Petals and Palette is a fine amalgamation of two art forms — MF Hussain’s vibrant palette and the floral creations of Rekha Reddy. She weaves magic with flowers, inspired by the paintings of the great artist and this blend gives birth to an art of another dimension. Rekha has transmuted wondrous brush strokes to an art form so fragile and solid at the same time. Delicate stems, foliage and flowers come together to depict the theme and the mood on the canvas. Rekha even keeps the contour and shape of the paintings intact.
An Ikebana practitioner, Rekha Reddy imbibed her love of greenery and flower arranging skills from her mother Shamala at an early age. An Associate First Master of the Ohara School of Ikebana, she has conducted numerous shows, some of which depict the works of literary masters through flowers at the British library, Hyderabad, floral glimpses of the life of Lord Krishna and The Life Of Buddha held at Salarjung Museum, Hyderabad.
Petals and Palette was launched at Taj Mount Road by Kazuo Minagawa, Consul General of Japan and renowned danseuse Alarmel Valli.
A gold medallist in nutrition, fate had another plan for Rekha. She found her calling in the Japanese art of flower arrangement. According to Alarmel Valli, Rekha has retained the nutritionist in her as there is “nutrition in art” and the nutrition is for the soul. She called Rekha's works floral poems.
The book is the result of Rekha Reddy’s Ikebana creations that were displayed at Hussain’s Cinema Ghar a few years ago. And the great artist in a letter to Rekha says: “With plants and flowers you structure a thought...a floral structure...A work of art called ikebana.
And how beautifully you related your art to my art of painting. Keep creating.”