Spotlight: Art Gallery of NSW Supports Program for Disadvantaged Youth

Kudos to Art Gallery of NSW for continuing to support a program that caters to students who are disadvantaged by geographic, economic and cultural factors.

ARTside-in! is a unique three-stage outreach program for years 10, 11 and 12 Visual Arts students in NSW who would otherwise have limited opportunity to access the Gallery’s collection, exhibitions and services. In order to participate in the metropolitan and regional ARTside-In! programs, a school must be supported by the NSW Department of Education and Training Priority Schools Program (PSP).

Students who are disadvantaged by geographic, economic and cultural factors are able to participate in the Gallery and wider art world, making valuable connections to the Visual Arts syllabus, while discovering more about arts careers and potential professional pathways for their futures. It is also an opportunity for the Gallery, in turn, to learn from students and teachers, both at the Gallery itself and in the school environment.

For details of the program, see Stages.
For details on how to participate, see How to get involved.

Ismailis | A Celebration of Diversity Now Available

Ismailis | A Celebration of Diversity, a brainchild of Ashifa Asaria-Lalani and a group of other supporters, is a hard cover coffee table book that captures the beauty and diversity of Ismaili Muslims around the world. Most of the images in this book are entries from an International Ismaili Photography Competition. More than 1,200 entries were received from all over the globe and a few were selected for inclusion in the book. Proceeds from the book are being donated to the Aga Khan Development Network.

Purchase your copy of the book at www.ismglobalphotos.com.

The Shia Ismaili Muslims are a community of ethnically and culturally diverse peoples living in over 25 countries around the world, united in their allegiance to His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan as the 49th hereditary spiritual leader and direct descendant of Prophet Muhammad.

Making Art Accessible for Economically Disadvantaged Children

Copyright © The Vibrant Cultural LIfe

How do you get young kids interested in art? Give them a paintbrush, canvas and a little direction.

That is what the YWCA of the Central Carolinas did for 161 economically disadvantaged children.

Partially funded with a $7,500 ASC Cultural Access grant, their arts enrichment program allowed children, ranging in age from 5 to 12, to visit the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture and brought local artist Sherrica ‘Swan’ Cole to each of the YWCA sites to teach the children about different types of art, art history and how to create their own masterpiece.

Read more at A Vibrant Cultural Life

Spotlight: Art 180

Who Are They

Established in 1998, ART 180 creates and provides art-related programs for young people living in challenging circumstances, encouraging personal and community change through self-expression. Our group is based in Richmond, Virginia. Their mission is to give young people the chance to express themselves through art, and to share their stories with others.

What They Do

ART 180 partners with other nonprofit organizations to serve children living in challenging circumstances in Richmond, Virginia. Through our programs, youth discover ways they can positively engage in and influence their surroundings.

Professional artists and volunteers work with youth after school for 12 weekly sessions. Each program grows from the needs and interests of the group of young people being served.

The young artists are asked to explore crucial personal statements that reinforce their sense of identity and purpose, such as: What is a hero? What do I want people to know about me? How can I make my community a better place? Programs culminate with some kind of public presentation of artwork. These have included billboards, art exhibits, poetry readings, CDs and DVDs.

By merging the private creative experience with a public showcase, ART 180 offers youth a safe way to talk about what matters most to them, while offering the community a compelling way to hear it.

Contact ART 180

ART 180
0 E. 4th St
Studio 1
Richmond, VA 23224
http://www.art180.org

Instant Art Collection Giveaway on May 26

Habit of Art is running an “Instant Art Collection Giveaway” from Thursday, May 26,  until Tuesday, May 31, 2011, where ten Etsy contemporary artists from around the globe will give away 25 pieces of art, including a few original pieces, to 3 lucky winners. Each of the three collections range in value from $160 - $275.

For a chance to win you simply need to visit Habit of Art starting on May 26 and comment on the giveaway post.

Don't forget to visit the website on May 26, 2011

Habitat, Symbol & Art: May 27-29, 2011

Habitat, Symbol & ArtMay 27-29, 2011
SteamPlant Event Center
Salida, Colorado

Colorado Art Ranch’s eighth Artposium, “Dwellings: Habitat, Symbol & Art,” will construct—and deconstruct— the meaning of home. The weekend event will explore how a house is not merely a shelter, but a source of identity, a symbol of family and heritage, and, ideally, a work of art. We’ll build a three-dimensional view of dwellings from the perspectives of an architect, anthropologist, a builder, two visual artists, and two writers.

Registration: $200 (includes all presentations, reception, workshops, lunch and breakfasts). $150 for students.

Architect Danny Wicke will illustrate how Rural Studio is designing artistic and environmentally responsible “shelters for the soul” for the impoverished residents of Hale County, Alabama. He will also lead a discussion about his current project, “The $20,000 House.”

Christina Kreps, Associate Professor of Anthropology at Denver University, will give us insight into how people around the world create homes for themselves.

