Rashmi Rekha Das, OP
IN THE WINGS OF IMAGINATION … WITH PAINT AND BRUSHSTROKES
The starving artist is such a cliché; and fortunately, it might become a thing of the past. Using social media tools and platforms, artists have new ways to market their work and connect with art lovers far and wide. And because these websites are free to use, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram are quickly becoming as important to an artist as the paintbrush and palette. Meet Pritinanda Maharana, one such artist who shot to fame and got recognition as an artist thanks to Facebook.
“I would like to owe my success to Facebook. I am a self-taught artist and have never received any formal training from any art teacher. During my schooldays, I spent hours to come up with best art pieces. After my marriage, I took sabbatical from the art field as many responsibilities came on my way. Some years back, when I joined FB, I posted a few paintings of mine which got appreciated by all and sundry. That’s not all. I got offers to work for some magazines and started working as a freelancer. And I began a new journey. This way FB has changed my life,” says Priti in a tête-à-tête with Orissa Post.
What distinguishes Priti from other artists is that she uses pen and paper to create a piece of art instead of canvas and brushstrokes. “Yes, I am a line artist. Drawing with the absolute minimum of lines and yet showing the whole volume of a figure has been a challenge to artists ever since. Artists like Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci and Albrecht Dürer experimented with these anatomy lines and produced beautiful figures. In recent times, a few are able to bring it off, and I am one of them”, she says.
“It was editor of Jharaka magazine Samarendranath Mahapatra who first noticed my hidden talent after seeing my FB post. Later, I worked for magazines like Samna and Paschima and showcased my talents. Eminent artists like Abhas Ku Boral, Dharmapada Biswal and Chintamani Biswal encouraged me to prove my mettle. They even wanted to train me but I had said no to them due to several reasons”, she maintains.
What fascinated you towards line art? Priti replied: “When we first pick up a pen or pencil and start making marks on paper, we begin with line. Whether self-taught, through trial and error, or guided by others, we learn how line defines form, creates structure, divides a frame and traces contour. I could say that line art came naturally to me. I did not learn it from anyone.”
To a query why she paints, Priti says, “I paint to keep myself happy. I don’t expect others to make me happy. Whenever I feel low or upset, I sit with a pen and paper. Besides, when I am feeling exhausted and nervous, I paint. I am one who loves to live in imagination.”
The self-taught artist, however, attributes credit to her hubby and mother-in-law for her success. “Apart from my hubby and mother-in-law, my uncle Subas Chandra Maharana was my morale booster. He was an alumnus of Khallikote College. He used to teach me the basics of paintings during my childhood”, says Priti who is imparting art and crafts classes to students at home.
She is so passionate about painting that she can create a picture out of dust gathered at car doors. She gives shape to water drops. But she has a regret. “Yes, if I had received formal training in art, I would have managed to carve a niche for myself at international level,” she signs off.
Asked about the awards she received, she says, “Educational qualification and awards do not matter to me. What matters is appreciation. My greatest award is that, despite having no formal qualification, I am recognised as an artist among art lovers.
Priti’s faves
Favourite food: Anything served with love
Favourite places: Riverbank, beach
Favourite artists: Dharmapada Biswal, MF Hussein
