Artist Vinod Sharma brings out meditative & serene facets of Himalayas to the fore

Rajkumari Sharma Tankha

If you are overawed by the magic of mountains; if hills is something that seem to call you every now and then, visit the The Mystical Mountains at Ehsas Art page on Instagram and Facebook. And you won’t be disappointed. This is where artist Vinod Sharma is presenting his 29 oil paintings depicting the ageless, mystical Himalayas, Lord Shiva’s home in its raw serenity. The show being curated by Manisha Gawade, is supported by Dubai-based Arthouse by AV. Oil is his favourite medium. “Oil has a transparency, that no other medium has. I can show layers and layers of mountainous terrain with oil paints, and each colours will shine through the others – something that is not possible wth other mediums,” he says.

This is Sharma’s first online show. “I have always done physical shows – I enjoy those since the viewer reaction can be perceived right on the show. online doesnt give you that opportunity, but online has its own charm because it has a wide reach,” says Sharma.

As Sharma says, this show in his tribute to the great ascetic and aadipurush Lord Shiva, his self-restraint and control over senses which empowered HIM to gain control over the entire universe. “Lord Shiva chose Himalayas as his home, he deeply meditated amidst the snow-capped mountains in the lap of Nature, far away from the maddening world in. And just as Himalayas, Lord Shiv is silent, yet powerful, deep within yet holding the physical world in HIS fist,” he says.

The Mystical Mountains celebrates the simplistic use of colour, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t come strongly. The mountains and hill terrains that the artist showcases in black, white as well as deep hues of red and blue simply take your breath away – that’s the power they have over a viewer. One can literally lose oneself in the meditative and serene facets if the majestic Himalayas. “Mountains show power and stability. They also show the smallness of your own being, which is quite humbling,” he says, adding that one must always spend some time in mountains.

The works exhibited on the show were created in the last two two years. “Pandemic gave us the time to sit back and ponder. For me, it changed my colour pallette too – reds and blues and other deep colours came into my art, where I had ochers,” he says.

What you see on the canvases is perhaps what his eyes have seen and subconscious stored in the deep recesses of his mind while he is on his trips to hills – travelling is something he loves – something about which he is not consciously aware.

“It is all the grace of God. I just begin my work, how it moves ahead and what emerges finally is purely a divine intervention,” he says, adding that while he loves to travel and often goes out on trips, he doesn’t bring back any visual references, photographs or sketches for the purpose of making paintings. “It’s all in the mind,” he smiles, “Sometimes even I wonder how the creation has come about. I just play with colour. There must be some divine force helping you. It is magic, something beyond explanation.”

A master of fine arts from Baroda, Sharma is known for these soothing landscapes, something he has done since the very beginning of his art life. “Both my parents were artists: Father C V Sharma, worked with NCERT and later DoorDarshan while mother, Santosh Sharma was an art teacher. So, while they didn’t want me to become an artist, their art influenced me so much that art is what i wanted to do. One is a product of his surroundings,” he says.

The septuagenarian artist has had over 30 solo exhibitions, besides several group shows and art camps in India and abroad, and shows no signs of stopping. “Art is my life,” he says. His works can be found in many private collections and public galleries around the globe.

Message to upcoming artists:
“Be sincere to your art, and persevere, and success will definitely reach you. After all, what can be more interesting than art,” he says.