Without black, no color has any depth
Without White, there is no brightness
Without colors, there is no life

Together all create “Art of life” with depth and brightness

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       I was always artistically inclined but did not get any formal training. I have a Ph.D in Social Work and worked in the field for more than a decade in India. While working as a professional social worker, I got exposed to different forms of folk arts in their natural setting. I was really intrigued by uniqueness of each, but two impacted me the most, Warli art from the state of Maharashtra and Madhubani from the state of Bihar. While Madhubani art uses vibrant colors, beautiful patterns, and the intricate use of lines, Warli art is created with very basic graphic expressions: a circle, a triangle, and a square and is done only in white. It was only after moving to the United States I started painting. Initially I created paintings in each style but then started fusing two folk arts.

       My work is mainly around nature-oriented themes: fish, a symbol of good luck and fertility, Sun, a symbol of light and prosperity, birds symbolizing love and freedom, and snakes, a symbol of the divine protector. Balancing and creating a rhythm between the two-art forms is key to the fusion. The painting is done on multimedia paper using watercolor, gouache, acrylic colors, and an archival waterproof pen. First a free hand sketch is made in pencil, followed by outlining with a waterproof archival pen or with a nib pen dipping in acrylic ink. Once the composition is fully outlined, the colors are filled in. To get the fusion style I paint the paper in black or brown and then do the Warli style in white acrylic color. Each painting is a free hand sketch and a unique composition.

       I started painting as a hobby but it has become a profession. I have researched the two art styles in depth to understand the symbolism and meaning behind each style and its evolution. Creating art makes me happy, and it provides an avenue to express meaningful thoughts. Being a researcher and social worker, each of my works is created with a message or symbol attached to it.