Award, Anthology and Judge

Started my year with grace from the Omnipresent Light and paying forward the gratitude to the Universe and the few people in my life who have always supported and stood by me in my journey. Creative field is a tricky one where it’s so difficult to get a good foothold. Fortunately, it is times like this when our efforts are acknowledged that one feels fulfilled and reminds others that arts do have a purpose. Not everyone concedes to it though. I guess they find it hard to do so. Arts mean something (while Arts mean everything to some)!

The first mention is the OrangeFlower Awards by Women’s Web, a well-known platform for women and the other genders who have been tirelessly promoting women’s welfare issues across every segment of life. I received the prestigious “Artgram” Award 2021 from this very established platform! Except that, it had been an online event if not for Covid! It was a well-thought out and extremely well-organized occasion with some amazing speakers and discussions in between. Extremely thankful to the entire team of Women’s Web and the Orange Flower Awards. Kudos to all the powerful souls who were nominated, shortlisted and won!

Received this badge as memento for display on this blog! 

Picture clicked by my dad as this trophy reached my home back in India while I am in Dubai right now.

The second is “The Kali Project: Invoking the Goddess within” where two of my works were selected from amid 1000 submissions. One of my poems and an artwork found home here. Honoured and overwhelmed to be part of this International Anthology – The Kali Project, published by Indie Blu(e) Publishing, USA conceptualized by Candice Louisa and Megha Sood. The Kali Project is the #1 new release in Asian Poetry. It’s a power-packed anthology of fierce and passionate Indian voices from around the world. It’s an amazing experience to be part of a badass multilayered expressions, interpretations, assertions, narrations and renditions summoned from within the depths. Can’t thank you enough Candice and Megha for putting this together! Kudos to you, your team and all the incredible authors and artists in this project for the power-loaded, abundant anthology. The stunning cover is designed by Mitch Green!

"The Kali Project: Invoking the Goddess Within"

Sharing Stories, a splendid online magazine entrusted me with the job of shortlisting the poets for their upcoming Poetry Awards. It was a unique experience to go through a delightful range of subjects and an enjoyable familiarity to share the amazing poets’ experiences and journeys, thoughts and feelings. It made me wonder at the caliber and talent spread across and around us! In case you are interested, you can download the magazine HERE. You can find previous issues too.

Sharing Stories - Book Awards 2021 - Panel of Judges 

Finally, Thanks to everyone who has faith in me and my work, who have been constantly following my works here on my blog and elsewhere for years and who have constantly showered me with love and encouragement. Deeply in gratitude!  

So how is life treating you, my friends?

From Birds of Kerala Series

 It’s already October, the year is about to finish and we are still fighting the invisible intruder that has wrecked our system. Amid all this life is moving on as can be. Even in such dire times, we are engaged in creating something or the other. The instinct of creativity is intact, rather I gather it has multiplied manifold in various forms and arenas. I would like to take it as something positive though there may be some or many who may disagree.

Along these lines, I had ventured into something I had been harbouring for some time now. Soon there’ll announcements made here in my blog as well as all my other social media platforms, do stay tuned. It’s something pretty exciting for me and for some of my awesome friends and hopefully, it will be too for all of you, my dear readers.

Until then here are some birds from my new series – Birds of Kerala. Four on a page, small size something like artists trading cards(ATC). This is on Hahnemuhle oil/acrylic pad but I am using gouache. Gouache looks quite good too.

Malabar Trogon - They are found in the Tropical forests and coming home in the Western Ghats. So basically I am doing Birds of Kerala, hope to reach somewhere with my collection. This is a male which has a fire-brand deep red belly and I am reminded of Gulmohar, while the female has the colour of burning ember with a beautiful shade of orange! I am so awestruck by these beautiful birds!

Malabar Trogon - male

Indian Cuckoo/ Vishu-pakshi - It is called “Vishu pakshi” (Vishu bird) as it appears with its distinctive call around the Vishu festival.

