Artist of the month: Kathryn Wilson

Art is such a beautiful and universal language that is understood by all. It is a perfect medium to stimulate creativity and promote culture and what better way to send out a message to the world through colours! Kathryn Wilson, a dubai based artist creates harmony using different hues of blues and white in her paintings. I was drawn towards her painting displayed at Sununu Muscat, while I was attending a workshop there. Her work is expressive, vibrant and there is tranquility reflecting in all her art pieces. Most of her art work displays a perfect balance of swirling motion, colour and light. And her love for the sea is reflected in most of her paintings.

Let’s browse through her work and hear more from Kathyrn about her journey with art.

A brief about yourself

Originally from the Lake District UK, I spent my childhood growing up in Dubai. In 1998 I returned to the Lake District to continue my studies before completing a degree in Fine Art at Oxford University. In 2005 I moved to South East Asia to travel and work for a couple of years. I began painting with oils during this time, returning to work and live in Dubai in 2008. In 2016 I had a solo exhibition with FN Designs Gallery in Alserkal Avenue, Dubai. My husband and I are now renovating our house in Kendal and have just had a baby girl.

How did your journey as an artist begin? Did you have any formal training or is it self taught?

Looking back I think I was first inspired by sketches & letters that my grandmother would post me. She always had a cellar full of paints, brushes and paper for my sisters and I to use when we would visit her each summer. My father loves photography and I would spend hours looking through his photo albums and slides. We used to joke about all the rocks and trees he would photograph, then I found myself doing the same! When I finished school I studied an Art Foundation and went on to complete a degree in Fine Art.

Clean lines and translucent layers of colour in a circular format have become my signature style, with a love for cyan, indigo, turquoise and pure white. I am interested in Art for positive change and continue to look for ways of advocating this.

How would you describe your art style? What's your inspiration for your art work?

My work focuses on the force and beauty of water, exploring the use of light in each abstract painting. The ultimate traveller, water plays a vital role in everyday life. It wanders the globe and without it we would not survive. Trips along the coast inspire me, as does exploring wadis that are so beautifully sculpted by water. Photography is a useful starting point but I believe imagination and interpretation are key. I like not knowing where I am going with the work, each painting presents fresh challenges and a new way of considering the subject.

What is the most challenging aspect about your work?

The greatest challenge is usually making a start to a painting. Once the ball is rolling things tend to flow quite smoothly from there.

What is your creative process like? and what keeps you motivated?

I keep an ongoing moleskin journal of notes and drawings. Visiting galleries, sketching, reading and taking photographs keeps me motivated. I stretch and prime my own canvases in a home studio, collecting new colours, materials and brushes to work with.

Do you commission different projects? And how can people purchase your paintings?

I usually sell my work via galleries, a selection of paintings & prints are currently available to buy in Dubai & Muscat. I do take on commissions if there is a synergy between what the client is looking for & the style / ethos of what I do. Examples of previous clients & collaborations are on www.ka8z.com 

What is your favorite art piece that you have done till date?

‘Flow’ is a large circular oil painting (115cm wide) that I created for my solo exhibition ‘Saturate’ in 2016. It is probably my favourite because of it’s smooth layers & soothing colour palette. This piece signified a turning point for the collection and I hope to develop more work of this scale in the future.

Any tips or words of wisdom to aspiring artists who want to pursue a similar career?

Words of advice I would give to young aspiring artists would be to consider the authenticity of their work and their personal journey as an artist. Seek to learn ALL of the time and try not to be put off by disappointments along the way.

Thank you Kathryn Wilson for sharing your inspirational art journey with me and my readers!

Click here to browse through her website and follow her work.

All Images are copyrighted Kathryn Wilson

Annie Sloan Paint Workshop by Sununu Muscat

Learning a new skill always gives me an enormous amount of satisfaction. I have always loved doing my little DIY projects to keep my creative side alive but it’s been a while since I have actually sat and up cycled and revamped anything. Sununu Muscat was kind enough to offer me an introductory course in Painting your furniture or any surface using Chalk Paint by Annie Sloan. These Chalk Paints are non-toxic and works beautifully on any surface without priming and sanding – And most importantly easy to use and quick to dry. In the Introductory Workshop I was shown how to achieve a two-color aged look, a one color- aged look, a crackle look using heat, a flat smooth finish and a washed finish.  And to create different effects and textures, I was taught different techniques on how to use the soft wax that is clear, dark, black, and white. I let my creative imagination take its course and lead me to learning this new skill. It was absolutely a fun workshop to remember. It’s important to complete this course before you sign up for other courses offered at Sununu. Some of the other workshops they offer are Complete Chair Makeover and upholstery basics, Basic Carpentry workshops, Pottery painting workshop, Fabric printing and lampshade making, and lots more. If you wish to join and know more about their workshops in Muscat, please write to workshops@sununumuscat.com

Meanwhile let me give you a small tour of their store that is so cozy … apologies for the quality of my pictures as they were taken on my phone J

My work!

