It is a rainy evening, the vehicles on the road look shiny and new. The road itself appears mirror-like reflecting the warm, golden light from the street lamps and the headlights. The light from the usually harsh street lamps appears soft and muted in the rainy twilight.
MR Anand captures the magic of the monsoon in his watercolour work, part of a larger series that he is showcasing at the exhibition organized by the Plein Art Painters Bengaluru group (PAPB) at Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath.
“This scene is inspired by the first monsoon shower I witnessed at Nagpur on an official trip,” says Anand, a self-taught artist who is part of the PAPB group. He works full-time as a deputy chief test pilot with HAL.
He is showcasing his works along with 39 other artists. “Most of my works are based on nature and sights that I see in and around Bengaluru or other cities. Sometimes I paint on-site and at other times I take a photo or do some rough sketching and then return home to complete the painting. Occasionally I also use other reference photos,” he explains.
“As part of the PAPB group, we get together about once a week to paint. I find this is a good opportunity to hone my skills, by painting outdoors. We often work at city landmarks such as the Vidhana Soudha or the Venkatappa Art Gallery.” Anand also takes part in the art camps as well as demonstrations and talks by established artists organized by PAPB.
Though he has worked with other mediums, Anand says he has been exploring watercolours over the past two years.
“They are easier to use when painting outside, they are versatile and flexible. The challenge is to capture the light, composition and depth of the painting, especially when there is a need to paint the subject immediately. I like to capture the freshness and the light in the subject,” says the artist who has been painting since childhood and through 26 years of service in the Indian Air Force.
He finds Bengaluru to be a vibrant city that facilitates outdoor painting expeditions; one of his favourite locations is the Vidhana Soudha. “The lighting in the city, even when it is cloudy, is impressive. It is a pleasure to work outside in Bengaluru, in the mornings.”
The first PAPB art show will be on view at Gallery 2,3 and 4 at Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath, Kumara Krupa Road, until July 15. For details, call 9880448865.
