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I met Amita Bharak’s work at various events in the Florence, AL area. I would not meet her until we served on the board of the Tennessee Valley Museum of Art. Her art depicts the warmth, vibrance, and spiritual nature of her culture, and Garden Spices delights in exhibiting her work. Welcome, Amita Bharak – Victorine
About the Artist
When art (either visual, performing, or literal) is eliminated from people’s lives, civilized society would struggle to exist. It would stop breathing, flourishing, or renewing itself – it would become stale, stagnant, and eventually decay. An artist breathes freshness, growth, vitality, energy, and life into our social fabric. I am privileged to be part of this tribe. My community, my world, and the events in it motivate me to create the subjects of my work, this itself becomes my narrative.
To me, my paintings are like sonnets that tell stories with just a few colors, lines, and shapes. Along the way my senses are challenged, excited, and immersed. As my paintings remind me of sonnets, my pottery is similar to haikus. Whether it is functional or nonfunctional, working with this modest medium, I can narrate the most interesting tales, reflective of my cultural background, and events around me. In any medium – I aim to please the eyes, seek challenges for my brain, and satisfaction for my soul. I have been privileged to experience and participate in many wonderful moments in my artistic career –Amita Bharak
My work is an offering to my creator. As a Hindu – offerings to Ganesh come naturally to me. Lord Ganesh is also known as Lord Vinayak meaning Lord of Wisdom. I pray to him that may he grant me the wisdom to keep my ego in check and be humble. These are the swarupa of Lord Ganesh, as I see him.
Ganesh
Bhramatava
“The Awakened One”, when one connects with the divinity-Bhramatava and becomes “One”, everything in the universe is drawn towards the One. Before humans with our ego and so-called intelligence are attracted nature feels is drawn toward this spiritual being. This painting is done using inks and acrylics on paper by me.
Krishna
Krishna, who has forever captivated my imagination, guides me and catches me when I slip or fall. Feel the covenant of His grace upon me and my family. I pray that my deeds (Karma) are good, beautiful enough to be offerings to him.
Oil and Acrylic
On a rooftop back in India, I remember at age six my cousin teaching me how to color in the same direction with my colored pencils in my coloring book. This was the beginning of my fascination with color, which has led me to create with two very different mediums in paints: first acrylics and now oil – which is like painting with colored butter.
Functional Ware
I use clay as a sculpting material, meaning I hand build my functional potteries. I make wares that amplify my narrative – using shapes that are carved and sculpted in clay – turning it into a utilitarian vessel to be used daily. This series of clay work is my homage to production potters around the globe.I love to sculpt in clay, as a homage to potters from ancient times to today, from around the globe who have devoted their lives to making beautiful vessels – it’s my desire to be part of that creed therefore I make bowls.For me bowls represent a coming together, two hands form a bowl. This I believe evokes kindness and empathy. Metaphorically for me “bowl” holds lots of different meanings such as hunger, desire, anger, satisfaction, fulfillment, oppression, etc. In Mahabharat – Krishna gives Draupadi a bowl “Akshaya Patra” as they head toward 12 years of their stay in the forest, away from their life in the palace and kingdom.
Amita Bhakta with her Rangoli, a design made using loose colored powder. Every early morning, women will sweep their homes, front porches, their yards, and then make rangoli at the front steps to welcome a new day. By mid-day it will be gone – swept away by the wind, coming and going of people. This used to be the daily routine of the lady of the house; due to urbanization, this art is disappearing from the daily lives of people – now it is only seen during cultural festivals, particularly Diwali. In the old days, rangoli was made using rice, flour, or kitchen spices mixed with limestone powder, gypsum powder, or color pigments. Today Rangoli powders come in pre-manufactured packets in a kaleidoscopic of colors.
If you would like to inquire about any of the art featured on the site or upcoming projects, please reach out to me and visit my Contact Me Page.
All proceeds from my work go toward various charities that I support here in the USA and in India
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