Our group who participated

You can follow them on their social media pages – Click here on Instagram and here for updates on Facebook. For those living in Muscat do try out their workshops to reignite your creativity!

Artist of the month: Mona Biswarupa

Mona Biswarupa, a Dubai based artist who I accidently bumped into on Instagram, allured me with her fabulous artwork. Her artwork is striking and there is a celebratory mode in each of her work. And the colors she uses are radiant. Most her work centers on female figures and silhouettes dedicating to women’s beauty and grace. And my personal favorite is the Sufi Series… those pieces are just breathtaking!

Have a look at some of her best art work and let’s get to know more from Mona herself…

 

 

Artist Mona at work

 

A brief about yourself

A small town girl from Odisha, with a small dream of living a life doing what I love and to leave the world with something others would love.

My dream took me to various places through various professions. Fashion design, Textile design, Graphic design, Academics and finally art! I am an introvert with a big volcano of ideas bubbling inside. I tried various languages to express them but could not.. Art is the only medium that understands me. So I am here to devote the rest of my life …understanding it.

 

How did your journey as an artist begin?

       Just like my father, I wanted to be a poet. But I didn’t know how to write…

       As a three year old little girl, I saw something beautiful in the alphabets, in the words and sentences.  I admired the way lines formed different shapes and stopped at various lengths meaning different things.. The beauty of those alphabets, the rhythm and melody in those words inspired me to draw some lines on a paper..  I stole my dad’s inkbottle and mom’s ‘Aaltaa’ to draw poetry on paper. But they didn’t look anything like my dad wrote.. They looked more like things I saw around me. Trees, the sun, birds, sky and the moon..  Sitting in the middle of my courtyard I watched the clouds changing color… My household was bustling with musicians and artists. Poetry, dance, music and literature were as natural as breathing in that house. Sitting in the middle of its courtyard, I saw seasons changing…I don’t know when I grew up. I travelled various countries for higher education and work. Lot of inspirations I drew from various cultures and people.. But somewhere I felt I am leaving something very precious behind. There was a big void. A recent trip back home changed many things… It was a monsoon night and I sat with my mom, two sisters and father around his old wooden table reading and humming his poetry.. It felt as if the world has stopped rotating.. We sat till daybreak reading, talking, singing and breathing poetry.. The simplicity in his words, the lyrical images that he had painted in those pages again stirred up my soul. With my husband’s support and encouragement I decided to quit my day job. I realized how far I was from my art, from my poetry.. ‘Art will not pay your bills!!’ Many well-wishers said many things as I walked out the corporate door.. But I smiled. That closed door opened a new door for me to a vast open sky. I wanted to write poetry in that big blue sky with my brush.

       The artist was always inside me.. Just that I never gave it a chance to talk.  Recently I stopped doing everything I was doing to listen to its muffled voice from deep within. I quit my 20 years old fashion career to give a voice to that artist. My journey has just begun and I am ready to go wherever the roads take me...  

 

Did you have any formal training or is it self taught?

For many years I kept painting without any guidance.  At the age of 13 I was fortunate to get the encouragement from my Guru, who spotted my talent and offered to guide me. For about six years I spent understanding free hand sketching and one of the most beautiful medium in painting, ‘watercolor’. I learnt a lot about life through those paintings. When water and color mix together, there is not much that you can do, the painting paints itself, and you are just a medium. I learnt to let go when a painting is beyond repair; I learnt to start allover again. I noticed, when I was painting, I felt an unique sense of nothingness at the same time a strange sense of being complete.. I realized, I needed to be in a creative profession. Got through the most prestigious fashion institute in India. I had some of the most wonderful teachers in the world who honed my artistic skills further. Many eminent artists visited as guest lectures to the institute sharing their knowledge and wisdom with us. . Learning for me has been an ongoing process. I learn each day. Till now I keep attending workshops in various institutes and art hubs to acquire new skills in different medium. And of course in today’s world of technology, learning is just a click away.