Leigh Davis, an artist based in Brooklyn and Washington DC, uses photography to document how people adapt generic living spaces, such as self storage units and YWCA rooms, in response to radically changing economic conditions. 

Craig Nielson, a Salida, Colorado designer and green builder, will discuss the need for portable shelter for people displaced by war and natural disasters and demonstrate the ShelterCart, a low-cost solution for humanitarian relief.

BK Loren, an award winning Colorado author, will lead two classes for writers of any level: “Dwelling in Words: Finding Your Place in Writing” and “Nomad's Land: The Internal Sense of Home.”

Sandra Dorr, a Grand Junction author of poetry, essays, and short stories, will lead a session on how to write “Ancestors, Visions & Dwellings.”

Dean Dablow, Professor Emeritus of Photography at Louisiana Tech University, will direct two photography classes: “The Space Between Us”

Sean Smith, green builder and former host of HGTV's Professional Grade, will host the Panel discussion on Sunday.

Sheema Kermani: A movement for change

Taking the center stage, the woman twirls with a fluid-like grace, her anklets jingling in solidarity. Her movements are rhythmic, glorious, and deliberate as she keeps time with the verse and music that fills the space around her. She owns the stage she stands on and captivates the onlookers. The message is not in the performance alone, it goes much deeper and traces its roots to a Rights Movement that began a long time ago in Pakistan and renders this female performer a legend.

For over three decades, this fearless and renowned classical dancer has led a battle against cultural oppression in Pakistan by holding stage plays and shows on subjects that are not easily talked about in that part of the world. She is Sheema Kermani, a household name and the founder of Tehrik-e-Niswan, a cultural arm of the Women’s Rights Movement in Pakistan.

At a time when culture and Women’s Rights are seriously threatened by militants in the region, the work that Kermani and her loyal troupe do is critical to the soul of entertainment in Pakistan. Undeterred by backlash, ranging from death threats, to her troupe’s execution, to her performance attendees being terrorized, Kermani stands firm and committed on the path she has chosen. Strangely, her life echoes the words of the famous Pakistani poet, Bol kay lab azad haen teray (speak for your tongue is free).

The daughter of an army general, Kermani was thrown into dancing by her mother while she was still at school. “Learning music and dance was considered part of our education and upbringing and this continued throughout my student life,” she states. Her muse is borne out of an impressive group of movers and shakers. “My inspiration in theatre have been people like Bertolt Brecht, Utpal Dutt, Habib Tanvir, Dario Fo, and Franca Rame,” she says, “while my inspiration in dance have been Uday Shankar, Chandralekha and of course my own gurus Mr. and Mrs. Ghanshyam.” After finishing her schooling in Karachi, Kermani enrolled at Croydon College of Art in London in the late 1960s. Upon her return to Pakistan, she felt the first stirring of an activist within her.

When the then President of Pakistan, General Zia ul Haq banned dance performances, Kermani rebelled and continued to teach and perform—often underground and in front of a close group of fans and friends, who shared her defiance against the dictatorial repression. The government required a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for any sort of public performance which included obtaining police clearances of performers and censorship of scripts. To top it, the certificate banned dancing in any form. “My work became a political activity,” recalls Kermani, “and my performances became acts of defiance against the martial law regime. For the audience, it was a show of solidarity for this defiance.”

Kermani’s first solo performance in 1983 was at a friend’s house where she invited about 50-60 people but more than 200 people showed up. At this event, she and her group compiled a list of contact information of attendees interested in coming to future performances. “Before an event, I would send out invitations to the people on the list,” she says. “This grassroots effort with like-minded people was the birth of Tehrik-e-Niswan, a cultural action group that continues to be actively involved in the performing arts even today.”

The movement started off with organizing seminars and workshops around violence on women and the controversial Chaddar and Chardiwari rule that limited women’s liberty and rights. Gradually, the group drifted towards cultural and creative activities like theatre and dance to promote their cause. “For the first time in the history of the country, feminist and politically conscious plays about the plight of women and other oppressed people began to be staged,” says a proud Kermani.

Over the years, Tehrik-e-Niswan has produced artistic and socially relevant plays, mostly in the more middle- and low-income areas of Karachi. The plays consist of a variety of forms and styles––musicals, folk traditions, and stylized movements as well as modern and realistic forms. Some are adaptations and translations, while others are original plays written by prominent writers of the Urdu language. “Tehrik-e-Niswan’s plays usually integrate dialogue and narrative with dance and music, as well as traditional story telling techniques and conventions borrowed from the sub continental folk traditions of Yatra, Nautanki and Tamasha,” explains Kermani.

