Veena Tamboora - painting available at ArtFlute.com

I love the lilting sound of the string instrument Veena. Especially when it is played by the nimble fingers of a female artist. I look forward to 'Navrathri. festival time when many artists get together to give wonderful performances. The accompanying instrument is the Tamboora in the background.

Veena Tamboora

acrylic painting on stretched canvas

size 24x36 inches

Click HERE to purchase the original or a print of this painting in India.

Bharatha Naatyam 1

Bharatha Naatyam 1

Acrylic painting on gallery-wrap canvas

size: 30x24 inches

On display at the 'LAYA' group art show at Chitra Kala Parishath Art Gallery

Click HERE to purchase a print of this painting.

Bharatha Naatyam 2

Bharatha Naatyam 2

acrylic painting on gallery-wrap canvas

size: 30x24 inches

on display at Chitra Kala Parishath Art Gallery

Click HERE to purchase a print of this painting

Bharatha Naatyam 3

Bharatha Naatyam

Acrylic painting on gallery-wrap canvas

size: 30x24 inches

Click HERE to purchase a print of this painting.

on display at Chitra Kala Parishath

Namaskaaramu - in Kuchupidi - painting by Usha Shantharam

Namaskaaramu - in Kuchupidi

acrylic painting on gallery-wrap canvas

size: 30x24 inches

LAYA series of classical dancers - paintings

Exhibited at Chitra Kala Parishath Art Gallery - Bengaluru.

Visit Fine Art America to purchase a print of this painting.

Dance of Mahishaasura Mardini - in Kuchupidi - painting by Usha Shantaram

Dance of Mahishaasura Mardini - in Kuchupidi

size: 36x36 inches

Acrylic painting on stretched canvas

on display at Chitra Kala Parishath Art Gallery

Dance of Mahishaasura Mardini - This painting is special to me for two reasons. 

1. Mahishaasura Mardini is an incarnation of Goddess Durga who had slayed the Demon Mahishaasura to save the people from his cruel ways. We celebrate this win of the Goddess - good over the evil - during the Navrathri festival every year for 10 days.  

This painting happened to get displayed at Chitra Kala Parishath Art Gallery on the first day of Navrathri Festival. 

2.  Another reason for this painting being special to me -   Even at the under- painting level during the making of this painting, I got a call from London BBC World News Hangout requesting me to take part in a live online Hangout on BBC, to discuss the topic 'What makes Art Iconic'.  

It was a wonderful experience to be discussing - 'What makes art iconic' with four other illustrious artists from around the world, with the painting Mahishaasura Mardini displayed at the background.   This  program was hosted by none other than Mr.Will Gompertz - BBC Arts Editor, and Mr. Benjamin Zand - producer/BJ at BBC World. 

I was extremely happy when Mr.Benjamin Zand referred to my painting as - 'wonderful piece of art' during the show. ( at 14.30 min) 

 I will remember this day forever. 

You can watch the BBC World News Hangout on YouTube Here. 

Shringaar Ras - Odissi painting.

I have always loved the grace and style of Odissi dancers.  Typical dress code being the Mogra flower crown and the waist band.

Smooth movements along with the 'Bhava' (facial expressions) make this dance style a favorite of mine. Odissi dancing by this beautiful couple during the 'Kahajurao Festival of Dance' was a pleasure to watch.

Shringaar Ras

acrylic painting on gallery-wrap canvas

size: 30x24 inches

LAYA series of paintings

Displayed at the 'LAYA' group art show at Chitra Kala Parishath Oct 2013.

Visit Fine Art America to purchase a print of this painting.

Krishna Nee Begane Ba Ro - LAYA series of classical dancers painting

The 'Bhava' (expression on face) of the male dancer reveals his love and admiration for Lord Krishna.  I was reminded of the song 'Krishna Nee Begane Ba Ro, which became the natural title of this painting.

Painting a male dancer was interesting. A wide neck, broad shoulders and slim hips - all were opposites to painting of a female person - and yet dancing with such dignified ease and grace caught my attention as I watched this dancer perform at the 'Khajuraho Festival of Dance'.