 

 How would you describe your art style?

 Not everything could be described, not everything could be defined… that’s why there is art !

My art is like a wild brook at the moment. . There is a long journey waiting ahead .I don’t want to direct it anywhere. The only thing I want to do is let it flow. I just want to paint, draw, scribble, spill, smudge and overwrite. . I myself am curious to know what my style would be in 5 years from now

If you talk ‘technically’ about my art, yes it is contemporary and probably would border Neo–Realism. Visually I would call it an act of balancing perfect and imperfect, reality and fantasy, chaos and control, expected and unexpected.

 

What's your inspiration for your art work?

Nature, both around and within, inspires my work. Amalgamations of these two forces reflect in my art. At times rhythmic and sublime, and yet another time a fiery duel.  The interaction between these two forces forms the vibrancy of colors, strokes and texture in my work. My roots, my culture, Poetry, music, my heritage, the tribal influence, my memories, my travels, my friends, the strangers I came across on the unknown streets ,the faces that I could never forget, the everyday mundane.. I see an inspiration in everything!!

 

What is the most challenging aspect about your work?

Since childhood I have had a special affinity towards Japanese culture and arts. There is a constant duel inside me between my love for the Indian Opulence as well as the Japanese minimalism. Though femininity has always been a common factor in my works, I am still searching for that middle ground where both my sensibilities are at peace with each other.

 

What is your creative process like? And what keeps you motivated?

Solitude inspires me. I am pretty happy with a cup of tea and my art materials. At times I keep staring at a blank sheet or canvas. Figures and forms as if appear and disappear on it inviting me to pin them onto it. Many times my hand just follows those silhouettes. Some other time while reading, listening to music or being in the middle of nature, some ideas come to my mind. At that time I get so impatient to give shape to that idea that few times I have ended up painting it on the back side of and in few cases on top of another painting. J  

 

Do you commission different projects?

Yes I do. Some of my best works are small in size. Many times I get requests for recreating similar ones on a bigger scale. For commissions I prefer the brief to be open-ended. Very strict guidelines and brief from the buyer restricts my imagination and takes the whole fun out of the creative process. 

 

What is your favorite art piece that you have done till date?

I have many pieces that are very dear to me. Some of them are with me and some are in their new homes. But I don’t know why, ‘Elephant in the Indian Monsoon'. A small piece of work in Ink and pen on Aquarelle paper remains very close to my heart. Each time I look at it, it fills me up with joy. Happy, carefree, in its own world… imperfect yet unique.

 

 

Thank you Mona for inspiring me and my readers with you art journey and your fabulous work!!! You have definitely inspired me to pick up my paintbrush again!! Keep it going and I hope to see your work in person.

 

 

If you wish to get in touch with Mona please write to

mona.biswarupa@gmail.com

And click here to follow her on Instagram and here on Facebook.

 

All images are copyright Mona Biswarupa

 

Artist of the Month: Deepshikha Mammen

I have always wondered why abstract and minimalist art is so appealing. I believe it’s because the creativity within the artist is just flung on to the canvas which illicit new imaginations within the viewer. It’s filled with exciting monochromatic palettes of bold colours, textures and basic shapes, breaking away from the traditional form of painting. And these elements attract an emotional response and imagination from the viewer. It’s my pleasure today to introduce Deepshikha Mammen, an abstract and minimalistic artist, whose work reflects a distinctive style with emotive use of colour.

 

Have a look at her beautiful work and scroll down to know more about Deepshikha and her art journey.

Tell us a bit about yourself

I am from Haryana but born and brought up in New Delhi. The earlier years of my schooling were from modern school Vasant Vihar New Delhi but later I shifted to Welham girls’ school in Dehra Dun. I completed my Bachelor of Arts degree from St. Stephens College and that's where I met my husband who is from Kerala. We lived in Melbourne for 8 years and now we are back in India with our 2 Sons.

How did your journey as an artist begin?

My journey as an artist began from the time I saw my mother paint. At age 2 I was introduced to paints by her and loved the idea of filling a crisp white sheet with colours. I always thought she was brilliant. I painted away right through my school years but stopped in 1996. After 1996 it was only in 2010 that I had the courage again to paint. It was in Melbourne after my kids were born that I felt like painting again. My husband’s encouragement made me walk down to the art store down the road from our house and from there I began my journey as an artist once again. Since then my mother, my husband and his family have been a great source of encouragement and support.

