The Process
MATERIALS
The process of grinding, of preparing colours brings the artist directly
in touch with the spirit of his materials, and the emanation of the hues
with which he shall paint. “Extracting juices of fruits, flowers and leaves
merge the self in layers of colour.”
To fix and bind the paints, which he has thus created, he uses traditional
glues. Then applies linseed oil and coats them, as if a varnish, with
egg tempera, imparting sheen reminiscent of traditional masters.
Dexterous
with any material ground he chooses, Sidharth has worked on all sorts
of paper, canvas, and silk. Aside from canvas, he works on handmade paper
(wasli) from Saganer, in the area around Jaipur, Rajasthan. Developed
from jute, this paper is made in the centuries old traditional way; spread
on a sieve made of horse hair, then the pulp is beaten until it is extremely
fine. The local women lift up the pulp and affix it to walls for drying.
Then it is set with local binding agents. Sidharth further evolves the
contemporary practice by developing new strengths of paper and fibre content
in collaboration with the paper makers.
Brushes, rollers, styluses, pencils, pens, all range of implements that can be deployed by the hand find their place in his creative unfoldings. Sometimes he combines spatulas and ink transfer rubber rollers of diverse sizes and shapes. Consequently, the lines and compositions in his work reveal an astonishing breadth of detail and narrative iconography.
SIDHARTH ON COLOURS
“Every
painting has its own life, its own world like an individual, colours talk
to me and they appear with different forms, they bring other elements
to tell a story which then evolves into a painting! Colours have their
own characteristics, landscapers and culture. One understands their history
and symbols better when one knows their origin and source. Colours have
a psychological impact on every individual in a different manner according
to their geographical situation and nature.”
VEGETABLE COLOURS (a selection)
Indigo - for dark blue, green and umber hues
Kakeshia - for deep umber
Kamala - for orange and brown, and yellow hues
Kattha - for sienna tones
Madder
- for shades of maroon red
Pomegranate - for yellows and greens, red and black
Thar - for steel grey shades
MINERAL PIGMENTS (a selection)
Azurite - for green blue
Firoza - for green colour
Geru - an earth pigment for red ochre
Hartala - for light yellow and yellow hues
Lazorite - for blue and purple
Mansaal (realgar) - for orange
Ochre - for yellow earth pigment
Singraf - for red colour, bright reds and orange hues
Tereverte - for green and earth greens
Turquoise - for blue hues and azurite
Gold leaf paste and gold ore
White Chinese clay
STUDIO
Reflective of the artist’s spirit and embrace of materials from throughout
the natural and organic world, Sidharth’s studio balances the essences
of what exist with what shall unfold. Palettes of colour, rows upon rows
of jars filled with fascinating elements, bursting with texture and imagination,
and his tools are all visible surrounding the working table and easels.
EARLY INFLUENCES AND INSPIRATION
Sidharth’s mother inculcated in him a spirit of connection with nature
and the divine. She explored surrounding rural areas of their village
in the Punjab, culling organic materials from which to make colour and
forge her own individualist artworks.
He describes how she would beat the papier-mache, ‘providing support with
one hand and beating with the other.’ Then she would dissolve gum arabica
from babool trees situated in adjacent marshes and leave it to sit for
several days. Afterwards adding earth colours, such as red and yellow
soil, multhani and seina clays, indigo, assorted leaves and flora, as
well as chalk. The latter she used to decorate her myriad creations in
floral and arabesque like designs.
Thus, his earliest creative forays embraced the energy in his own home.
“ Mixing holi colours with gum arabica and taking colours from my mother’s
terracotta bowls, I made as few floral motifs, a banyan tree, dove, sparrow,
berry, bush, pigeon, mango, guava, brinjal, fields, flowers, oxen, the
calves…and no more pages were left in my mathematics exercise book.”
