The lady and her easel

“I believe and hope we are paving a better future for female artists to come.” — Paula Cole. Indeed female artists from namma city are making a mark. There has been a spurt of women artists who are moving to higher ground by creating wonderful works of art and exhibiting them to a larger audience. One such show is set to take place in the city’s Reeves Art Gallery by artist Lovina Khemlani in Stillness and I, an art show by Lovina. Lovina has been a self-taught painter for a while now, and has been learning the nuances of painting thanks to her association with another senior artist Dinesh Magar.

Lovina’s first solo show in the city is a combination of varied diverse works, a journey of experimentation and exploration in which she has tried different techniques and mediums, one of them being the use of alcohol ink, which the artist says is new to Indian artists. This gives a unique feel and sheen to the artworks. There are works, which also have been made on a mosaic tile, which in turn show the artistic prowess of the artist in how she gets some magnificent textures. Expressing her inner world through colours, shapes and forms on a canvas is as natural to her as breathing. The paintings that you will see in the exhibition are a result of what was channeled through as she connected to what she calls the Stillness within me. A stillness that she believes is the essence of all Creation. She plotted out the colour schemes, and vivid colours pour themselves onto the canvas. She claims that she  doesn’t understand the process nor is she focused on the results. The flow takes over — or more aptly stillness takes over.

She explains, “The art show is like a dream come true for me. I have tried to use a lot of techniques through a lot of experimentation. I am sure the audience will like the versatile aspect in my works.” While Lovina is ready for her show, fellow women artists in the city in the past few weeks have been going all guns blazing. City-based self-taught artist Vinita Jalan who is also part of the Rotary Bangalore held a workshop-cum-art exhibition at Chitrakala Parishath which gave a platform to many budding artists. City-based artist Geetanjali Chatrath too holds monthly art and wine events which catch the youngster’s attention. It is a proud moment to see the city’s women artists take centrestage and it only augurs well for the future. Here’s to women power in art.

The writer is an art expert and curator.