According to Kermani, art elevates the mind and soul to a higher level and eradicates pettiness and coarseness. “Culture brings people together and leads to harmony and cohesion. It counters violence and aggressive attitudes and urges people to reflect and think, thus unleashing the creative energies of people,” she states. Kermani feels that art and especially the Performing Arts can bring about this change because there is something in art that expresses an unchanging truth and has a liberating quality. “The proof of its effectiveness lies in the undeniable fact that our mental attitudes are formed by the songs that we have heard, the plays or films we have seen, the poems or stories that we have read or been told,” she explains.

And so the shows go on: a play about girls' education in Lyari, another on contemporary attitude of society towards dance, still another on domestic violence. And with the zealous stance and energy of its founder, Tehrik-e-Niswan is slowly peeling off the artificial mask in society that defines dance and theatre as taboo activities. “I believe that through theatre we can move people emotionally to think! Once they start thinking, they will be motivated to search for change.”

For more information on Tehrik-e-Niswan, visit its website.

Bivas Chaudhuri

Bivas Chaudhuri is an award-winning artist who was born in India. He was always fascinated by all forms of art especially three dimensional image making. He received his MFA from Brooklyn College after coming to the United States in the 1980s. His bicultural background and knowledge add a rich mosaic of ideas to his creative work. His work has been featured in Art News, Queens Chronicle, Art Forum, Ostee Anzeiger, The Telegraph, Economic Times, Seawanhaka, The Pioneer, Indo American Arts Council handbook, India in New York, World journal, Artspiral, India abroad, Deshi talk, News-India Times, Desh, Indian Express, Prabashi Anandabzar, Basumati and elsewhere. Work was shown and appeared on National TV, India, MalayasianTV, South African TV, Fix TV, Hungary.TV Asia, NY. ITV, NY.

According to Chaudhuri:

"My current work is involved with space, which is full of energy. I use repetitive visual elements and meditative process to energize the whole space. The highly structured slowly changing imagery is a close resemblance of my deep state of mind. It is emblematic of modern time mixed with personal feeling and impression. It is important to think continuously."

The Works
Uprooted, 48"x48" acrylic and oil











Puberty, 24"x24" acrylic











The womb, 24"x24" acrylic











Praise
"His current work has become more, or one could say, less geometric, far more colorful with a clear bright palette and greater sophistication in choices, and so musical, how much a parallel to jazz or Phillip Glass I would let others say. The simplicity of his forms has given way to a greater complexity but the fundamental structure of his work, the terms he selects for himself, is always quite explicit. Clearly, a greater momentum and confidence is evident."
- Robert Lee, Director, Asian American Art Center

Links to the Artist
Portfolio
Email the artist

Honors & Awards

• Insaka International Artists Workshop, Zambia, Africa
• Residency/Stipend, CanSarrat International Art Center, Barcelona, Spain
• Institute for Civil Society Award, Massachusetts, USA
• Special Full Fellowship, Vermont studio Center, Johnson, Vermont, USA
• International Artists' Residencies/Seminar, Budapest, Hungary
• VCCA International Exchange Residency, Schloss Pluschow, Mecklenburg, Germany
• Triangle International Artists' Workshop, New York, New York
• Full Fellowship, Virginia Center for Creative Arts, Virginia, USA
• Full Fellowship, Robert Blackburn's Print making Workshop, New York
• Assistantship, Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, New York
• Society of Oriental Art Award for outstanding work, India
  

Zainab Khuwaja: an American-Muslim with a vision

“I feel that by adapting and practicing my art I have not only been able to expand my skills as an artist but also been able to gain a better understanding of the concepts of my faith, societal beliefs, and extremism of politics in the world.”

Zainab Khuwaja might be young but the Houston-based artist has a clear vision for future—using her art to reflect her own identity as an American-Muslim. “Through my style and form of art I believe I have been able portray a greater appreciation of Islamic art and Arabic calligraphy from a historical as well as a modern aspect,” she explains.

In her work, Zainab takes inspiration from Arabic Calligraphy and Islamic art and architecture, such as the historical mosques of Turkey, Spain, and Cairo. She uses traditional elements in her work like ceramic tiles, mirror and glass––materials that were used in the architecture and décor in the Fatimid era as well as in the time periods of Mughal and Ottoman Dynasties. “Developing a unique pattern and style which is uncommon within the art world is a success in its own way,” notes the proud artist.

Her style does manage to set her pieces apart. Take for instance her breathtaking olive Faiths Girdle piece on canvas that draws you in toward a single focal point with the word “Allah” in the center, encircled by colored mirror pieces or Luminous Glow which almost sails afloat the name of the Creator in a fiery orange. Dragon’s Eye is a slightly different but bolder piece that is done in a haunting palette—the bright reds and the eager greens combined with the subtle blues to soften the overall effect. The elements in that composition show a budding artist wanting to break forth and establish her mark on the art world.

