earlier works are comprised of a series based on stairs and rooms that lead towards spaces that are yet to be explored. These are works on handmade paper where the visual effects of depth and temperature have been created using acrylic paints and soft pastels.

Another series is based on the powerful, gestural and ‘larger than proportionate’ hands in the sculptures created by Auguste Rodin. These are in charcoal powder and softy pastel on paper.

Done in an experimental manner, these realistic works and have received wide appreciation. I have showcased my art works in India at art fairs and festivals and abroad and received an overwhelming response and media coverage.

Paper textures and the effects of different mediums on them fascinate me. I enjoy experimenting with Charcoal powder, soft pastels and Watercolours. I relish the charm of applying colours and blending them with the fingers. My experiments with textural surfaces have also led me to create tactile paintings on canvas using both oil and acrylic paints.

My interest in the history of Art and the works of European Masters led me to travel and see them first hand in renowned art museums. On learning about the lives of these Great Masters, I was inspired to write a series on their initial years of struggle and growth, in an Indian art newspaper. As a writer, I write columns, short stories, poetry and book reviews for authors.

Growing up in Juhu - the quaint beachside suburb in Mumbai in the 70s and 80s is probably the reason for my love for open spaces and the outdoors. A formal academic education in Commerce, Law and Company compliance along with tailoring, embroidery, photography, gardening and reading [On hindsight, all creative pursuits..] have together shaped my thinking and taste.

Drawing and Painting have been a childhood fascinations, as with any artist who pursues it later in life. The journey that has been a self taught and self motivated one.

I had the opportunity to teach art and hold workshops for a few years before I opted for a career in the corporate world. Family responsibilities and work life dominated my life for a long while. My passion for painting eventually led me to quit a successful career in the Corporate world in 2014.

My skills in drawing and painting have grown with attending workshops conducted by senior artists to watch, understand and learn the subtleties of different mediums.

This is an interesting time to be in the arts. With social media every artist has the ability to self promote and create public interest in their work. Having a simple website is our digital portfolio! Local and Global art fairs are another avenue available to artists to take their work outdoors and showcase it to the world. These self driven efforts bring about a sense of confidence as well as get us invaluable feedback to help us improve. I feel fortunate to be able to showcase my work to the world from the comfort of my home, which has a room that doubles up as my studio.

Contact Details:

Website: https://www.shobitha.in/

EMail: shobitha.hariharan@gmail.com

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