Passion Unlimited

Single minded passion can help you attain your dream — Silver Talkies meets three senior artists who stayed true to their passion of fine arts through a lifetime of struggle. Nidhi Chawla & Reshmi Chakraborty bring you their story. 

Nothing less than artistic fireworks are expected when you have 29 artists, including five seniors, participating together in an exhibition. This was exactly the scene at Kynkyny Art Gallery at their 50 under 50 exhibition held last month, where a flower seller from Badami, a Brahmin and performing folk artists contributed to the riot of colours on the walls of the gallery. Silver Talkies met with three of the senior artists –Krishnappa, J.M.S. Mani and Shankar Kendale at the gallery.

Camaraderie juxtaposed with unstinted passions had the three veterans hit off instantly even though they admitted to not seeing each other often. Humble backgrounds not withstanding, they are all successful and well known today. ‘Single-minded passion can help you attain your dreams’ is the key takeaway from their life stories.

Krishnappa

Krishnappa, son of weaver parents, is committed to Indian folk arts and has developed his signature style while representing these in his oils on canvas. His paintings are synonymous with India’s traditional art forms and he insists on painting only these in an endeavour to preserve these disappearing arts through his work.

“I was a child labour,” says Krishnappa as his eyes gleam with nostalgia, “I would weave pure silk saris alongside my parents to lend a helping hand. I took to designing patterns and designs for the saris, which I would share with fellow weavers, leading to my nickname, Designer Krishnappa.” The course of his life changed when he was offered a job in the Central Government’s Textile Department after a chance meeting with an employee of the department. He became a class 4 employee at the age of 18. After 35 years as an art designer at Weaver’s Service Centre, he was assigned the task of designing India’s traditional temple and palace designs on textiles and tapestries for the Festivals of India events held worldwide. “I designed many of MF Hussain’s paintings on tapestries given my capabilities as a designer and weaver.” Along the way he collected a Diploma in Fine Arts and trained at various art schools like Kala Mandir, Bangalore, Nutan Kala Mandir and Haldankar Institute of Arts, Mumbai. A patient and undemanding wife appreciated his passion and never complained about him painting after office hours. From his first exhibition at Krithika Art gallery in 1982, his paintings have now travelled across the world and added character to the walls of many homes. He’s been a recent recipient of the Lifetime Achievement award from Karnataka Lalit Kala Akademi , another feather in his cap.

Even after 13 years into retirement, Krishnappa is still relentlessly following his first love. “Our culture is vanishing with the new age generation taking to television and other means of entertainment, while completely forgetting our traditional art forms. My mission is to preserve the folk arts through my work”. So in his paintings you will see folk dances like Patta Kunitha from Karnataka and folk musicians like Ramadasu performing during Sankranti in Andhra Pradesh come alive in vibrant colours against abstract and textured backgrounds. Each chosen colour is well thought of and reflects the mood of the performance.

Speaking about seniors who may be interested in taking up art as a hobby, he says sincerity in work and attempt will never lead to failure. The only thing to keep in mind is to follow your heart’s calling and turn a deaf ear to what other people think you should be doing.

At the threshold of 70, age is yet to arrest this artists’ desire for painting. He spends six hours painting daily. However, he is unable to spend the time and energy teaching others. “I am a heart patient and would like to reserve my energies for painting for myself,” says the man with passion galore.

JMS Mani

A multiple award winner, JMS Mani is another epitome of passion unlimited. The Badami series defines the work of this Bangalore artist. The bold strokes of his work, his colourful, rustic and distinctive characters — like the fruit seller or the woman with the rooster and kites— make this a series that has remained ever popular. But 65 year old Mani shows no signs of slowing down or stopping his renowned series, which had the blessing of his late mentor RM Hadapad, who started the Ken School of Art and himself belonged to that region. It is perhaps Mani’s tribute to the mentor who taught him everything, though he adds that it’s the goodness and innocence of the people of Badami that inspires him.

Before the Badami series changed his life, Mani had his fair share of struggle. His is a story of true passion and dedication to his art, unquestionable talent and a fair share of chutzpah.

An athlete in school, Mani studied in Gandhi Vidyashala and was encouraged to learn to draw by his uncle. Sheer chance brought him to Ken School of Art, where he went on to study, meet his mentor and eventually become a principal.

