Seven Horses by Rose Marie | Photo credit: special arrangement
“We steal time,” says Preeti Prasuna, describing her effort to find time for her art interests amid her chores as a housewife. She is one of four housewives from the Akriti Art Group whose work was recently displayed at their fifth exhibition at the Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath.
The gallery walls tell the story of these four women’s attempts to make their mark as artists. These women draw inspiration from the beauty of nature, love for their families and the quiet moments of everyday life – their paintings speak of the power of finding creativity in simple things.
“Our goal is to make art and painting relevant and understandable to everyone,” says Purnima Avinash.
Purnima Avinash, Rose Mary, Preeti Prasuna and Snigdha Panda founded Akriti Art Group in 2021 to gain recognition as self-taught artists. “When we attended other exhibitions, we noticed that established artists were given special attention while people like us were often sidelined. This frustrated us as we believe every artist deserves recognition and that is why we formed Akriti Art Group. Despite having no formal training, we work hard and our art speaks for itself. We want to get the same kind of exposure that other artists get,” explains Rose Mary.
Purnima adds, “We charge our artists a very small amount to showcase their work in our exhibitions. We understand their struggles as new artists because we have faced the same challenges. Our aim is to give them exposure and help them grow as artists.” She adds that the place welcomes not only art lovers but also aspiring artists.
Tigress by Poornima Avinash | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
For these artists, their journey began not in grand studios but in the quiet corners of their homes. Preeti rekindled her passion for art after quitting her corporate job in 2016. “I got inspiration from my neighbour. I used to paint in my childhood but stopped because of my studies and career. After almost 20 years, I started again,” she explains.
Rose Mary’s creativity was influenced by her father, who was an artist himself. “Watching him piqued my interest and that’s where I got into art,” she says. Purnima and Snigdha are self-taught artists who learned through YouTube videos and their children’s art classes.
The exhibition featured a variety of works showcasing their artistic accomplishments. Each artist’s unique style contributes to a rich diversity of subjects and media, including coin and resin art.
“This painting holds a special significance for me,” Preeti said, adding that she painted a mother and daughter in 2021 as a tribute to her late mother. “This was one of the first three paintings I made after a long break. The first painting ‘Maa aur Teen Betiyan’ was sold out. The second painting in the series depicts my bond with my mother and sisters. It is inspired by us,” she said. “I made it in 2014, soon after my mother passed away.”
Reflections on fond memories by Preeti Prasuna | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
As new artists, they sometimes face less supportive visitors at exhibitions. “At one of our last shows,” says Rose Marie, “a man came in and, upon seeing my Seven Horses painting, criticised it, saying it was bad and should be removed. His words left me speechless and shattered at the time, but thankfully we usually get positive feedback, so hurtful comments like his don’t affect us too much.”
The founders of Aakruthi Art School also had a message for those who could not pursue their dreams due to other commitments: “It is important to prioritise yourself. In the beginning, your family may not support you, but it is important to persevere. There are many things that the family does not support, yet we pursue them. Self-love is paramount – you have to do it for yourself, whether it is painting or anything else.”
The fifth edition of the exhibition of Akriti Art Group continues at Chitra Kala Parishad till 26 May 2024