Indian Cuckoo/ Vishu-pakshi

Great Hornbill/ Vezhambal (State bird of Kerala) - Though it’s the state bird, it’s an uncommon sight except in sanctuaries. It’s a nearly threatened bird as we, humans, have constantly been destroying their habitat. They are supposed to be the harbingers of rain. I read somewhere that the Great Hornbill was selected as the State Bird because of its strong family ties as the protector of the family. In some cultures, they are the spirit of God and bring in good fortune when they fly over a household.

Great Hornbill/ Vezhambal 

Cinnamon Bittern or Mazhakocha - Small heron of wet and open grassy areas such as flooded meadows and paddy fields.

Cinnamon Bittern or Mazhakocha 

Most of the images and information are referenced from ebird.org and some other sites. forgot the names as I have been onto it for a couple of months now. This is an ongoing one and am still working on other birds. In case you are interested in purchasing the works or print, do comment or email (it's in my About page) me. Hope you like it. 

What's your current project?

A Day in a Life of an Artist – My Creative Day with Runa Biswas

How do I sum up a day that allows me to create art? Difficult I must say, as the ‘day’ is a sum total of thousands of days, of an unending journey of self-discovery.

My day starts with art in every form conceivable, like planning and preparing tiffin for my daughter at 5.30 AM. Tiffin and art? Then breakfast for my family and art? But, that’s how it is. I believe art is everywhere and one gets to absorb from any art form. Food is definitely one with its processes, textures and taste. It has to be healthy, tasty, interesting and inviting, all at the same time. That’s art too. Cooking is like meditation for me. It soothes me, helps me find a semblance of sanity out of chaos and madness. It’s like a jugalbandi (a duet of two solo musicians) between food and my chaotic artistic mind.

“…the ‘day’ is a sum total of thousands of days, of an unending journey of self-discovery.”

Aranyani (Forest Goddess)

Next comes exploring my home with its lovely terrace garden, that surprises me with mother nature’s art – the flowers and foliage in all their form, colour, glory and fragrance. Every day is a surprise, every day holds something new. I observe them and take inspiration for my day ahead. Do the shadow play of the leaves under the rising morning sun tries to give me a cue to composition? I think about such things as the day unfolds, and imbibe them. Perhaps, with the hope that they will sneak into my paintings. But oh wait, are the works that my brushes work fervently meant to paint or to create art? So I rummage my memories, travel back to childhood and discover my next inspiration, my next human story that I must bring forth on my canvas. And more importantly bring them to life, which touches souls and moves people.

I put on the music, my old radio or the music system. It depends, on what I am going to create that day. From Tagore songs to Bob Dylan, I shuffle through and then listen to them with my heart. Sometimes, I pause them to listen to a Bulbul just outside my window and join it humming my favourite songs.

”Do the shadow play of the leaves under the rising morning sun tries to give me a cue to composition?”

The morning newspapers confront me with reality, and also human stories of triumph and tribulations. A hot cup of Darjeeling tea balances my senses, soothes my nerves and strengthens my resolve to do my bit. As I sip the second flush muscatel, it takes me back to the sylvan hills and the mysterious customs of the Buddhist monks, of the simple life of the pahari (people inhabiting the Himalayan regions of Nepal and northern India) people. I shuffle my music list and listen to ‘Pahari’ by Pandit Bhimsen Joshi and Shiv Kumar Sharma and suddenly the hills invade my home. I am not a very religious person, but I do pray mostly to thank and rarely to ask.

Moving to the next, at around 9.30 AM, after all my family members have been taken care of, is when a mother, wife and daughter-in-law is ready for the artist. My studio beckons, the paints gear up, the brushes quiver and my canvases on easels become restless to meet me.

“My studio beckons, the paints gear up, the brushes quiver and my canvases on easels become restless to meet me.”

At 10 AM sharp I am at my studio. It begins with mundane things like checking messages and mails and responding to them. But, at times, exciting official work like responding to a studio or an enquiry. I also scan through a few art websites to get the day’s news.