Dragons Eye
Acrylic on Canvas








Faiths Girdle
Glass and Mirror work on Canvas










Luminous Glow
Acrylic on Canvas









Zainab’s creative journey began at the age of three, when she first started dabbling with watercolor and pottery. Over the years, that passion continued but she found herself also getting very interested in politics and law. Zainab, who is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in political science and art from Houston Baptist University, is inspired by some of Houston’s most renowned artists such as Michael Collins and Virgil Grotfield. “At school, I am the only artist generating Middle Eastern concepts and designs of calligraphy in general within the art department,” says Zainab. “By viewing my work, some of my fellow student artists and professors have been able to develop a better understanding and appreciation for Muslim art and architecture in general.”

Zainab’s art has been acquired by many private collections. “I do hope in the near future to showcase my work on greater spectrum,” says the hopeful young artist and we wish her the very best in her journey.

Links to the artist
Contact link to purchase: Galerie.Khuwaja@gmail.com
Twitter

Mirza: Mysticism On Canvas

Joyful and vibrant color blends mixed in with a spoonful of surrealism and a dash of fantasy. When these manifest on Mirza’s canvas, they carry a powerful mystical tune—the notes unforgettable and ever lasting. It is as if the artist invited three guests in his midst—intuition, intellect, and emotion and painted with them.

Our understanding of twentieth-century art form is based on traditions brought forth by Cézanne and other Cubists. Visionaries such as Mirza, Fred Varley, Emily Carr, and Lawren Harris defy the norm. Mystically-realized art cannot be judged on the existing trends, rather you need different sort of lenses to understand the depth and complexity of mystical poetry on canvas. In mystical art, the artist achieves a meditative state of mind and then projects images and archetypes from the spiritual muse within. What these artists share is developing their work by calling on a higher level of consciousness, one that guides the strokes when the hand is moving on the canvas. Dancing figures, reflective women, musicians, dervish, birds—in a trice, leap off Mirza’s canvas and acquire a haunting and mysterious allure. His brush strokes and use of colors depict his sensitivity and mood, whether he is painting the serenity of the Buddha, the resurrection of the Christ or dancing women under a moonlight. Although he caution against seeing his pieces individually.

“Each piece of art is a component of the totality of expression of my personal philosophy. My body of work has to be looked at as a whole.”
–Mirza

Thirty years ago, Mirza was a new immigrant to the United States, and an evolving artist. Over the years as the events and places in his life changed, so did Mirza’s style as he internalized some of the Western and European styles and forms. He defines his work as a synthesis, drawing on the best of both to create something that reflects his own station in life. “I work with the mystical area of human existence,” says Mirza, “which in my opinion, is in between the real and the unseen world.”

In addition to canvas and paper he makes an extensive use of other mediums such as wood, glass, ceramic and metal for his work. “I choose whatever medium that best expresses my works and my thoughts,” he explains.


Two Sisters
Acrylic on Paper










Folk Culture of Pakistan
Oil on Canvas







World in Chaos
Oil on Canvas







A Little Girl in the Balcony
Acrylic on Canvas








His proudest moment came in the form of a four-day exhibition of his work in August of 2006 at the Pakistan Consulate in Washington. The exhibition was inaugurated by Ambassador Mahmud Ali Durrani. During his speech, the ambassador praised Mirza's natural flair for blending bold themes in dynamic colors. The event also brought his work out in front of the broader Pakistani-American community in Washington as well as numerous U.S. government officials, providing them a glimpse of the splendor of the Pakistani culture. “The exhibition reflects Mirza’s eastern background and sensitivity,” Gulgee commented, a personal friend and supporter, who has reviewed Mirza’s work on many occasions.

The event was initiated by the Consul General of Pakistan in Houston, G.R. Baluch who describes Mirza as a great unsung painter of our times and an accomplished world artist. He happened to see some of Mirza’s art at a friend’s place. So impressed was he by Mirza’s work, that he proposed to have an exhibition of his paintings at the Pakistan Consulate in Washington. Prior to that, in February of 2004, Mirza was invited to the Texas State Capitol by Rick Perry, the governor of Texas, to showcase some of his work. Mirza also had a high profile exhibition in March of 2006 at the Pakistan Consulate in Houston.

(This article, written by Shaila Abdullah, first appeared in The Ismaili USA)

Links to the Artist
Portfolio

Kamila Shamsie: Born Into a Family of Writers

Kamila Shamsie is the author of five novels, including Kartography, Broken Verses and Burnt Shadows, which have publishers in 19 countries. Three of her novels have received awards from the Pakistan Academy of Letters and she has been shortlisted for the Liberaturpreis (Germany), twice for the John Llewellyn Rhys award (U.K). She has written for various publications including The Guardian, Prospect, New Statesman, TLS, The Telegraph (all U.K), DAWN and Newsline (Pakistan), The Daily Star (Bangladesh) and the New York Times (U.S), and is on the editorial board of the Index on Censorship. She has been a judge for the Orange Award for New Writing, the Guardian First Book Award, the Geoffrey Faber Memorial Award and the Australia-Asia Literature Award. She grew up in Karachi, went to university in America and now lives in London. Burnt Shadows was shortlisted for the 2009 Orange Prize for Fiction.