Krishna Nee Begane Ba Ro

acrylic painting on gallery-wrap canvas

ready to hang, framing optional

Size: 24x36 inches

This is one of the seven paintings I had displayed at the 'LAYA' - Rhythms of Nature and Dance - Group Art Show held at Chitra Kala Parishad from 4th to 10th Oct 2013.

Visit Fine Art America to purchase a print of this painting.

Mother and Child - painting

Mother and Child

acrylic painting on canvas

size:  12x9 inches

indian mother art

I always admire the way an Indian mother carries her child - however big he/she is.  Maybe it is time to walk for this child.

To Shopping with Mom

To Shopping with Mom
acrylic painting on canvas
size: 12x9 inches

indian culture art
The love of the parent for the child, and the trust of the child for the parent is an amazing and natural phenomena.

Amma's Grip Leads

Amma's Grip Leads

acrylic painting on canvas

size: 9x12 inches

india acrylic prints

First  painting on the year 2013. A mother's love and guidance is God's blessing to us. 

Sound Sleep

Sound Sleep

acrylic on canvas

size: 12x9 inches

indian canvas prints

Sound sleep in amma's shoulders even in a crowd. 

In Safe Hands - painting

In Safe Hands

acrylic painting on canvas

size: 12x9 inches

people art

Safe in Papa's hands even in a crowd.  A father's loving arms are sure comfort to a child.  Sightings like this always warms my heart and it does not take me long to transform it into a painting. 

Painting of SriDevi - Indian actor par excellence

SriDevi in Mr India

acrylic painting on canvas

size 16x12 inches 

figurative paintings

Indian actor Sridevi has been my favourite ever since her first appearance as a child artist in the Tamil movie 'Kandan Karunai'. I have since then followed her journey in the field of cinema firstly in the Tamil film industry, then the Telugu film industry, and then the Hindi film industry. I truely missed her during the past 15 years when she disappeared to fulfill her duties of being born a woman.  But now I am so happy that she has come back with a bang to entertain us all with her amazing performances.  It was a pleasure painting this phenomenal woman whose screen presence has always left me in awe.  Having performed wonderfully in all the major languages of Indian cinema, she can truly be called - an 'Indian actor par excellence'. 

This painting is an imaginary scene from the film 'Mr India'. In this movie, Sridevi is in love with an invisible man called Mr India (played by actor Anil Kapoor), performs a scintillating dance even as she is being watched in the background by the invisible Mr India.  

A small tribute to her in the form of a painting. 

Comfort Squat - digital painting

Comfort Squat

figurative painting

medium - digital

size 13x16

I have noticed this common squat posture among village people and found that they can sit like this for hours because they find it very comfortable.  Probably it is a healthy posture too. How long can you sit like this. 

Digital Painting of a 'Ther' - Temple Car

Ther

Digital Painting

size: 6x8

Meylum - drumming for auspicious occasions - digital painting

Meylum

digital painting

size 9x12 inches

The Meylum is a wonderful drum instrument played squatting on the ground comfortably- legs crossed. Having its roots in South India, this instrument is still played during weddings and auspicious occasions and in Temples along with the Naadaswaram (pipe instrument).  I decided to paint this digitally when I still have the chance to portray it, hoping that this fast dying art will live on forever. 

Veil Woman - digital painting

'Veil Woman'

digital painting

Inkjet print on canvas

size: 10"x13" 

Man in Turban - digital painting

Man in Turban

digital painting on canvas

size: 12x16 inches

Body Language - digital series

         

Painting of 'The Donkey Herd'

THE DONKEY HERD

As the sun was almost overhead and behind the herdsman, I painted only his silhoutte.  The yellow colord plastic water pots were glowing in the sun.  The donkeys as usual - were doing the donkey's work.   

'The Donkey Herd' is an acrylic painting on canvas of size 16"x12".    To buy prints of my paintings on Fine Art America, click on

india paintings