black and white wood cuts

When I had my second child,my movements outside the house were restricted.But I was keen to continue with my creative works.I chose the medium of wood cut ,where I had been working for several years,and which did not require much technical accessories.To make things more easier for me,I tried and developed a unique style using just the + and the - space,so that the final print could be taken out in single colour.This further allowed me to spend more time at home with the baby.Everyone who has ever handled a baby knows how they keep u occupied and ur hands are always full..Since the baby used to sleep till 6-7 in the morning,I used to wake up at 4 a.m. everyday when everyone else in the house used to be asleep.Making just a cup of tea for me,I worked on the dining table till 6 a.m. when others would wake up and i had other tasks like filling up the water and preparing breakfast for others.I used this time to think,reflect and develop my work according to my themes.I had a set of Japanese wood cut tools presented to me by a girl I met on the coach while travelling from London to Paris.When the matrix was ready,I used to go the studio on weekends and take out a proof first.Since I used to put so much effort in the initial stages of drawing itself and deciding the  + and - space,my proof used to be perfect without requiring much changes.I used to arrange and mark and keep the papers ready for taking out the print next day mostly on Sundays.On several days,the roller and the felt had to be taken out from the person in charge of the studio a day before.The next day I would go to the studio after breakfast and print till 3 to 4 p.m.This went on for quite some time between 2003 to 04.In 2004,I was invited for a residency in St.Micheals's printshop,New foundland,Canada.I did relief printmaking there for a month.I was the first Indian woman artist to have been invited there.I made three wood cuts all in colour.This was the first time,I concentrated only on my creative pursuits without anything else disturbing my mind.I think every artist should get a chance like this.

No Identity

The Mob

The Puppets

The spin of life

Chatteratti

A few minutes silence

The Leader-II

Welcome to our land

The leader-III

Traffic Jam

Rain Dance-I

Rain dance-II

Lost Identity

The procession

When I returned,I wanted to continue with the same technique,but new rules had been implemented and I was not allowed to use the press where for several years ,artists have been doing relief printmaking.

The photographs were not taken with digital camera at that time and the quality may not be good.

My paintings on the concept of beauty and women

Right from the time,Indian women started participating in beauty pageants and winning international tiles,I have done several works which deal with the concept of beauty,women and age.Here,I am posting some of them.Images of some works were not taken with digital camera,so may not be good.Still,it would give u an idea of the thought behind my works.

Then and now-I,wood cut

Then and now-II,Wood cut,diptych.

The Finalists,Oil on canvas

 Basic Instincts,oil on canvas

The exotic and the Naive,oil on canvas