Author Interview

You have been writing for a long time. How would you describe the evolution of your style? What benefit did you get from being around a family of writers? Of all of your works, which one is the dearest to your heart?
I'm the last person you should ask about the evolution of my style - aren't writers notoriously poor at analysing their own work? For me each novel brings its particular set of stylistic demands - with Burnt Shadows' for instance, because I was going to cover 60 years and 5 countries I knew I needed a more pared down style than in my earlier works.

Being around a family of writers means that I grew up encouraged to read, and surrounded by the notion that books mattered and should be taken seriously. And also, of course, that I had the idea that writing was simply something that people DID....so it never felt unusual that I was writing fiction in my free time all the way through my adolescence. I've always found that the novel I'm writing or have just finished is the one dearest to my heart, because that's the one I feel most engaged with. So right now it's Burnt Shadows. As soon as I get to work on the next novel, that will change.

What do you make of the rising interest in Pakistani writing in English today?
I'm primarily interested in the writing itself, rather than the interest in it - and I think the work is wonderful. Nadeem Aslam, Uzma Aslam Khan, Aamer Hussein, Mohammad Hanif, Mohsin Hamid and Daniyal Mueenuddin : that's an extraordinary group of writers. So it is a very exciting moment for Pakistani writing in English. But the interest in it is unfortunately tied up in the world's terror about what's going on in Pakistan politically - and, of course, I wish that we didn't have that situation.

Being on the shortlist for the Orange Fiction Prize is a great honor. How would you rate the competition?
I haven't yet read the other books on the shortlist - but to think of someone like Marilynne Robinson as 'competition' is ludicrous. Her first novel Housekeeping is one of the finest novels of the 20th century. So I'm just enjoying the fact that I get to be in her company on this list.

Describe a day in the life of Kamila Shamsie. What is next for you?
Well, it depends on whether I'm writing or not. When I'm writing a typical day is - wake up, read the newspaper while have a morning cup of tea/coffee, then sit at my desk and start writing. Afternoons my brain shuts off so I might meet a friend for lunch, or go to the gym or read or waste time surfing the web...in the evenings, on a good day, I'll do another 2-3 hours of work. And then I'll often go out in the evenings with friends, though some days I just stay in, watch tv, read some more....and so the day goes.

The last few months I've been caught up in doing publicity for the book - it started in Pakistan in February, and I've just finished a US/Canada tour and have a two month break before going to Ireland and Australia in August, followed by Germany in September and so on.... so there's no proper routine these days.

What advice do you have for aspiring authors, especially Pakistani writers?
Write.
That sounds facetious, I know, but it's amazing to me how many people say they'll write a novel 'one day,' or who get caught up in wanting to know about agents and publishers before they've written a book. Anyone who is serious about writing needs to make time to write - now, not in some abstract future. And just concentrate on writing the best book you can before worrying about how to get it published, or how it'll be reviewed etc.

Links
Read an excerpt of Burnt Shadows
Buy Burnt Shadows
About the author

Rasaka Theatre Company Seeking Submissions

Chicago's Rasaka Theatre Company, the Midwest’s first South Asian-American theatre company, is accepting submissions for the follow-up to its January 2009 hit “Yoni ki Baat” (inspired by The Vagina Monologues). This time we are looking to present both the female AND male point of view in “Yoni & Lingam ki Baat.”

Please submit monologues or poems where you (as yourself or through a character) think about, talk about, or riff on the topic to Rasaka’s Artistic Director Lavina Jadhwani at lavinajadhwani@lavinajadhwani.com by September 15, 2009.

Call for Fellowship: American Antiquarian Society

The American Antiquarian Society (AAS), a national research library and learned society of American history and culture, is calling for applications for visiting fellowships for historical research by creative and performing artists, writers, film makers, journalists, and other persons whose goals are to produce imaginative, non-formulaic works dealing with pre-twentieth-century American history. Successful applicants are those whose work is for the general public rather than for academic or educational audiences. Deadline October 5, 2009.

See
http://www.americanantiquarian.org/artistfellowship.htm

Rasaka Theatre Company presents culture/clash: three plays about the South Asian Diaspora

Rasaka Theatre Company presents "culture/clash: three plays about the South Asian Diaspora," a trio of world premieres penned by South Asian playwrights.

The production will include:

• "Instant Recall" by Anita Chandwaney: Madhu can't seem to recall why she asked Nigel to meet her at the café-or can she?
• "Night Shift" by Angeli Primlani: A young girl and an older woman face danger and each other in the middle of the night in a motel lobby on a quiet North Carolina highway.
• "Midnite's Vultures" by Pushkar Sharma: Two Indian-American poets in their twenties confront the paradoxes of their identity when asked what it means to be an Indian in America.

