Creating art can be a therapeutic way to destress. When done in groups, it can bring out unexpected synergies and fresh ideas. The art jamming session hosted by the newly-opened Dys Art Gallery saw senior artists, amateurs, art students, crafters and children spend two days creating an amalgamation of art works.
The concept of social art jamming has been on the rise worldwide. “This form of creativity has many advantages. When you have established artists, students and amateurs sit together and make art, the interaction and exchange of ideas give rise to a new artistic perspectives,” says Gladdys Rathi, owner of the art gallery, adding that their objective is to build a creative community. “We plan to make it a regular feature and host monthly jamming sessions,” he adds.
The first day saw senior artists and Fine Arts faculty like Sistla Srinivas and Ravi Kattakuri offering tips to the participants. On the second day, school students and crafters participated and created art works in diverse mediums. All the participants were given Hahnemuehle paper of different grammage and textures.
D Phaneesha, a sculpture student of Andhra University's department of Fine Arts, opted to create a high relief work with plasticine. Pilla Reethi chose to experiment with lamp soot on paper, creating a hazy texture. Another participant worked with bright phosphorescent colours.
Artists, amateurs and students involved in their works at the art jamming session at Dys Art Gallery in Visakhapatnam. | Photo Credit: KR Deepak
For Bharati Nayudu, who came from Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, the experience was encouraging. Bharati is a crafter who works with distress inks and pigment inks on paper, using techniques like ink blending, stenciling and stamping. "Sitting together with established artists who were appreciative of my work was a huge motivation for me as a crafter. While I learnt many ways to experiment with colours and different mediums by simply watching them work, the art students were equally excited about my stamping tools and the type of inks I used," says Bharati.
Her 14-year-old son Ishaan Nayudu learnt the nuances of making an abstract art with acrylic paints by Anita Rao, an artist and student of Fine Arts. "I was inspired by the works on display at the gallery and wanted to create one by blending colours. I learnt about the composition techniques and how the colours can't be scattered in random ways. The final work should be able to create interest in the viewers. It was a deeply enriching experience for me to simply observe how others used different types of techniques and brushes to make art," says Ishaan, who enjoys cardmaking and calligraphy.
Anita's work with charcoal on paper was a reflection of the wrinkled face of a sadhu of Varanasi. The work captured the essence of Varanasi with a temple in the background and the quintessential rudraksh beads. "While working with charcoal, the surface of the paper should have roughness to allow the art material to adhere to the protruding part. So, instead of a flat filling of colour, there is an intermingling of the colours in the subject's eyes," says Anita, explaining her process.
According to Bharati, one of the best parts of the experience was to see a six-year-old girl take back a little canvas with stamp work of a lama that she created during the second day’s session and complete it with a splash of colours at home. “It was heartening to see how she painted a scenery with different elements and transformed the canvas into something else,” she says. “This is what art jams do; they inspire you in such wonderful ways.”
Located in Siripuram, the art gallery has a separate section where works of Ravi Kattamuri are on display till March 6.
