CHENNAI: The pandemic has given the control of our planet back in the hands of nature, urging us humans to reflect on the dastard ly acts that we consciously and unconsciously indulged in for so many decades. So, as we stay confined to our homes, nature is busy having all the fun she truly deserves — bluer skies, greener leaves, cleaner waters, and happier winged beauties. While we yearn to see, touch and connect with this goodness, city-based interior designer Girija Venkatesan decided to use art as a canvas to collect these memories.
For a cause
Art is magic, says Girija. “You will see a lot of flowers and sunsets in my paintings. During the lockdown, I found the sunsets to be prettier, and that translated on canvas,” says the Besant Nagar resident. But little did Girija expect that what started as a pastime would soon turn into serious, compulsive passion. Her art created lighthearted moments for friends and followers on her social media pages, who encouraged her to paint more and sell her work. Listening to majority advice, in May, Girija completed her first series, Reflections, which had five paintings on sunsets. “For several years, I have been wanting to give back to an institution that works with those affected by alcohol and drug abuse.
I called a dear friend in TT Ranganathan Foundation. I wanted to do something for the foundation because my family in some ways has been affected by alcohol. I sold the paintings and raised Rs 1,03,000 for the foundation in three weeks. This inspired me to do my second series, Flowers,” she elaborates. While she uses oil on canvas, one of her favourite techniques is to use a palette knife, where pigments are mixed and appliedin thick chunks, which provide a 3D effect. June saw the birth of her series, Flowers, which had seven paintings. “Nearly every sentiment imaginable, can be expressed with flowers.
The orange blossom, for instance, means chastity, purity, and loveliness, while the red chrysanthemum means ‘I love you’. This is the season for the flame of the forest. So I went along, painting falling in love with it and painting it,” shares Girija, drawing inspiraton from Georgia O’Keeffe, who was known for her individual flower paintings. “I love the freedom with my strokes, so I chose large canvases,” she opens up. Through this series she decided to raise funds for a Veda Patashala in Melkote. “I want to raise Rs 50,000 for the school and I am yet to sell two more paintings in the series,” she adds.
Currently, on the easel is her third series, The Waves, through which she plans to support craftsmen and artisans in need. “I put in a lot of thought and research before raising funds. The Veda Patashala was suggested to me by my uncle, a 92-year-old scholar. He undertook the research for me. I am yet to zero in on an artisan. I’ll be taking a month or two to finish the series and by then I will figure out which artisan I will be giving the amount, which will mostly be around Rs 1 lakh ” says Girija.
Finding respite
Girija’s tryst with painting started when she was pursuing her undergraduate degree in Stella Maris. Even though she had her occasional rendezvous with colours and canvas, it took a pandemic and a lockdown to unleash her artistic streak. “In this pandemic, both the young and old have been going through mood swings, depression, uncertainty and fear.
This is when I thought of wielding the brush,” she says. While the denizens of world grapple with constant emotional upheavals, thanks to the virus, Girija finds positivity amid colours. “I use a lot of reds, oranges and yellow, and these flaming colours attract a lot of people. I don’t decide on particularly using these colours; I think it naturally flows,” elaborates Girija.
Talking about the process of creating art, she points out that “Creativity is not a business. You can’t have a target in mind when you go in to paint. It happens when it happens. At the moment my creative juices are flowing and I am happy painting.” Glad and grateful that her creative pursuit found support for different causes, Girija hopes to continue to evoke compassion and generosity in people.
For details, visit her Facebook page Girija Venkatesan and Instagram page @venkatesangirja