Looking back, there was not a distinctive day or a certain pivotal moment in life which awoke the art in me. It was a process of evolution and exploration; the deeper I looked within, the more I learnt about the world around me. Through each phase, my understanding of the world and my frame of mind translated in to colours and forms. Yet, my paintings still is a window in to everything I hold close; from the most vibrant shades of green and red during my childhood to the vast wilderness of Australia, I have experienced in my recent past. 

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Born in the southern-most state of India, Kerala, I was planted amidst the most serene of natural settings. Though I realized that in its full splendour, only much later when I had to migrate for work. Even during my childhood, I was taken to how the beautiful landscapes were translated in to art and then put to print, admiring illustrations from local magazines for hours and even saving some to savour for later. My inclination towards art was not met with much enthusiasm by my practical parents back then, due to their sheer concern for my future. But my conviction set my course for a college degree in Fine Arts. In my own time I took up interest in illustration, manual printing and photography. I even took up a job teaching art. It was then, encouraged by my father, I ventured in to advertising. I migrated to the city of Bangalore, within India, to pursue a career in a leading advertising agency as a visualizer. 

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It was without my own knowledge, a plan was set to motion for my migration to the Middle-East; which was a common phenomenon in Kerala back then. Initially I worked in signage, with exposure to international brands and publications my world view was expanding. However those two years were emotionally famishing and I coped with it by picking up a brush and dipping it in the colours of my nostalgia. Eventually I shifted back to Advertising and in the next two decades I worked in several of the Arab countries. While equipping myself with a multitude of technologies in illustration and visualization, I also travelled extensively in these countries meeting people who fell in to both the ends of the spectrum of humanity. It was here I experienced the extremes of humankind, shedding light on the beauty of religious conviction as well as the destructive power of intolerance, co-existing side by side. This insight, still has an inherent influence over my work. In these two decades I contently climbed up the corporate ladder to become a corporate art director, leading a life of success and luxury. By then I had overcome a sense of insecurity and had started to firmly believe in my skills as well as my ability to work hard. This faith combined with the desire for a well-rounded education for our children led to the decision of migrating to Australia.

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I was extremely positive about my professional future here, in spite of the initial hick-ups. Most of my adult life I have spent outside of my village; while I have felt like an outsider many a time, I had managed to turn the tide in my favour with my disposition to work hard and my talent, till then. Several opportunities sprouted with the robust career profile I had built, yet none extended it’s warmth beyond the initial conversation. For the first time in my life, however hard I persisted I remained an outsider. These rejections and the resulting financial instability dug a dark pit within me. I decided to focus on my art; it was with impeccable discipline and great passion I translated all my inner conflicts and contemplations in to paintings. My anguish and trepidations penetrated my paintings without my own cognizance, interlacing sombre shades of darkness in to it. 

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At a later point, I ventured in to the hospitality business with a friend. We established two restaurants at Sunshine Coast, the success of which encouraged me to take the bold step of setting up of a spacious restaurant with a gallery for exhibiting artists’ work at Montville on my own. The next two years I enjoyed multiple reassuring reviews and the success of my project. However it was a much conflicted time, since as a family we could no longer set our differences aside. Unfortunately due to financial liabilities, I had to give up on this venture of mine. It left me torn and it took me on a self-introspective journey through the far-flung regions of Australia. I reflected on my time here, my strengths as well as weaknesses. I fueled myself on the much needed inspiration, from the emotional and spiritual poise I ultimately gained. I took to my art entirely, yet again; in fact it’s the one place I could find solace. The inflections of these realizations I had, helped me bring a new dimension to my art. Currently I also work for the rehabilitation of the youth suffering from drug abuse. The more I see their struggles, the more I realize how we all have come so close to losing everything and yet we persevere. 

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Beyond my own life, I draw inspirations from several artists. Pablo Picasso’s success as an artist, the sheer reach of his art, has always influenced me positively. The self-inflicted exile and how Gustav Klimt translated that in to his art, attributing a magical glimmer to his paintings always enthralled me. Van Gogh persisted in spite of all his mental battles and continued painting, even though his art wasn’t appreciated during his life time. Because art played such a significant role in his being, he needed no other reason to keep painting; I identify with this emotion, intensely. Caravaggio, with his mental conflicts and in such a short life span, managed to capture emotions in his paintings with the dramatic use of black and other dark hues. This has resonated with me deeply. I hold Lucian Freud’s paintings in high regard, for his distinctive portrayal of the non-traditional models he picked. But the one artist who has influenced me beyond the rest, is Paul Gauguin. I draw inspiration from how he dedicated himself utterly and willingly threw himself in to a life of struggle for his art, after experiencing a life of luxury. Even though he had lived in Paris, the art capital of the world at the time, he embraced his move to Tahiti. He even lived with the native tribe there to observe and absorb the authentic flavours, which in turn led him to craft his own style of painting. His unique flair, influenced by his profound spirituality is reflected in his art. 

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I have persisted in my art for thirty five years of my life. Among those years, I have dedicated my life in its entirety to art during the past three years. As an artist I have created both realistic as well as surrealistic paintings, through the medium of oil painting, acrylic, water colours as well as ink illustrations. Over the years, my art has reflected my state of mind intuitively. As I have battled financial as well as emotional issues, estrangement and solitude over my lifetime, I have drawn immense strength through my fortitude, spirituality and my humble origins from a village in Kerala. Life holds infinite surprises for each of us, I have realized that our joy will never be as vibrant if we don’t go through adversity as well. I intend to continue channelling my abundant experience, the grit which keeps me hopeful, myriad colours and landscapes I have witnessed, to my paintings and hope to portray my evolution as a human being in my work.