When and Where

The play will take place at the Strawdog Theatre, 3829 N. Broadway St., Chicago, IL 60613. Previews August 13 & 14, 8 P.M. Opens Saturday, August 15, 8 P.M. (reception following). It runs Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8 P.M., Sundays at 3 P.M. and closes September 6, 2009. Performance Time is approx. 75 minutes. For tickets, call 312-777-1070 or visit www.strawdog.org. $20 for regular tickets, $12 for previews August 13 & 14, $12 Student/Senior/Industry (Thurs & Sun only), visit www.strawdog.org with credit cards -or- use cash/check/credit card at the door.

Salma Arastu: born with faith and art in her heart

Salma Arastu has been painting for thirty some years. Born into Sindhi and Hindu tradition in India, she later embraced Islam through her marriage. She has traveled extensively and lived in various countries--India, Iran, Kuwait, UK, Germany and finally the US, where she moved in 1987. In her work, she tries to bring together Eastern spirituality and western techniques of painting, learned over the years.

Three elements are strong influences in her work: Folk art, miniature art and Arabic calligraphy, all adopted along her journeys. Seeing the unity of an all-encompassing God, she was able to transcend barriers often set forth in the traditions of religion, culture and the cultural perceptions of handicaps--she was born with no fingers on her left hand.

Her personal triumphs have been defined and shaped by the simple principle of faith in the divine power, the compelling force which has guided her life and work. As both a Hindu and Muslim woman, a multi-cultural artist, and a mother, she sees unique opportunity in creating harmony and world transformation through the expression of the universe in her art.

The Works

Sufi series I
Mixed media on canvas
36 x 24











Sharing Light
Mixed Media on Canvas
38 x 48









The Homeless I
Mixed media on board
38 x 48

Conversation with the artist

What is the inspiration behind your work?

Well, I cannot deny the influence of Paul Klee, Miro and Picasso from Europe, M.F. Husain and Amrita Shergil from India. I liked the human figure and I admired what these artists had done with them. I wanted to break the traditions and create something new with the figures which would convey my feelings of love, peace, unity, sharing and celebration of life. I have worked hard for several years to achieve this, and I think today I have successfully developed my own interpretation and form. My story begins with a lyrical line and this same lyrical line allows me to design Arabic calligraphy or draw abstract images of crowds of people with same facility. My inspiration is my faith and it keeps me motivated to do more and more. Painting is a way of worship for me.

Tell us about your journey? How did you become an artist? Did you receive any formal training?

Art is my need; a need to express and reach out. From my childhood days, I felt that I had something important to say and I used to doodle a lot. I have been painting for more than thirty years. I earned my degrees in Fine Arts from the College of Fine Arts and Architecture, Jawaharlal University, Hyderabad in 1971 and later in 1974 from the MS University in Baroda, India. I have traveled extensively--from India to Iran to Kuwait to UK, Germany and to the US. And last year, I moved from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania to the East Bay. I have lived for long periods with amazing people and fascinating communities. Folk art, miniature art and Arabic calligraphy are three strong influences on my art, adopted along my journeys.

Describe your style? What medium do you work in?

I am creating a body of work of through a continuous, lyrical line to express joy in the universal spirit that unites humanity. This lyrical line has been my guide over the blank surface of the canvas. With years of practice, it has become freer and more energetic. It has allowed me to create calligraphic designs or a flow of humanity with same facility. I want to spread God’s love by bringing all people together with this single line of positive energy. I have created several pieces that show unity and celebration together. In my art, people are not given any identity and thus represent the entirety of humanity without differences. I recreate these visions which show people in celebrations, visiting neighbors, family reunions, celebration of life, glow of unity and hope of the new earth. I am inspired by Arabic calligraphy and Persian and Mughal miniature arts but my work is very contemporary. I mix both the worlds-Eastern spirituality and Western techniques effortlessly and the results are very original and colorful and lyrical. I paint, sculpt and I am also a print maker. My paintings are varied in sizes and range is from 60”/90” to 20”/20” and I work on paper, board or canvas.

Technically, my work is evolving, and I keep exploring new materials and mediums to convey my expressions. I often use paper, fiber, molding paste etc. to create textured surfaces on which I paint with thin layers of acrylic paints or glazes. Recently, I have started using copper figures on these textured surfaces which give a unique glow to my compositions. I often add fine details with pen & ink as if embroidering them and thus finally bringing the piece together.

What would you consider your biggest success as an artist?

