Drawing ever since I can remember, in school book margins, on newspaper corners, the telephone book, backs of envelopes and any blank or not-so-blank surface that will accept the marks of a pen or pencil, almost invariably the doodles turned into women. It was a refrain I always heard growing up, "good, but draw something besides women!" Now I wonder, "Why?!" It's what I enjoy drawing most!
I use many media, but pencil drawing is what I prefer to all others. Vibrant colour is fascinating to me and I am constantly tempted by it, but I usually revert to graphite pencil. Not just for the texture, depth and intensity it offers but because I truly believe it is the most immediate translation of thought or observation onto paper.
I am an advertising professional and my first exploration with pencil ( since art college many years ago ) was because of the quick convenience of filling stolen time in an otherwise stressful day. Slowly quick sketches with slight shading became elaborate drawings with intricate details of fabric and jewelry. Choice of Indian women as the main subject matter was a given, because I don’t believe anything else is so exotic. The eyes especially are the focal point in most drawings, trying almost to hypnotise the viewer with the intensity of their gaze, telling exotic stories of the strength and forbearance of the Indian woman.
Lately I have also begun to explore combining graphite pencil work with washes of watercolour. It is an experiment that has yet mature. I'm also beginning to dabble at oil painting.
Regarding comments on my own work, I hope it will speak for itself. I have only this quotation… "It is very good advice to believe only what an artist does, rather than what he says about his work" - David Hockney (b. 1937)
