Art of enhancing images captured from nature

Artist Gouri Vemula,born and brought up in Karnataka, did her BFA and MFA in Hyderabad from Jawaharlal Nehru Architecture and Fine Arts University and The University of Hyderabad. She is the National Awardee from "Lalitha Kala Akademi 2019" and first woman artist from Telangana to receive the honour. Her other accolades include an 'All India Gold Award from the Prafulla Dahanukar Art Foundation. She has also displayed her work at India Art Fair 2020 and Is always counted as an artist with a voice of her own.

Gouri, whose work captures motifs from nature, such as animals, humans, birds and day to day life activities, calls printmaking her specialisation. She says, "Unfortunately, as the printmaking market is not well established in India, I have to overcome it by diversifying into other aspects of art like exhibiting at shows and participating in camps and competitions."

For female artists it is even more challenging, explains Gouriby citing examples like, "I can't always work in the comfort of the studio. 'I have to step out for fieldwork, sketching. capturing new concepts, etc. For printmaking, which is my specialisation, I have to maintain a printmaking studio with equipment. Procuring the supplies for the same is challenging by itself. Can't forget to mention that it's a laborious job and comes with occupational hazards as it involves working with acids, rosin powder amongst others. "

The turning point in my journey was my first solo show by EbrahamAlkazi from the "Art heritage gallery" in 2001. The whole show was bought by E Alkazi sir for his museum collection. She draws nature, landscape, humans, animals and experiences drawn from day-to-day life.

Graduated in graphics and inspired to create amazing imagery. "The style of my work has remained the same throughout my journey, with an ethereal feeling in monochromatic or the ancient relics with the pencil as a key for the overall mood," says Gouri.

About her work, she says, "My work depicts the narrative incidents on the preliminary sketch or sketches on perfect locations with an impeccable study from the environment & experience. It captures the minute details about the world of intensive drawing correlating the behaviour of human and animal forms from the real and unreal world. I enhance the images captured from nature and encompass fantasy depicting movement and emotions. I develop an identical style, "Illustration Intensive" aesthetic intensive which is filled with dynamics of anatomy and creatively challenged, conscious choice, combined with an eye towards continuous spread throughout the frame on a variety of topics relevant to the field of drawing."

She is displaying her work ' Krishna Leela ' at Shrishti Art Gallery, in a virtual exhibition. she says, " A light-hearted journey filled with mirth reveals a divine aspect with Lord Krishna. Krishna is considered the most colourful character in Indian mythology. His mischievous nature, love for friends and stories of his childhood, his larger than life avatar on the battlefield at Kurukshetra has always inspired me."

Gouri, who prefers working with black, white arid earthen colours advises other women to break the stereotypes of professions and pursue passion.