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“Think of something to say,’’ Jatin Das tells his model for the afternoon,theatre-person Neelam Man Singh Chowdhry,as he puts his brush on a wet canvas,painting Chowdhry’s portrait...

Artist Jatin Das is in town for a unique interactive session as part of the Chandigarh Heritage Festival

“Think of something to say,’’ Jatin Das tells his model for the afternoon,theatre-person  Neelam Man Singh Chowdhry,as he puts his brush on a wet canvas,painting Chowdhry’s portrait,even as he speaks. An initiative by the Chandigarh Lalit Kala Akademi as part of the ongoing Chandigarh Heritage Festival, Das has been painting for the last three days at the Government Museum and Art Gallery,interacting with ten young artists who are painting alongside him. Tuesday afternoon was experiential,for the renowned painter not only gave the audience a view of his art and its intricacies from close quarters,but brought to light the philosophies that guide him both as a person and an artist.

Painting in front of an audience is a different situation altogether,the Delhi-based artist agrees. “Don’t distract the model,” he barks out instructions,concentrating hard on the canvas,even as Chowdhry strikes a pose. The two have been friends for over two decades now,but the artist is quick to point out that when he is at work,the only bond that exists between them is that of the artist and his muse. But even as he adds brush strokes to the canvas,there’s a friendly banter going on between the two. “How much longer?” asks Chowdhry anxiously as Das retorts,“You people think painting is a joke. Now you know!”

After he finished the portrait,Das talked to the students,answering their questions,and advising them to let nature be their guiding force. “If we can’t grasp from what’s around us,we won’t get anything from books. You need to be involved with your work,else the results won’t be happy. Running after fame can distract you from the core of your work,so sketch,absorb from everywhere and imbibe from the natural beauty around you,’’ he added.

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