In Mani’s early days as a young artist, there were hardly any art galleries in Bangalore. “We were struggling at that time. The only galleries were Krithika Gallery on Church Street and the Venkatappa Art Gallery,” says Mani, adding that he is grateful to the late Kausalya Dayaram who ran Krithika, for the way she helped many young artists.

But the struggle never kept him away from work. Mani says the inspiration to continue despite earning almost nothing came from his mentor RM Hadapad. “He was a beautiful teacher and taught me how to face the struggle.”

Mani finished his diploma in 1979 and got married. He credits his wife with unstinted and silent support by never asking him how he went about his work or earned his bread and butter. The struggle for survival became harder after marriage and this now famous artist tried to make ends meet by making posters during election time, running from one party office to another, often going without food, and sometimes even payment.

Art never took a backseat. Mani would visit coal shops to collect leftover charcoal for sketches and photo studios for waste bromide to continue with his first love.

His Badami series was a result of this passion. Fascinated by the landscape and its hardworking people, Mani continued visiting his mentor’s birthplace in Badami every year, until he won the initially reluctant residents over. He mentions that when he first started sketching there, the suspicious residents would ask what he was up to. Gradually, the same people started recognising their landscape and homes in his works and opened up to him.

A constant experimenter, Mani has also done sculptures and lithographs, charcoal on paper and is an acclaimed printmaker. His print making studio hosts regular workshops for printmakers and those wishing to learn. “I’m experimental with all art forms,” says the artist, crediting gallerists like Dayaram and Chennai’s Sharon Apparao, his mother, uncle and his mentor RM Hadapad for his achievements. His love for art is an unbridled one and he needs to keep experimenting, trying new things or finishing old classics. “If I don’t touch the brush, I can’t sleep,” he signs off with a laugh.

Shankar Kendale

The design background is evident in Shankar Kendale’s figurative works and in his play of light and shadows. Kendale finished his degree from Abhinav Kala Kendra, Pune, before moving to Bangalore in 1978.

Survival as an artist was tough work in those days and Kendale, who was sure of his talent, decided to work as an illustrator in advertising to make ends meet.

He was in the advertising industry for almost 10 years, during which he worked with big names like O&M and Trikaya Grey and rose to become the Associate Creative Director. “I did not get the time to pursue fine art as advertising was a demanding job but I enjoyed working as an illustrator,” he says, describing his advertising days. With advertising taking up most of his time, leaving him with precious little leave for pursuing fine arts, Kendale decided to take a big risk in his late 40s and quit.

“I thought it is almost a 24 hour job, so took a big risk and gave it up for art in spite of getting good salary, good position and being in a good agency. I had to try it out as otherwise I would never know if I could succeed as an artist,” he reasons.

The bold move paid off eventually. Kendale started with Crimson Art Gallery with watercolors as the medium of choice. He switched to oils based on a suggestion and sold well.

Kendale’s oils have a signature style with an effect that almost mimics watercolour. His colours are warm and smooth and the composition carefully thought of. What attracts the eye is the play of light in his work, something that has possibly been an effect of his work as an illustrator.

He recounts an interesting incident during an exhibition at Apparao gallery, Chennai. Renowned filmmaker Mani Ratnam bought one of his oils on canvas and then expressed a desire to meet the artist. When Kendale flew down to Chennai, Mani Ratnam wanted to know how he was able to create the effect of watercolour by using a completely different medium.

“I use very thin colours and very often, the entire painting is done in one stroke,” he says, almost mimicking the answer he gave Mani Ratnam. “I pay attention to the composition and make sure the painting looks balanced. This is possible when you study and understand the medium.”

While his initial days have been one of struggle, Kendale deserves praise for having maintained his love for fine arts during his 10 year phase in advertising and having the gumption to leave the comfort of a good position and job in his late 40s. It’s the confidence in his skill that has seen him through. Kendale believes the artist should do what he wants to do, instead of thinking what the buyer wants. One of his bestselling series has been rural women going about routine chores against abstract backdrops, with his distinctive luminous effect. This was followed by the popular Brahmin series.

Is art an interesting hobby for seniors to pick up, provided they have the inclination for it?

Yes, he adds. “Art makes you stay younger and makes the mind stay alert and agile. Creativity always keeps you younger. You don’t think in an orthodox manner, you think of the future instead.”