My emotional life- support- Landscapes
Carrying on the legacy of age-old painting style, I paint landscapes, initially inspired by my place of birth, but still I continue to paint landscapes in spite of changes in location of living.
Whenever I think of landscape paintings that I have done, they bring back the honeyed thoughts that rejuvenate me and make me feel blissful. I am deeply attached to landscapes. Firstly because it replicates or depicts nature like, river, mountains, plains, fields, trees and light and shadow play, sea-side, garden, valleys, forts, temples etc. Secondly, I was born and brought up at Nira, a rural place which is full of natural beauty, temples, cozy houses, long paths with thicket on both sides, flowing water of the Nira River (the village is named after this river itself) and finally, the mesmerizing landscape paintings of my professor at Art school, in Pune, Prof. Vishwanath Sabale. All these have greatly influenced my mind.
Any landscape makes me emotional. The fact is, it is devoid of human element but there are elements in it which are mute and yet impress upon mind and heart, like, the nature and/ or our surrounding, which either can be rural or an urban. In fact every person experiences nature and the surrounding in which he lives and therefore seeing the same on paper and canvas in the form of painting does make one nostalgic and love to paint or simply observe it. I have painted forest and hill slopes, gushing waterfalls and also the cityscape of Mumbai and Pune.
For me these landscapes are not just the replicate of seen elements; but unseen too. Unseen element is- the ‘atmosphere’ which forms an important part of a landscape painting. It creates a certain mood, evokes emotions, makes you serene or go wild in thoughts. For example, when I paint river in cloudy or stormy climate I can feel the strength of water, the power its destruction power. Otherwise in normal climatic condition the same water flows swiftly and calmly. When I painted Mumbai’s Oval Maidan, it was quiet with a few people walking there, but otherwise it is hustling bustling during office hours and week days.
There is also contrast feeling when I paint sunrise and sunset. The birds leaving there nests early in the morning at sunrise and the same birds rushing towards their nest at sunset or dusk, makes me sensitive and I too long to be in my cosy house at Nira. On weekends I visit my hometown and then artist in me finds something unique in the same old place and I spend hours painting it. Landscapes have effect on one’s mood and so does it on me! Bright and gentle climate makes me happy and raises my spirit and dark, rough and gloomy atmosphere has totally opposite effect.
I sense landscape has wide range of passionate play. It has a Universal appeal. It is a visual documentation of the experience of places, wherever you go. Person of any age, gender or location will have same feelings as mine when observing landscapes. This is the reason that I still involve in painting landscapes and make my viewers emotionally close to what I feel.
I may take up other style of painting in future, but landscaping will always remain my first preference.
My passion for art never missed my parents’ eyes and they supported my decision to join Abhinav Kala Mahavidyalaya, at Pune. Quiet, tall and sturdy forts attract my attention. Serene environment of temple near water place makes me tranquil and meditate. All these years I have been detailing minute details of these places and I am appreciated by well-known and established artists from India and abroad. My paintings are in collection at india and other countries.
Now I live in Navi Mumbai (India) and work as a commercial artist (Graphic Designer). But staying at Mumbai has not altered or affected my aesthetic appreciation for nature and the surroundings of my place of residence.
I usually work only in water colours and acrylic. Even though landscapes have to be done on the spot and without premonitions, I do have a pre- planned image; of course that may not be exactly same as on the location but I pre-plan to capture a particular effect and reach the spot at least before an hour to get the desired effect. Till today this way of painting has worked well with me. I never give up the faith of my vision; I know that I still have to venture a long distance to get recognition in the world of art. But I am confident that I am a born artist and even if I am busy with other fields for living, I know art is my real passion and survival instinct.
Ramdas Thorat joined Fine Art America on November 25th, 2013.