The next half an hour I dedicate myself to read. Over the last couple of years, I have tried to build a small library of sorts. From theatre to tribal art to textiles, and of course study material on masters – both past and present, and both international and national. Ganesh Pyne is one of my favourites and so is Jogen Choudhury for his bold lines. I also like to read about Chittoprasad for his fieriness, as also Bhaijju Shyam for his dare to dream attitude. Hockney, Sabavala, Nolde, Manida…all of them suddenly fill my studio and sweep away the quietude. Each one inspires me, tells me to pick up the brush and lets go off the apprehensions about acceptance/rejection that clouds my thinking.

I then take a deep breath and look at my canvases, brushes and paints - My time to talk to them and listen to them. Have I failed them? Poured enough love for them? After all, they are all my children. At times they do tell me a lot of things, their worries or even sentiments. But in the end, our conversations end on one note – pick up the brushes and tell your untold story, paint for the greater glory of life.

“Each one inspires me, tells me to pick up the brush and let go off the apprehensions about acceptance/rejection that clouds my thinking.”

And so, I pick up a conte or a charcoal block to draw the first lines. Slowly the rhythm picks up and the line between reality and imagination starts getting blurred. The brushes follow, then the scalpel or maybe the syringes and tubes of color. In between, sandpapers come and go and so are the colour pencils and ink. It’s the most satisfying period, as I lose count of time and what is happening around; detached with the world yet attached to my own that I have created. After a spell, I step back and then I am my biggest critic. It depends at what stage the painting is, and whether it satisfies me as it evolves. The next is to go back to it with double the effort, maybe start fresh or course-correct if the painting needs so.

Till I am reminded by a gentle buzz on my phone that it’s Lunchtime, and that 3 hours have just flown. I come back to receive my daughter from school and listen to her day’s story until I serve lunch to my family. The afternoon is spent reading a book, maybe a fast-paced thriller on India’s archaeological findings or behind the scene anecdotes of Sherlock Holmes or even short stories by Tagore. At times I find similarities with the struggles and frustrations of the Master Painters, and at times the laidback afternoon brightens up on finding similarities of triumph and hope with that of my own journey. This is my recharge time for the evening shift.

“It’s the most satisfying period, as I lose count of time and what is happening around; detached with the world yet attached to my own that I have created.”

Evenings are spent helping my daughter with her studies, solving Maths, explaining physics and giving her tasks while I head for my studio again. Enroute I pick up groceries and vegetables. And then, I am back at my studio for the next 2 hours, picking up from where I left in the morning session. I draw the curtains and look at the city’s night skyline, the reflection of dancing lights on the lake and soak in the breeze. I head back home again for one of the most interesting parts of the day – my chit chat session with my husband, friend, guide and philosopher. Till dinner time, when the whole family comes together over the table. This is the time our discussions veer from unusual to the most mundane of topics from films to music to cybernetics to biotechnology to philosophy to cuisine, except politics that is.

At 10.30 PM it’s time to listen to the Night Jar and the whispering trees, and then the dreams take over; preparing me for another day, for an unending journey to find myself, my true calling.

About the Artist: Born in 1975 Runa Biswas comes from the old side of Kolkata, India and lived in a house that was 100 years old, surrounded by a history of 300 years. There was art everywhere, surrounding her with its many hues, patterns, colours and smell. From a very early age, she was drawn to art; painting whatever evoked a sense of happiness and freedom. After procuring a Diploma in Fine Arts from Rabindra Bharati University and an MSc in Economics from Calcutta University, she dived straight into the world of colours, mainly watercolours, then on to more experimental forays with ink.

Currently, Runa Biswas is based out of Bangalore. Over 15 years or so she had been able to develop a highly unique artistic language, experimenting with various mediums, textures, tools, and concepts. She uses a mix of wash technique, layer on layer glazing, pouring, batik and brushwork. This allows her to combine the rigidity of bold lines with the fluidity of watercolor. Her subjects are mostly figurative, inspired by dreams, folklore, mythology, and personal moments that were etched in her memory. Her tools are as varied as her subjects - brushes, pens, palette knives, droppers, twigs, combs, and even her nails. With speed and timing being key, she has trained herself to be ambidextrous, using both her hands at the same time to implement different applications.