Alhamdulillah I am grateful and here are some achievements listed by the media:

1. I have had more than 40 exhibitions of her work in India, the USA and Europe.
2. Many of my works are in private and public collections --- like the Salar Jung Museum in Hyderabad, the museum of Modern Art, New Delhi, the Harrisburg Art Museum,the Allentown Art Museum and the Pensylvania Power and Light Company.
1. In 2008, the Alameda County commissioned mefor three paintings which are now in the Collection of the County of Alameda.
2. In December 2008, my new book of art and poems in English was published by Half Full Press from Oakland California in their series of Emerging American Artists program. The book is titled The Lyrical Line and has more than 100 images of her works from last 10 years. My paintings celebrate life. In this art book I have tried to trace with lines and color a trajectory of the human emotions that all of us feel no matter where we are from and what our individual situations are.
3. In the summer of 2002, I won a six-week Artist-in-Residence Award. I lived and worked in Swabisch Gumund, in southern Germany where I was hosted by a German family and exhibited my work as a goodwill ambassador for the sister city, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
4. I received first place in painting at North Eastern Regional art show at Marywood University, Scranton, Pennsylvania.
5. I have also authored several published works of free verse and short stories in my native Hindi language. My collection of poems, Dard Ki Seedhiyan (Exploring Steps in the realm of Pain) was published in 1981 with a grant from Andhra Pradesh Sahitya Kala (Literary Arts) Academy, Hyderabad, India.
6. Shortly after arriving in the US, I founded Your True Greetings, a successful greeting card company that uses my paintings and calligraphy to serve the needs of Muslim communities in the US, Canada, Japan and the United Kingdom.

How has your work been received by the world and what is next for you?

I am grateful to God as I get very good feedback from my art patrons. They find my work joyful and peaceful. My greatest pleasure is when people find the same message from my paintings that I try to convey. I am attempting to create a world through my art work in which the magic of communion plays a central role. My subjects include people, who do everything together. They initiate each other, they celebrate together, they grieve together, they pray together. In this global world, it is important that we understand each other, accept each other with our differences, and emerge as one human community for the success of humanity.

Links to the artist
Artist's Website
Upcoming exhibits

Blog
Your True Greetings
Purchase The Lyrical Line by Salma Arastu

Submission opportunity: Comedy Script Contest

Enter the FOX-PGP-NYTVF Comedy Script Contest and submit your script for an original half-hour comedy series. One winner will receive a development deal with Fox and a $25,000 prize, and Procter & Gamble Productions will have the opportunity to produce a network pilot from the winning script. Up to 25 finalists have the opportunity to earn a first-look deal with Fox. Scripts must be entered by uploading them in a PDF format on the NYTVF upload page.

The submission period will open at noon Eastern on June 1st and will close at 12:00 noon Eastern on June 15th. All submissions must be uploaded during this time period, without exception. The contest will stop accepting entries if this period elapses or if the Festival receives 1,500 script entries, whichever comes first.

See
http://www.nytvf.com/2009_scripts_info.htm

Submission opportunity: 2009 BBC National Short Story Award

The 2009 BBC National Short Story Award was launched on 26 March. This year's panel of judges are: singer-songwriter Will Young, broadcaster and journalist Tom Sutcliffe (chair), author Dame Margaret Drabble, Orange Prize winner Helen Dunmore and BBC Radio 4’s Editor Di Speirs.

The shortlist will be announced on Friday 27 November with the five stories broadcast on BBC Radio 4 each weekday before the winner is announced. The five stories will also be published in a special collection. Entries are now open for the Award.

The deadline for entries is 5pm on 15 June 2009.

See the website for details.

Submission Opportunity: Myartspace scholarship prizes

Myartspace, the premiere online venue for contemporary art, is launching their 2nd annual art scholarship competition, with $16,000 in cash prize awards. This merit-based scholarship is intended for students who have a passion for art and demonstrate that passion in their work. Students using all mediums of visual art, including photography, digital media, and sculpture, are encouraged to apply. The program is intended to recognize and award young artists who exhibit exceptional talent.

Myartspace will provide three scholarship prizes for undergraduate students and three scholarship prizes for graduate students. First place winners in each category are awarded a $5000 cash scholarship. Second and Third place winners receive $2000 and $1000 cash awards, respectively. To be considered for a Myartspace scholarship, applicants must be undergraduate or graduate students in an art degree program.

Artists interested in signing up for consideration for a Myartspace scholarship can find out more details by visiting the Myartspace scholarship page. The application process is easy and straightforward. Artists simply register for a free membership at Myartspace, where they can upload unlimited images, videos, and music. Members can then enter the free scholarship competition by submitting their online art gallery following the simple instructions listed on the scholarship page. The deadline for submission is December 16, 2009. Early registrants (students registering before June 15, 2009) will be granted a 3-month free trial subscription to Premium Services, normally a $75/year package.

Last year, scholarship applicants hailed from over 1,200 schools worldwide. Undergraduate winners included Sara Susin (Stanford University), Jessica Brown (University of Alaska), and Zach Stein (University of Kentucky). Visit the Myartspace Scholarship Winners page (http://www.myartspace.com/scholarships/winners) to see last year's winning artist highlights, as well as the top 50 finalists.

Suhas Tavkar and NakhaChitra: The Art of Fingernail Embossing

Suhas Tavkar of Bellerose, New York uses an unlikely tool to create his most intricate and unique embossed masterpieces–his fingernails, using a technique called NakhaChitra, an ancient art form.

