Whatever be the mode of painting, huge trees are a salient feature in Manohar Raja’s works. Musing on the art called pallete knife painting and water colour painting for the last 27 years, Manohar Raja has sketched the beauty of the trees in his village on the canvas.
In his latest abstract painting Balaji- the god of seven hills- he included a decorated neem tree.Asked on the inclusion of trees in painting, he said, “I think it was a coincidence to begin with.
But now it’s become my trademark.” A native of Chennai, Manohar Raja, whose works are drawing the oohs and the aahs from visitors at the ongoing Sargotsav 2013 in Iringal, has never described his works for the visitors since he believes that it is for the onlookers to appreciate.
He mastered the art of painting from Chennai College of Arts and Crafts.Completing the 5-year course, he joined as the chief designer of Rayalaseema Paper Mills in Chennai.
The response of the first exhibition that he conducted at Chola Sheraton made him quit the job and focus on the art.“All my paintings were sold on the second day of my first exhibition,”said Raja.He has exhibited his paintings in Banglore, Chennai, Mysore, Madurai, New Delhi and Singapore.The price of his painting ranges from `10,000 to `72,000.