This is the final episode of the mini-series "My Creative Day" this Season. You can check out the FIRST, SECOND and the THIRD one by clicking on the links.

The World Stirs My Imagination - My Creative Day with Katarina Rasic

I don’t have a routine or a studio, therefore explaining my creative day is a difficult task,  expressing what inspires me is what I will aim for. The street is my studio. Scavenging for long-forgotten treasures in the busy markets stir my imagination; letting the cold water of the ocean touch my feet while I compare the sound of snow with the sound of sand under my feet.  Saying goodbye with my art to one home, so another could welcome me.

When I decided to change my life and leave my permanent home, which was the moment when everyday devoured me; MONOTONY ruptures life, I decided to resist it and started the journey of a lifetime.

“MONOTONY ruptures life...”

Still from the performance The Inside Story (Processes. Emotions. Food), Encounters, ArtO2, Mumbai, India, November 2017

Interestingly, my journey began in India, Bangalore to be more precise. I felt great creative energy and decided that I want to move. The movement will be my permanency and my driving force in creative expression.

In extension to my creative practice and as my everyday creative process is teaching, from the start, I felt it as an extension of one another. The teaching imposes questions that I often take into my art practice, it pushes me to experiment in my own work and creativity of the kids always brings new ideas into the process. My days are different from one to another and each place brings a new excitement of the discovery.

“The movement will be my permanency and my driving force in creative expression.”

Mumbai took my heart the first time I landed in the city. I knew I never wanted to leave. Do we call it home though we weren’t born there? Every time I travelled out I was eager to come back, I missed the stuffy smell of the streets. Humid touch on my skin, noise and business, Mumbai was like a living creature with a heart pumping fast, never stopping, never getting tired. I never saw a city like that, energetic, always on the go, sweaty and busy, loud and grumpy, shiny and excited in the nights and lazy and quiet in the mornings. I always found endless inspiration on the streets of Mumbai. I collected water from the potholes of the city to create art, bathed in the sea to make a conversation with the city and collected the memories of the people living there, but it was time to leave.

“I knew I never wanted to leave. Do we call it home though we weren’t born there?”

I landed on the opposite side of the world in Rio de Janeiro, around a year ago from now. Rio shook the ground under my feet, uprooted me, and then stole my heart. It was a place that deeply changed me, I would say my entire art practice too. It made me question my work and look into my creative expression. I always say the point when creativity starts is when we are out of our comfort zone but are we ever really move out of it? How do you go out of the comfort zone, when you are the one deciding on the move? Well, I learned how in Rio. I learned how to dance on the waves of the ocean. inquired into my art, and started breaking it to build new ideas.

Moving from city to city brings a new set of questions, interests and gives us new pieces of the puzzle. Now when I am in Bangkok, again there is no routine, each day floats to another, some are there to inquire and discuss, others to create and reflect. Exploring and learning about new places and cultures impact my work greatly.

“Moving from city to city brings a new set of questions, interests and gives us new pieces of the puzzle.”

Last but not the least, I like to have a good set of markers and sketchbook with me at all times, this is very important when traveling around. But to a great extent, my work is impacted by the experiences and objects I find on the streets, which I use in performances or as a driving force to come up with ideas for my work, slowly going from more physical creation of the work to the exploration of the concepts and ideas to be transformed into performances.

 “The only constant is change.” said Heraclitus, which is a creative process in itself, I say.

About the Artist: Katarina Rasic is a Serbian artist living and working in Bangkok. She spent 5 years in India and a year in Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. Rasic’s performances and paintings stem from her personal experiences and actions. Her performances draw us into the repetitive ritual-like practice, where her body becomes an introspective tool to unearth notions of home, belonging and identity deeply rooted in our collective memories.

This is the third episode of the mini-series "My Creative Day". You can check out the FIRST and SECOND one by clicking on the link.

Inspiration Strikes The Posterwala! - "My Creative Day" with Jayaram Ramachandran

"Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire, you will what you imagine, and at last, you create what you will." -George Bernard Shaw

These are some of the words I live by. To me, posters are not just colours on a piece of paper or photographs of people with no meaning at all. To me, a good poster is like an invention that has meaning, emotion and essence of the subject, using just the right hues and designs. As someone very rightly said, "A picture says a thousand words."

