'In Watercolor' - International watercolor festival in Ranchi

'In Watercolor' is a 4 country Travelling exhibition, whose Indian chapter will take place in Ranchi from Aug 22 to Aug 26, 2018
This exhibition is very different as its a small format paintings show (8 x 8" to be specific). Artists from the other participating countries will also be arriving in the capital city of Jharkhand and there will be demonstrations and other painting activities by the participating artists on all days of the exhibition
The list of Indian artists include the likes of Milind Mulick, Bijay Biswaal and other prominent watercolor artists of our country and I'm very happy to be a part of it! Really looking forward to this show!
Below is my painting that will be on display there :)

My feature in Pratique Des Arts magazine

Another happy news to share...

The popular French art magazine ‘Pratique des Arts’ has also published an article on my art in their latest issue. I thank the editors and the Publishers for the feature.

Featured in the Art of Watercolor Magazine

Very happy to share that The Art of Watercolor magazine’s issue # 31 (June 2018) carries a feature on me along with an interview about my thoughts and style of watercolor painting. And what’s more - The front cover features my bicycle painting, which incidentally, was sold just a few days ago in the US.
I wish to thank the editors and publishers of the magazine for the feature.

My painting at the 4th Silk Road International Art Exhibition

Honored to have my painting ‘Bicycle for hire’ accepted into the 4^th Silk Road International Art Exhibition in China. The painting is currently displayed at the Shaanxi Provincial Museum of Fine Arts, Xi’an and the exhibition will continue through October 7, 2017.

My art in SPLASH 18: The best of watercolor

Received my copy of the Splash 18: The best of watercolor in which my painting ‘Old companions’ has been included. Extremely happy and honored to be sharing the pages with so many great watercolor artists from around the world.

And what’s more...Was pleasantly surprised to see my painting on the back cover! Made the book all the more special! My sincere thanks to the publisher North light books and its editor Rachel Rubin Wolf.

My group exhibition in Coimbatore

My upcoming group exhibition will be in Coimbatore at Art Houz Gallery in Jenneys Residency. The show opens on 23rd June (Friday) and will continue till 8^th July. Exhibiting in the city after several years. Request my friends in and around Coimbatore to please drop by...

Featured in Watercolor Artist and Splash 18

Very happy to be featured as one of the artists in the latest issue of the Watercolor Artist magazine and also to be included in the latest Splash 18 magazine. Its an honor and a proud moment for me to be included in both these prestigious magazines and I wholeheartedly thank the editors and the publishers.
Links given below, if anyone wishes to order copies (both print & as digital download)
Watercolor artist - http://bit.ly/2qgJ8eo
Splash 18 - https://goo.gl/yCvsX6

Check out their video preview as well.

A refreshment break

'A refreshment break'

Watercolor on Arches CP 300 gsm

14 x 21 inches

This is my entry for 'Fabriano In Acquarello 2017', one of the biggest and prestigious watercolor shows in the world. This international watercolor exhibition will be held in Fabriano, Italy from 20 - 23 April, 2018 and I'll be travelling to Italy to attend it personally.

Go bananas

'Go bananas'

Watercolor on Arches CP 300 gsm,

21 x 29 inches

The city of joy, Kolkata, has some of the biggest markets in Asia, selling fruits and flowers and I love painting such market scenes.  I was amazed by the sheer quantity of bananas sold in one such market. This was literally a 'go bananas' moment for me.

PANCHA TATVA II - my group show in Bengaluru

Riding through the by-lanes

'Riding through the by-lanes'

Watercolor on Bockingford Paper,

21 x 14 inches

close-up

Painting published in Pratique Des Arts

Very happy to share that my painting 'Bicycle by the blue wall' has been included in the watercolor special issue of PRATIQUE DES ARTS, a very prestigious and popular French art magazine. I'm very thankful to the editor and the publishers.

My paintings at India Art Festival

India Art Festival (IAF), a leading modern and contemporary art fair in India is the only art fair that presents two annual editions in two different cities –Mumbai and New Delhi.

This year IAF is presenting its Sixth edition at Nehru Center, Mumbai, India from 06 to 09 October 2016 where a few paintings of mine will also be exhibited courtesy of artzolo.com

So if anyone in or around Mumbai is planning to attend the fest, do visit Art Zolo's booth (Nos. 71, 72 & 73) Thank you and have a great week ahead!

Harsh Sun

'Harsh Sun'

Watercolor on Arches CP 300 gsm Paper

14 x 21 inches

Apart from the lovely play of light and shadows, what moved me to paint this subject was the muse -the old woman sitting on the street protecting herself from the harsh sun while selling her items. The sun here is a metaphor for the harsh difficulties she faced in her life. She was forced to earn bread for her family at an age when she should be enjoying her last few years with her children and grand children or it may also be that she had no one now who would care for her.

Anyway, life is difficult for her and I have tried to depict this harsh reality in my painting.

Standing Tall Through Time

'Standing Tall Through Time'

Watercolor on Arches Rough 300 gsm paper

21 x 14 inches

This is a scene from Ahmedabad. The city still has such old and beautiful buildings which have managed to stand through the passage of time although sadly they are being brought down to make way for the new modern buildings. Some groups organize heritage walks in the old parts of the city which is an absolute delight for photographers and artists alike.

I found these neighborhoods and lanes so quiet and peaceful, a different world altogether, away from those bustling, crowded and chaotic arterial roads with their noise and pollution!

Also, this painting has been accepted for the '1st international watercolor biennial' organized by the International Watercolor Society, Thailand which will be held in Bangkok from 1st till 16th Oct. 2016. I'm participating as one of the Showcased artists in the biennial. I feel honored and very thankful to the organizers.