Nakha means fingernail and Chitra means art in Sanskrit. Suhas embosses on paper or soft metal using his imagination, disciplined concentration, and precise hand-eye coordination. One wrong move and it’s back to the drawing board. There are no second chances. “It's a demanding technique,” says Suhas. “If a line or impression fails to satisfy me, it can't be undone."

Fortunately for him, each piece of bas relief artwork that Suhas finishes is an instant masterpiece––from the face of Radha, a challenging relief on Strathmore paper to the menacing profile of a bald eagle; to the single line drawing of the contours of a father and son to the provocatively entwined figures of the Pilobilus Dancers. Suhas’s venture into Islamic calligraphy in recent years has received a phenomenal response. His unique art form allows him to intricately carve the letters in Arabic that appear as gloriously decorative patterns on his reliefs. He believes that art is universal and he is open to all religions in his exploration of likely subjects. “My art shows the unique relationship between the human form and the human touch that created it,” he says.

Suhas, who hails from Gujarat in India, is a third generation artist in his family working in NakhaChitra. He recalls being introduced to the technique at the age of four and being fascinated with it. A keen observer of nature and its majesty, Suhas always pictured the universe to be a gallery of the creator. He sees everyone as an artist in their own capacity.

Islamic calligraphy
Embossed on paper
















Ajanta Cave Panel
Embossed on paper










Pilobilus Dancers
Embossed on two-ply Strathmore paper
















Suhas believes that humans practiced etching on the soft wooden bark of trees or banana and lotus leaves with their fingernails. “The art of fingernail etching may have started a long time ago and fingernail relief drawing may have started when humans started making paper,” he states. “It seems that this has really become a lost art form.”

And Suhas is determined to revive that art form and give it its due place in the art scene. Since graduating from the J.J. School of Arts in India, and immigrating to the U.S. in 1977, Suhas lost touch with his art and focused more on his career as a graphic artist. When he retired in 2007, he decided to dedicate the rest of his life to NakhaChitra, a move he deeply cherishes. Recognition started pouring in soon after. His work has been exhibited at New York State Ballet Gallery, Museum of Natural History, Donnell Center, Tabla Rasa Gallery, Brownson Art Gallery, Chelsea gallery, Hammond Museum, and Queens Museum. In 2008 Suhas received the Curators’ Choice Award. That same year he was invited to participate in Indo-American Art Council's exhibit called Erasing Borders that explores the contributions of artists whose origins can be traced to the Indian Subcontinent.

You may take away tools of other artists and render them unable to create. Not Suhas, he carries his tools wherever he goes. "With these God-given natural tools that are literally at one's own fingertips,” says Suhas, “I believe that every living creature on planet Earth is an artist and also a wonderful piece of art.”

Links to the artist
Website
Contact the artist

Kuzana Ogg

Kuzana was born in Bombay, attended school in Surrey, Kodaikanal, and New York. She graduated from SUNY Purchase with a BFA in 1995. At an early age, Kuzana was introduced to cultures, different from her own, and soon cultivated a love for travel. She has lived in several foreign countries, such as South Korea most recently. Kuzana and her husband were in Kyung Ju for six years. She recently attended a residency and exhibited her work in Sri Lanka. Currently, Kuzana lives in New Mexico with her husband. Kuzana’s work revolves around images both botanical and biological in origin. These forms and colors take on new meaning when juxtaposed as a metaphor for the human experience.

The Works

Cavala, Oil, 24"x48", 2009









Bulbul, Oil, 30"x40", 2008













Worli 7:15 AM, Oil, 30"x40", 2007









Conversation with the artist

What is the inspiration behind your work?
I combine botanical and anthropological forms to describe my relationship to the environment. These abstracted and distilled forms, combined with layers of varying transparency, convey my experiences and memories of life in foreign countries.

Tell us about your journey? How did you become an artist? Did you receive any formal training?
I was born in Bombay, attended school in Surrey, Kodaikanal, and New York. In 1995, I graduated from SUNY Purchase with a BFA.

From a young age, I have been surrounded by beauty. The gardens in Bombay were lush, varied, and bursting with insects and birds of all kinds. At the matrix of this paradise were two elegant grandmothers swathed in silk saris. From them I learned of the wealth of Indian textiles, the tradition of miniature painting, and an appreciation for Bharat Natayaam.

Describe your style? What medium do you work in?
My oil paintings are decorative and abstract. In my work, I am interested in creating color through layers. One of my favorite forms is a simplified mango shape. It embodies the union of botanical and biological forms because it also looks like a developing embryo.

What would you consider your biggest success as an artist?
In addition to the honor of exhibiting my work with my contemporaries, I have enjoyed participating in several art residencies.

How has your work been received by the world and what is next for you?
So far so good! More painting!

Links to the artist
Artist's Website