Very often people ask me where I get my ideas from and to be honest, I have no idea when an idea will strike and in what way, shape or form. The other day I was trying to think of a design for a book on Mr. Abdul Kalam for Bloomsbury and I just couldn't get anything. Then something came up and I had to get out of the house. I was in my car, on the road and in front of me was an auto on which there was a picture of Mr. Kalam and beside the picture, it was written, "You have to dream before your dreams can come true." That triggered a million other thoughts and I got my answer. That's the weirdest thing about being creative, you never know when inspiration is going to strike you! Sometimes you think you have an idea about what you're going to do but you just need that link that can get you a clear picture, and in my case, the auto was the link I needed to de-clutter my thoughts and a get a clear picture. This reminds me of a Steve Jobs’ quote that goes, "Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn't really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while. That's because they were able to connect experiences they've had and synthesize new things." The truth in his words is scary. But that's one of the things that gives birth to one of the most important aspects of design, curiosity.

“That's the weirdest thing about being creative, you never know when inspiration is going to strike you!”

I've been bringing my designs to life for about 18 years but one thing I've learned is that there's always something out there, something new, something bigger, something better. And that's something one shouldn't be furious about, it's something one should be curious about. Newer the material, the more relatable it is, and the stronger the connection. But even with all the material, sometimes I lack inspiration and that's when I turn to music. Music is something that helps me get into the story and gives me the feel of it. And for me, music has been a very important part of my life from the beginning, being the son of renowned Carnatic musician Palai C. K. Ramachandran. But when it comes to my art, I turn to Mr. A. R. Rahman because I believe that no one can make you feel emotions through a song like him. My fondness for him started decades ago. As a young man, most of my friends dreamed to become successful doctors, engineers and businessmen but I made it my life's purpose to go to Chennai and just get a glance of Rahman sir. When in Chennai, I used to peek into his house from outside the gate to see him even if it was only for a second and I always had this photograph of him so that I could get an autograph if possible. I tried getting into concerts as well and I tried many other ways to just get a glimpse of this man's face. Decades went by and it had been a few years since I made my mark in the industry. One day my friend from the industry called and said that we needed to meet someone but he wouldn't tell me who. We went in his car and when we were halfway there, I knew where we were going. I was on my way to fulfilling young Jayaram's dream, only this time, I didn't need to peek. Turns out "my inspiration" wanted inspiration to design the logo for his KM College of Music! I finally met my idol, took pictures as proof that I met him, not to show anybody else, but to prove to myself that all that wasn't just a dream. At our next meeting, I took the same photo I used to take to his house when I was a young man peeping from the gate and got his autograph on it. The old, faded, fragile photo, all of a sudden became all the more valuable to me. Dreams take time to come true but in the end, they do come true after all, and that's what is important. 

“Dreams take time to come true but in the end, they do come true after all, and that's what is important.”

As an artist, I'm hungry for inspiration, and inspiration exists from the smallest to the biggest of things. You'll never know when nature will inspire you. You'll never know when your friends and family or even a stranger for that matter, will inspire you. You'll never know when you will inspire yourself. If this inspiration adds to your originality, then you are unstoppable. Creativity neither has a beginning nor an end. My journey as an artist is a journey without a destination and of the thousands of images in mind, till now, this journey, with its twists and turns, has made the most unforgettable design in my mind. To more inspiration, to more surprises and to more autos giving me great ideas!

“If this inspiration adds to your originality, then you are unstoppable.”

Here's a video of  "Aliveni Enthu Cheyvu" a Mahesh Raghvan musical featuring Meera Sreenarayanan and Sreeram Ramachandran

Directed by Jayaram Ramachandran

Written by Jayaram Ramachandran and Sreeram Ramachandran

Jayaram Ramachandran who has a passion for colours saw himself getting into fine arts as a student and later into graphic designs. Movies always beckoned him and that led him to Ace Cinematographer-Director, Santosh Sivan. He never considered posters as a mere advertising tool but for him, it is a platform through which, he is able to express the movie maker’s thoughts and fantasies about their piece of art. He started his poster designing career with a few Hindi films and multilingual art films. It is through the Malayalam movie Pazhassiraja in the year 2009 that he gained immense recognition. He runs his Design shop Posterwala Design Company in Chennai and assists Mr. Santosh Sivan in various projects.

