About Arundhati
Who I am and where I am from?
I am a painter based in India. I was born in Kolkata and completed my Ph.D. in Economics from Delhi. Now I live and work in Jamshedpur, an industrial town filled with greenery all around and surrounded by hills and forest areas that inspires my art.
How did I start painting?
I have painted since childhood and have always been intrigued by colour and form. I have continued painting along with my studies, research and teaching as an economist and being an involved mother. Visual ideas always thrived in my head and sought to come out on paper or canvas. Over time I have pursued art with increasing amount of attention and consistency. My art, much like myself, is in a constant state of evolution.
Exhibitions
2024 April 15th -25th – Manikarnika Woman’s Kala Bhushan Award and Online Exhibition. Received the silver medal.
2024 April 25th – 30th – Nari Kala Samman Online Exhibition organized by Bharat Art Society.
2024 April 27th – 29th – “Summer Colour Carnival” at ICCR Kolkata
2024 June 4th – 9th – “Summer Colour Carnival” at Birla Academy of Fine Arts, Kolkata.
2024 July 22nd – 29th – “Hues of Hope” at Nehru Centre Art Gallery, Bombay.
Artist’s statement
What is my work about?
My work celebrates the simple joys of life. It may be nature, seasons, the sunlight casting a shadow or just everyday things. I want my viewers to find peace and tranquillity and an appreciation for the mundane when they view my work.
Why I make art?
Making art makes me feel good about myself. I feel gratitude to be alive on this planet and my art is a way to express that. If I do not make something for a few days, I feel smothered. All the visual ideas that come to my head wants to come out bursting.
The subject of my work
Nature – because I find peace and tranquillity in the presence of nature around me. The sunbathed trees, the mist in the morning, the light and mood in the rain, the sun and the shadow that creates magic on the ground restores my peace.
Interiors / still life – because it is one’s immediate environment that is a place to feel at home, and find stimulation to work. The forms, colours and light together make an interesting subject.
Human life – because the human form and the day-to-day existence interests me. Someone sitting in the sun, being busy with household chores, reading, knitting, are the things that gives me hope for life and be grateful for existence.
All this is worth celebrating.
Style
My art is representational. The sizes are small to medium. Use of colour is very important to me. I use subtle blend of colours. Nature and light are best presented in their varied colours. To bring out the mood, temperature and atmosphere, colours work wonders. I want to make a rather quiet impact on the viewer as my subjects do unto me.
After years of experimentation with various media, I have found my forte in oil pastels. My pieces deviate from the typical impasto style of oil pastel art, as I prefer to incorporate the elements of gouache and watercolour as under-painting to pieces that otherwise primarily use oil pastels.
Inspiration
Visuals, both pristine nature and mundane human coexistence with nature, inspire my work. I also draw inspiration from the great masters and contemporary artists. I am fascinated by the use of colour in Paul Gauguin’s work, the skills of Edgar Degas, and the compositional structures of Edward Seago’s landscapes. I am intrigued by the creation of atmosphere in the paintings of Geoff Masters and Adolphe Vallete. Among contemporary painters I am particularly inspired by the work of Felicity House and Janusz Kokot for their innovative use of pastels.