Biju's Gallery at Fineart America

Here is Biju's gallery at fineartamerica.com

Biju's gallery at thesecondhanging.com

Here is the gallery at thesecondhanging.com by Biju.

Read the artist interview of Biju at whopple.com

An interview of Biju may be read at whopple.com

Choosing a subject for painting (Choice in art and art of choosing!)

Choice is a complex issue, whatever the context is. But in the case of painting it is intimidating if you are proceeding from an intention to paint, to the subject and then finally to the execution. I feel myself lucky if the order is, first the subject, then a compulsion to paint it and then the happy execution. Unfortunately there are occasions when the former is the case and I am considering only this scenario here.
My medium plays an important role in determining the aesthetics of my art. Just because I like something, I may not choose it as a subject for painting. I first consult my acrylics, canvas and brushes and make an informed decision. Of course I have a choice there too, but that choice is fairly limited. Personal preferences are different from aesthetic choice. I like ‘cherupayar paayasam’ (sweet pudding kerala version) but I shall not dare to paint it.
In the scenario I chose, a few unconscious mental processes take place. I have certain concepts about successful paintings. I have in my mind’s eye paintings of some old masters. Or even some modern masters. If my idea doesn’t conform to those, they are rejected. Being shockingly different is possible only once. Presenting a urinal as an installation work is no more art. It is plagiarism.
Another thought is about what I am good at. My own estimates about my abilities are often flowed. But confidence is important. So some subjects are preferred over some others.
Most important consideration however is my audience. This is not the case simply with painting. When you prepare a speech, this is your foremost consideration. Same is the case with any artistic expression. My paintings should be telling the spectator, “Buy meeeee!”. Market consideration is an undeniable influence until I can afford the exorbitant price of quality paint and canvas.
After all these mundane considerations, if my paintings have artistic value or worthiness to be termed as ‘good paintings’ I call myself successful.
A very good lecture by Sheena Iyengar is available in this link about the art of choosing.

Theme painting for a green theme room

This painting is not finished

Color Theme Painting

Here is a painting suitable for charging up the interiors of a blue themed room.

Here is another full view of the canvas

Bird on Hibiscus, New nature painting

Here is the almost completed new painting done in acrylic on paper..
Size 10/14 inches

My weekend at Kuttanad Backwaters, an inspiration for my paintings

I have painted Kuttanad landscape and backwaters many times before. After my visit to these beautiful waterscapes, I am sure I will be painting more of them. See one of my earlier paintings here. Enjoy these scenes...

Enjoying Abstract Art

Abstract paintings have their own place in art history. But how some pseudo intellectuals talk about abstracts has nothing to do with its true appreciation. It has always been a conundrum for ordinary people when they confront such a painting as to how to make meaning out of it. My views own the true worth of abstract paintings and how to appreciate them are discussed in the forthcoming article in the ‘articles’ section of varnachitra online gallery

Next Step of the the painting Unreal City

Unreal city is progressing very slowly. Here is the latest stage where the painting has reached.

My art websites are now on a new host

I shifted to paid hosting at last. I was trying the benefits of free hosting for the last two years, but the servers started to become unstable recently. from 17 this month there was a surprising outage of about 2 days. I ran for life and my two sites, varnachitra and seekpaintings are working fine now on new hosts. I have started working on a new painting in the mean time which is a nature painting in the line of 'stealer' an earlier painting. Stealer and seven other paintings are now with novica.com.

Next painting is titled for the time being 'Jest'

A new painting is in the process of sketches. I would like it to be in the surrealist, or magical realist genre. This is the second one where I shift myself away from simple nature paintings to slightly brainy ones. I use the traditional art forms of Kerala for conveying my idea. Please wait for a few more days to see the final sketch.