This is the second episode of the mini-series "My Creative Day". You can check out the FIRST POST by clicking the link.

14 Inspirational Voices - International Women's Day

Today is International Women’s Day. A day to focus on Women’s rights, discrimination against women and girls so on and so forth. In some countries, it is supposed to be a holiday while in most parts it is largely ignored. Though I tend to believe that this happens when we reduce such imperative everyday facets to just one day it also becomes a reminder of the sacrifice and courage the women before us endured and revealed. Each day is a Woman’s day and it is a celebration of her talents, dreams, aspirations, courage, and perseverance. Today in Hues n Shades, I am celebrating it with some super-talented, gorgeous women in the field of arts with their inspirational ‘voices’. They have stood the test of time and defined their sacred space. There are many more women across the globe who inspire one another every day. It is a celebration of all those known and unknown, legends and legends-in-the-making, beautiful souls. It is also a door ajar for the young to stride.

“Feet, what do I need them for if I have wings to fly?” ~ Frida Kahlo

Each woman, today, has the potential to fly, she only needs to realize it. A dream remains a dream when you fail to act upon it and when done alone, the moment you share it with kindred spirits it has the possibility of turning into reality. It becomes a collective dream. Each one of the incredible women has stressed here that nothing should bind us other than our highest inner truth. Each one of us has a heap to offer, it's not mere "ambition"; it's abiding by our inner voice, just being true to ourselves. As Anais Nin points out life does shrink and expand in proportion to one’s courage.

“I matter. I matter equally. Not ‘if only’, not ‘as long as’. I matter. Full Stop” – Chimamanda Adichie

14 Inspirational Voices:

Tanya Abraham - Curator, Kashi Art Gallery/Founder-Director of TAOS | Kochi

"I see art as a means of expression and a tool for change. Creativity is key in the 21st century, to facilitate human expression, understand conceptualization and encourage innovative thinking. We often tend to underestimate the power of the arts. Imagination and Creativity are, in truth, an important part of human life-Just like the need for prayer is. We can’t ignore art. It is a vital component of a healthy human life. When I am able to use art and work with artists to express, create change or to exhibit talent, it empowers me. My work at The Art Outreach Society is the testimony to my belief that creativity can change lives. Art on its own is empowering. When I indulge in it, there arises a sense of satisfaction which emerges from oneness with art."

Seema Kohli – Contemporary Visual Artist | New Delhi

"I think being a woman is just gender and it has made no difference in my perception of art. I paint to introspect, to answer my queries, my quest. But that doesn’t stop viewers or critics to see me as a certain gender. As an artist, I paint the feminine, the energy that is prevalent in all of us and is constantly expanding, creating and positively recreating this and many other universes. I paint the stories of sharing one single womb, through which we all have emerged, we are a part of the same single space having the same consciousness; so why this despair? Why these differences? Why these wars?"

Gitanjali Kolanad - Writer and Choreographer | London

"Art-making, as far as I know, anything about the process, is just a certain mode of attention, not letting the world go by in a stream, but being receptive to what it is always offering, and then letting that elicit wonder, questions, confusion. When I was a dancer that was an awareness from inside a moving body shaping patterns of movement. Now the struggle is to bring sensations into a form that can be put into words. But I still try to stay out of my own way as much as possible, to let forces beyond my conscious control take over. Being a woman is simply how I am an embodied being in the world. I find it impossible to isolate any quality, including in my art making, that is 'me' that is not also 'woman'."