How do you define art?

For me art is an expression of a moment or time. It's a feeling and a though which I put on the canvas. Art is beautiful. It is the frame of your mind. You can get to know a bit about a person by walking into their homes and learning about them through their choice of art and deco. Art defines people. It defines you.

What medium do you work on? And what's your inspiration for your work?

The medium I work with is acrylic on canvas. It's a fun medium and basically very easy to work with. My work is inspired by 2 people as of now 1 being the late artist Mark Rothko and the 2nd being my mother Renu D Singh. I have learnt a bit from both their styles.

What is the most challenging aspect about your work?

Selling my work is the most challenging aspect for me. This is mainly because I am not a very social person any more as I was a decade ago and art is something which needs to go places. This may sound strange, but sometime I find it hard to part with some of my own art work! But reality is that you cannot keep it all for yourself even if they are your favourite pieces.

 What is your creative process like? And what keeps you motivated?

 "Colours" are what keeps my creative process going and they are the main motivation behind my art. They are beautiful even in a jar.

Have you had any exhibitions? What have you found to be the best way of getting your art noticed by buyers?

I have never exhibited my art at fairs and studios. It's sold primarily through word of mouth. People buy my art and hang it in their homes and their friends and relatives contact me after viewing my work. My husband and father in law forced me to put up my work on the web and initially I was reluctant but am glad now since it reached others who I have never known.

Any tips or words of wisdom for inspiring artists who want to pursue a similar career?

I am too small an artist to give wisdom to inspiring artists ...but as a person who is having fun with colours the only tip I can give them is this - "paint when you are happy and paint when you want to relax. Don't let criticism of your art ever stop you from painting".

 

Thanks Deepshikha for sharing your art journey with us and inspiring us to unleash our imagination!!

Please click here if you wish to get in touch with her and click here to hop on to her website to view her work.

 

Images via Deepshikha Mammen

 

 

 

A New Journey Begins...

Painting is just another way of keeping a diary.”
― Pablo Picasso

I embarked on a quest to find my creative side… and slowly ventured into acrylic painting. I recently finished my first art piece and it gave me a sense of accomplishment in creating something beautiful and to see the happiness it brings to someone else and love the painting, is the most fulfilling compliment I can ever ask.

So here goes my first art piece... definitely not perfect but happy with what I have created

 

I always believe that we all have some hidden talents that we need to tap. God has gifted us in many ways and it’s up to us to cultivate our talent. And I hope you all get to do the same.  Discover your passion and do more of what makes you happy. And if you have already done so, then just enjoy every minute of it.

 

Art of Stained Glasswork by Kamla Ravikumar

Kamla Ravikumar, a professional artist and an interior designer by profession has designed and decorated residential and commercial spaces in Chennai. Her fascination for colour, light and stained glass led her to pursue training to master her skill in Tiffany Style Stained Glass in US. Her rendezvous with stained glass painting continued and has created some beautiful glass panels and doorway arches that are adored in many houses in India. Kamla’s creativity has spread into the world of art and has held several exhibitions of her paintings as well. She also teaches at Studio-41 in Chennai, the art of drawing, painting, pottery, Tanjore glass painting, Tanjore painting, stained glass painting, fabric painting, shibori and Tiffany style stained glass.


Here is a glimpse of her beautiful work

Click here to learn more about Kamla as an artist and here to learn more about Studio-41 the Art Workshop. If you wish to get in touch with her you can write to her at kayarkay@gmail.com


Images via Kamla Ravikumar

Artist of the month: Jennifer Stelco

I happen to come across Jennifer Stelco’s page and I just fell in love with her paintings. Jennifer is an Australian, Dubai based artist who works in oil painting, collage, dry point etchings, mixed media and speed painting.

Jennifer began her Fine Art degree at Newcastle University, Australia, and then finished it on scholarship at Bauhaus University in Weimar, Germany. Jennifer relocated permanently with her husband to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates in 2010. Jennifer's art has changed and grown through experimenting and occasional failure. Her work is mostly exhibited in solo and group shows around the world.

Most of her painting show movement and expression and are very colourful inspired by the impressionists and expressionists of the 20th century. My personal favourite is her collage work.


Here is a glimpse of her beautiful work

If you would like to get in touch with Jennifer to know more about her work you can email her at jstelco@gmail.com and click here to access her website.


Images via Jennifer Stelco