KOCHI: A life without nature has never been an option for Raj Balram. Being a yoga trainer by profession, he always rooted in the spiritual awakening of the environment. When he took up painting to help the one in need, it was nature and its umpteen facets led his way.
When you get into the Kannur-based artist’s painting exhibition at Durbar Hall Art Gallery, the first thing that strikes is the lush green spread across the canvas. The tea gardens of Wayanad, Bamboos of Thrissur or the Jog Falls of Shimoga, all take you to a different state of mind. “I am an avid traveller and a nature lover. The experiences and memories of those journeys inspire me to paint,” says Raj Balram.
Be it the mural paintings of animals or the acrylic painting of man’s solitude, the simplicity these paintings possess is a notable one. “I wanted to make it easily understandable to people from all walks of life. Until or unless you find success in conveying your idea to the one who sees it, there is no point in painting at all. That’s why I never bothered about abstract painting, I wanted to keep them simple,” opines Raj.
Interestingly, the painter has a very generous reason behind to organise the event. “I’ll contribute a major part of the sale to a differently abled school at Kannur. In the last three solo exhibitions and the numerous group exhibitions that I attended, I tried my best to help them out,” he says. The artist also takes weekly yoga and painting classes for children.
Apart from acrylic paintings, the exhibition has both mural and watercolour paintings to excite the audience. “I prefer these formats to create surrealistic paintings related to nature. I experiment with framing as well. Above everything, it’s all about winning the hearts of the viewers and help the one in need,” he said.