Artist of the Month

Ashok Ujjanavaru

I was born on 6 February 1978 in Holagundi, Karnataka. I completed my art studies in 2000 under the tutelage of R M Hadapad in Ken School of Art, Bangalore.

I'm from a village where festivals and jaatras were common and I grew up in an atmosphere of activity and people. When I moved to the city, it took me quite a while to get used to it. My words became fewer. I spoke less with people. But my vision didn't change. Life in the city is filled with hard-working people who run about in their busy lives, with buildings, and with people who don't have a moment to stand. My inspiration for drawing is the silent, peaceful observation of all these sights. They became subjects of my art. Buses, lorries, autorickshaws, the old lady who sells leaves, the women who tie flowers, the many buildings of the city, the crowds, the vehicles, the traffic. This urbanscape became my focus. I constantly try to bring in my art the realities of life, the desires of people, and their joys. 

I'm sharing a little about my work flow:

Typically, when I draw images from nature, after I finish drawing the sight that I've chosen on a particular day, if I find the picture beautiful and if it has brought me satisfaction, then there are times I've done the same drawing twice or thrice.

What I've learnt while drawing nature is that if I find a place to be enchanting then I tend to make multiple drawings of the same sight. If the first time I have done a realistic sketch then I wonder how it would look if I made a rough sketch the second time. Is it possible to make the second drawing different from the first? I think about it. If I change the medium and the tools the second time, will it be more beautiful? If the second attempt is superior to the first, can it be made even more exquisite? If the first drawing was done with a great deal of patience then how about making the next one with rapid strokes and rough lines; if the first drawing was done in monochrome, what will happen if colour is introduced the next time? If the first was done in pencil, how about doing the second in pen, the third using mixed medium technique, and the fourth using colours? These questions constantly arise in my mind.

The reason behind this thinking is the quest for finding out if there is a difference in style between one version of the drawing and the next. If one drawing is realistic then another one could be decorative and yet another could be focussed on the medium. If one creation exhausted our patience, another one might have made us peaceful. If one work looks ornate, the other might connect one with reality. If one painting wastes our time, another might make us realize the nature of time. What all experiences are in store for us to realize! It is only then the inner strength of the artist grows and develops. From the point of view of becoming an artist, from the point of view of someone trying to understand the truths of life. All this we must understand by means of practice; only then we will realize the simplicity behind the difficult. It is through such practice that we cultivate a style of our own. 

Drawing and perspective are my passions. I find lot of solace in books. In my free time, I love to read and walk around the forests.

Regards
Ashok U