Cecilia Levy – Paper Artist | Sweden

"Art is my life. It’s my passion and what keeps me happy and sane. It’s also my job and the main source of income, which means a somewhat strained economy that can be stressful at times. Being a full-time artist means giving up on the security of employment and a steady income. But it also means doing what you’re best at and loves most. My husband (also an artist) and I made an active choice many years ago. Being a female artist in the contemporary art scene today (how do you see yourself): The internet has brought the art world to me and my art into the world. Without social media I don’t think I could have persevered, my audience is mainly international. I’m extremely grateful for the internet, FB and IG. I am grateful every day for being able to do what I do, being exactly where I am, right here, right now. This fills me with immense joy. "

Ruchika Wason Singh - Visual Artist, Independent Researcher and the Founder of A.M.M.A.A | New Delhi 

"As a woman, an artist and a mother, I see my identities intertwined. My struggle has been to find a balance between the artistic and the personal domains in my life. This had led me to initiate A.M.M.A.A. Through my project A.M.M.A.A. - The Archive for Mapping Mother Artists in Asia, I seek to find space for voicing maternal experiences, creating opportunities and platforms for modules of art, for myself and for others. These modules are structured to encourage mother artists, whose commitments to their families require a more flexible model of creative platforms, which A.M.M.A.A. is aimed at. Through mapping, visibility and mobility, A.M.M.A.A. seeks to empower the female artists in Asia and those of the Asian diaspora."

Wyanne Thompson – Artist | Atlanta-U.S

"For me, Art is my way of life. It takes care of me, heals me and allows me to share myself with the world. I’ve worked as a full-time artist for the past 25 years. I never paid much attention or thought much about being a “female artist”. I know many would argue that there has not been enough focus on female artists. And I have seen it first hand in the contemporary art world. But, for me...I never really identified as a “female artist”. I have just always felt that I was an artist, and gender was not an issue. I consider myself lucky to do what I love every day. It feeds my soul and empowers me. I feel that art had a direct influence on my ability to fight and beat cancer. It is my passion and my healer, and fulfillment. Then to be able to share my art with others for them to experience, has to be one of the greatest gifts I’ve ever experienced."

Dr. M.Balamani - Art Historian-Critic & Cultural Analyst | Baroda

"I started learning painting as a hobby by the time my children started going to school. Incidentally, I learned about Art History & Aesthetics, a specialized subject in this field and joined the Master’s curriculum immediately. Whether field has accepted my writings on art as an art critic or the writing on art is suitable to my aptitude I have no idea. Thinking and writing about art, talking and lecturing about art has been taking me to those undiscovered thoughts of my heart. I started enjoying deeply. It has given me the opportunity to excel in academics too to acquire my doctorate degree combining Art, Culture and day to day aesthetics of life. Years passed and I never realized how many miles I crossed in this path and would love to walk many more such wonders of art."

Radha Gomaty – Painter, Sculptor, Creative Strategist, Writer | Kochi

"INTENSE ENLIVENMENT … those acutely inhabited moments, sharply lived, that came like epiphanies or visitations. This is the same creative zone that both precedes and permeates any artistic work process. It is inherent in the very Ground of just being Alive.  Art is just another one of its many subsets. Today I stand affirmed in my instinctive knowledge that Art is not necessarily objects-painting, music, sculpture, films...whatever it may be that one makes. Art is that process by which one keeps one's being in sparkling order, vulnerable receptive open cleared backed with the courage to walk the thin line, no matter what the circumstance. If one accomplishes this hack, then one can do anything with it or just be ...No matter what one does with it, there is this strong possibility that it invariably will be powerful, beautiful, inspiring and deeply effective."

Liz Ramos-Prado – Visual Media Artist | Peru

"For me, art is an essential component of our lives; it is a powerful force of expression and communication that drives emotion, ideas and intention in all of its different manifestations. In a world where individuality and the egocentric notion of “self” reign, Arts contribute to creating a sense of identity, questioning our condition of humans and reminding us the importance of being genuinely connected as a society. As an artist, I see myself as a contributor, a provider. I feed myself from nature, people, all the surrounding and life experience itself. Through my pieces, I look to enable people to connect with my works in an exercise of self-reflection about specific matters that will bring a more open dialogue. I look for the singular changes; if my work moves or produce a significant emotion to one single person, then I feel accomplished, that empowers me." 