Evening Coffee

'Evening Coffee'

Watercolor on Fabriano paper 300 gsm CP

14 x 10 inches

This painting is one of my most favorites...a small piece, I'm very happy about and much fond of. You don't feel that way with all your paintings (until, of course, you sell them...lol)

Also this one has been chosen for the upcoming International watercolor exhibition in Budapest, Hungary from 9 - 25 Sep. 2016 organized by the IWS Hungary...yet another reason to be happy :-) I thank the jury and the organizers for the opportunity.

Spotlight # 2

Watercolor on handmade paper,

10 x 14 inches

Traffic near Mayo Hall

Watercolor on Arches CP Paper,

14 x 21 inches

This is one of the important landmark buildings in Bengaluru - the Mayo Hall. I did this from my reference photograph that I took when I lived there for a couple of years. The building was painted in white then. Recently it was changed to red, which might look good to people, but to us painters, particularly watercolorists, it might not be so because the red sometimes feels chalky/opaque and may get muddy thereby losing the essence of watercolors- transparency and vibrancy.

My selection in MINI CASTRA 2016

2 of my small watercolors have been accepted into the Mini Castra 2016 exhibition in Slovenia, Europe. Very thankful to the jury and the organizers of the exhibition.

'Catching the sun'

Watercolor on Fabriano paper,

7 x 10 inches

'Flower Market'

Watercolor on Fabriano paper,

7 x 10 inches

My Group Show Invite

You are cordially invited for my upcoming group show 'PANCHA TATVA' at Chitrakala Parishat, Bangalore from 5 - 9 Feb. 2016.

Please check the invite for more details.

Have a great day!

Certificate of excellence Award

Very happy to know that my painting 'The last light, Varanasi' has been awarded the Certificate of Excellence in the Palm Art Award 2015 contest in Germany! I thank the jury wholeheartedly.

And so I'm ending 2015 on a happy note. This year has been good for me and I hope the new year to be even better.

Let's welcome the New year with optimism and hope...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

My selection in the Shenzhen Watercolor Biennial 2015

'Varanasi Nocturne'

Watercolor on Saunders Waterford Paper,

14 x 21 inches

Extremely delighted and honored to have my painting – ‘Varanasi Nocturne’ included in the Shenzhen International Watercolor Biennial 2015, one of the most prestigious watercolor exhibitions in the world, to be held in December in Shenzhen, China. The other selected artists are some very big names in the watercolor world today and I'm super excited to share the wall with them!

View at dusk, Varanasi

'View at dusk, Varanasi'

Watercolor on Saunders Paper,

14 x 21 inches

I remember a quote by the famous pastel artist Harley Brown that in a painting, the center of interest needn't be big. On the contrary, a small center of interest when placed appropriately, becomes more powerful. This is well proved in this painting. The center of interest here is the bright illuminated part of the shoreline, which comparatively, is a small portion in the painting . This painting also serves as an example of dominant color scheme, which is blue here. The monotony of this blue space is broken by the introduction of complementary colors yellow-orange, thereby creating a contrast and drama in the painting.
Hope you enjoy it!

Rest

'Rest'

Watercolor on Arches Paper,

14 x 21 inches

This was inspired by the lovely shadows of the bicycle and the beautiful textures on the wall.

Morning Coffee

'Morning Coffee'

Watercolor on Saunders Waterford Paper,

14 x 21 inches

Glowing Awnings

'Glowing Awnings'

Watercolor on Saunders Waterford Paper,

21 x 14 inches

The 2015-2016 China/NWS Small Image Exchange Exhibition

Very happy to announce that my painting 'Udaipur Lane' has been accepted into the 2015-2016 China/NWS Small Image Exchange Exhibition.

The painting will first show in China in 2015 then in San Pedro, CA, USA in 2016.

'Udaipur Lane'

Watercolor on Fabriano Paper,

10 x 7 inches

My entries for CASTRA Biennial 2015

Happy to share the news that the following 2 paintings of mine have made it to the second round of judging in ‘Castra Biennial 2015’ which will take place in Slovenia from 29th August to 30th September.

'Towards a New Hope'

Watercolor on Paper,

21 x 14 inches

'Jodhpur Street'

Watercolor on Paper,

14 x 21 inches

Towards Howrah Bridge

'Towards Howrah Bridge'

Watercolor on Saunders Waterford Paper,

14 x 21 inches

PRIVATE COLLECTION

A preliminary small black & white watercolor study (5 x 7 in.)

From planning to execution

Today I’m posting 2 recent paintings from my varanasi series, showing how I plan and execute my paintings

Both have been painted from my reference photographs. In the case of 'Morning Ferry' there was a certain portion in the reference photograph in which I was interested. So in order to check the composition, I did a thumbnail sketch. I normally follow this procedure, if I'm interested in just a portion of the photograph.

 And once I like it, I do another sketch, this time, little bigger and in color. These studies give me an idea how the final paintings would look. Some changes can still be made if need be, at this stage.

Doing these small color sketches is much more fun than the final painting :-)

Here are the final paintings -

'Morning Ferry, Varanasi'

Watercolor on Saunders Waterford paper,

10 x 14 inches

'Varanasi Hues'

Watercolor on Saunders Waterford Paper,

10 x 14 inches

Flight

'Flight'

Watercolor on Fabriano Paper

10 x 14 inches

Selected for World Watercolor Triennial 2015

Very happy to share the news that 2 of my works 'A new morning' and 'Lanes of Varanasi' have been included in the 2015 World Watercolor Triennial in Seoul, South Korea. Honored to be part of such an event.