An expression to embodiment -----Folk Art (Part-1)

 

As soon we open our eyes, we witness a world painted by nature such meticulously coloured which can't be reproduced until an artist strokes & colours

    I started professionally, painting at an age of 15. Initially it was just an inspiration that came vividly while viewing a scenery painted by someone else, after these long years right now I really don't remember the name of the artist for which I request you all to please accept my apologies but I tried really hard to produce a replica of it which was so intriguing to me at that point of time. After few armature attempts of rejections of reproductions I produced my master piece and painted the same piece in my 10th's exam. I got a distinction in it. Hereafter, it was just a hobby to produce replicas of paintings either painted or clicked photography of someone else which was a natural course of learning as far as I understand it now. Later on I sold them under my own signature with minor or major modifications which were my learnings at that age about paintings. It was an armature connecting to creativity as rapidly after it I engaged myself to other creative outcomes just to express and get repaid for my efforts. Lingering on with the passage of life, the hobby died down deep within with financial centred motives as in career path I increased my focus on studies and later on engaged myself with my job. 

    In course of these long years of hard work now whenever I steal time, I surf through internet, art exhibitions to rekindle my passion again. Truly said, "Art is just an expression and embodiment of the artist's expression rather the actual wholesome." I fundamentally developed a liking for the Folk Art through these homework, specifically the Madhubani Paintings as it was so crude at the same time expressive to utmost creativity. Madhubani Paintings for the world is a modern find by chance as it came to knowing by the Government officials whom were in the vicinity of it while managing a catastrophic situation in the region. They soon reported and promoted it to overcome their burden. 

    Madhubani Paintings are basically murals on the outer walls of the Madhubani region's houses with natural colours produced by plants where specifically women paint their outer walls on auspicious occasions to mark happiness & festivity. It is a symbolic representation of the past events of historicity where the current event is related to. Otherwise it express the mythological events to safeguard, secure positive vibes for the house or to increase the harmony of the houses. 

    The raw folk art-Madhubani Paintings, prepared on the freshly plastered or mud walls with natural colors; loads of Black, White, Blue, Green, Red, Yellow & Saffron extracted naturally from plants and are used without shades are indigenous to the tiny villages of Jitwarpur & Ranti of Mithila Region of Bihar-India, is one such art which gives a hard butt in your belly to churn out all your filth and garbage of emotional turbulence and provides a chance to inhale something fresh which is soothing, significant, purposeful yet simple.

    Originally, auspicious Madhubani Paintings started as a community art work; women of village gathered together to produce a single art work on a mud wall, freshly preparing natural colours from plants and complementing each other with their vision & artistry; singing together gaily as it was produced at some special occasions like marriages, festivals etc. At past the folk artist used cotton tipped bamboo sticks and stiff twigs to serve it as now brushes presently replaced by synthetic colour and modern round brushes.

    Artists interpret The Madhubani Painting, as at first to made rough sketch then explicit drawing of subject matter is completed with gallant strait and curve lines. In-conclusion, the drawing is filled with different colours whenever it is required. The colours in the arts are applied flat and the figures are rendered with double outlines with the space in between filled with thin crosshatchings or slanting lines. The themes of Madhubani Paintings have always been inspired by either mythological characters of ancient texts, special life events of these textual characters, or simple and soothing beauty of nature, flora and fauna, auspicious animals, sun & moon etc. The daily life style has also inspired the artists to draw a few painting to memoir it.

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