Nalini Malaviya - Art Consultant, Curator, Writer, Author@Art Scene India | Bengaluru

"I see art as a tool for education, and as a means to spark creativity and innovation. Integrating art appreciation in the school curricula and in a viable form in the work environment can enhance creativity and facilitate the process of learning as well. As a consultant and curator, I work with galleries, contemporary artists and corporates on art projects, which broadly involves conceptualization, curation and writing. I see myself as an enabler – bridging the gap between art, artists and connoisseurs. I read somewhere that when you are offered an interesting opportunity, first say yes and then figure out how to go about it, and I follow that. I try to push myself outside my comfort zone with every new project and to learn along the way. The world is evolving so rapidly and there are new technologies and modalities of working that it is important to stay abreast. I feel, a constant focus on learning can be very empowering, and productive from a career perspective too."

P S Jalaja – Artist | Kochi

"For me, art does not stem from something fictitious but it ensues from the thoughts of our own objective-contemporary lives and the history-experiences of our own times. Research is the most important aspect of my work. It is in continuum with this research that prompts me to investigate my identity as an artist in this social system. It paves the way to understand the secondary status of women, to revolt against the power politics of authority for equal rights by being part of the sorority/community. I engage in compassionate experiments trying to stamp the circumstances, disasters, migrations, celebrations, assaults that people across the globe endure which is portrayed in my “Aalkootam” (Gathering) series. Boundaries are created by man for man. Wars, racial issues, caste-creed insurgencies, civil wars happen across the world and we witness history being repeated sometimes bloodier than before. I would like to appraise my art in the context of social responsibility. Art happens to be my medium where I move from one work to another with the intention of leading it to a healthy discussion of advancing to a different world unitedly and well-planned with love and imagination."

Ruby Jagrut – Artist, Natural Dyes exponent, Trustee Abir | Ahmedabad

How does your gender matter when it comes to art! I think we all have to do our journey on our own. Art has the power to bind us irrespective of everything. Art is largely the manifestation of emotions, experiences and ideas one feels. Contemporary art has broken stereotypes and moved away from traditional ways of expression. Art can’t be seen in isolation from oneself. I found my solace in paintings and the process of extracting colour out of vegetables and minerals. I find it therapeutic. The subtleness of colour keeps me amused every time I paint. I am available to my canvas with my vulnerabilities, childlike eagerness and honesty. We have to constantly seek inspiration, be greedily aware and available to our environment. Earning about new pigments, experimenting with new ideas empower me. Reading, listening to music, dancing and indulging with different art form helps me understand the complexity of the expression.

Priti Vadakkath – Visual Artist | Kochi

Art is a means of self-expression and communication. The process is also highly therapeutic for me, often my essential toolkit for survival. I am an artist because I have something to say, something to contribute to in the discussion and probably influence or convince my audience. There are varied roles I assume every day - as a mother, a wife, a daughter, a caregiver to a child with special needs. I believe all my ideas come from within and is informed by my immediate family, environment and the social context of my existence. Within all these spaces that I occupy, is an artist who interacts with, extracts from, and intervenes in society through her art and in doing so I continue to find fulfillment and empowerment.

Marie-Noëlle Wurm – Artist, Illustrator, Art Teacher | France

A big part of my process is trying to get to the truths at our core: connected to a natural world that is so much bigger than us, and to an infinite richness within—our capacity for self-awareness, for creativity, for growth. Art is an emotional language that connects us more deeply to ourselves, including the parts we shy away from: the sadness, the fear, the hurt—and shining a light on the darkness is how we transcend it. I’m able to do so much more than most women have, across millennia or around the world. I don’t take that for granted. I create art to give space to emotions, to our hidden selves—to reclaim space, a voice, a self. I try to speak my truth, and my life as a woman will always inform that truth. My hope is that it will inspire others to speak theirs. Art is a deeply personal journey but it’s also deeply universal—and that’s why it’s so powerful. In my own way, I try to honor that.

Let me conclude with these short verses: