A “self taught” artist, I am a happy mix of self learning and more formally from artists in workshops and institutions. And after over a dozen years of figuring things out, I wouldn’t want it any other way!
The journey of understanding and making art is a continuous learning process: Improving existing skills, learning new ones and most of all growing with the experiments and experiences. Drawing and painting are an integral part of my life, something I am passionate about. This blog, Maya, documents the road traveled thus far.
People, their moods, interactions and emotions are an ongoing source of curiosity and interest to me. What I’m searching for is their inner personalities, their thoughts and there are stories I build around them as I work. I like portraying feelings of people when they are alone, lost in their thoughts, caught unawares or engaged in activity which has captured their attention. These are the special moments that appeal to me most. I love to experiment and use a variety of medium ranging from paint, charcoal, printmaking, to clay and the digital medium. Regardless, my focus remains fixed on the human form.
Ujwala Prabhu
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Solo Shows :
“Chokher dekha, Praner Katha” a collection of select pieces made in the last 5 years with a concentration on work finished in the last 3. Gallery Chitrak, Dhaka, May 29 – Jun 5, 2009
Group Shows :
Participated in the First Pullman’s Art Night event hosted by the Pullman Hotel, Gurgaon, Haryana. April 5-12, 2013
“Patterns & Expressions” a 3 Women Show held at AIFACS, New Delhi, February 18-24, 2012
“Room with a View” hosted by Nivedita Raitz von Frentz and Sandhya Reddy to showcase the work of 6 artists. Colombo, November 19, 2011
Participated in Sri Lanka’s first “Colombo Art Biennale“. The theme for the exhibition was “Imagining Peace“. You can read about my entry here and about the piece I submitted here. September 10 – 14, 2009
“Mechanical Fantasy – Open Studio“, an exhibition of the work produced at the workshop. Britto Arts Trust, Dhaka. January 30, 2009
“Jhaal Muri“, an Art & Photography Exhibition on Bangladesh Street Life. Bay’s Galleria, Dhaka. November 8th – 23rd, 2008
13th Asian Art Biennale 2008, a key art event in the region, organised by Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Dhaka showcasing the art of established and young artists from 27 countries, October 21-November 19, 2008
Kormoshala Chapchitra Pradarshini, a group show of prints at the Gallery Chitrak based on work produced by workshop participants and a few guest artists, June 13th-18th, 2008.
In Search of Beautiful Impressions, a group show of prints with participation from leading artists and students of the Institute of Fine Art, Dhaka. June 2nd-4th, 2008 at the Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts
Friends & Faces, a Two Women Show, March 16th – 31st, 2008, Dhaka at the Standard Chartered Bank Art Gallery.
SHAKO Group exhibition and Poetry reading to mark International Womens Day, March 7 & 8th, 2008, Dhaka, Bangladesh hosted by Rubana Huq of Monsoon Letters.
UNWA Juried Silent Art Auction at the Mascara Ball 2007 to raise funds for the Hurricane Sidr Relief Fund. Held on December 7th at Pan Pacific, Hotel Sonargaon, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Education:
Art
Mixed Media Monoprinting, a summer residency programme with Susan Rostow , at Art New England, Bennington, Vermont, August 15th-21st, 2018. Run as a part of their continuing education programme by the Massachusetts College of Art and Design ( http://www.massart.edu/ )
Monotype in Oil with Mary Beth McKenzie, at The Art Students League New York, New York, August 11th-15th, 2014
The Three Stages of Painting with Cornelia Foss, October 20-21st and Composition and Design in Colour and Values with Brandon Soloff, November 5th-9th, 2012 at The Art Students League New York, New York
Studio Course in Drawing and Painting, with Chandraguptha Thenuwara at the Vibhavi Academy of Fine Art (VAFA), Colombo, October-January 2012
Painting from Life, Still Life and Landscape with Peter Homitzky, at The Art Students League New York, New York, July 2010
Painting from Life, Portraiture, Composition, Color with Mary Beth McKenzie, at The Art Students League New York, New York, July 2010
Studio Course in Printmaking, Mar – Apr, 2009, held by the University of Development Alternative, with Shahid Kabir.
“Mechanical Fantasy”, Printmaking Workshop, Jan 14th – 22nd, 2009, held by the Britto Arts Trust, an artist-led, not for profit trust committed towards promoting exchange and dialogue between artistic communities internationally and within the region supported by the Ford Foundation.
Painting from Life, Composition, Color with Philip Lawrence Sherrod, at The Art Students League New York, New York, August 2008
Sculpture : Modelling with Clay with Barney Hodes, at The Art Students League New York, New York, August 2008
Printmaking workshop with well known artist Shahid Kabir at University Of Development Alternative (UODA), Dhaka. May 30 & 31st, 2008
Printmaking workshop “In Search of Beautiful Impressions” with Professors Nirmalendu Das and Pinaki Barua from Vishwa Bharati, Shantiniketan organised and held at the Institute of Fine Arts, Dhaka, sponsored by the Bengal Foundation. May 18th – 24th, 2008.
Creative Drawing & Art Appreciation with Javed Jalil, Dhaka, Nov 2007.
Life Drawing with Kuhu Plamondon, Dhaka, June 2007.
Painting from Life, Portraiture, Composition, Color with Mary Beth McKenzie, The Art Students League New York, New York, July 2006.
Audited the BFA Painting & Sculpture programs, College of Art, New Delhi, 2005-06
Art Classes with Ebenezer Sunder Singh, Sangeet Shyamala, New Delhi, Feb –Apr 2005
Art Classes – drawing, Alexandria, Egypt, Feb 2003
General
Business Management, Marketing and Finance, XLRI, Jamshedpur, 1987-89
Maya 