Artistic liberty

Kalpana Amin is convinced that art flows within her. No surprise then that her art gallery and production village in Gujarat is called Fl...

Kalpana Amin is convinced that art flows within her. No surprise then that her art gallery and production village in Gujarat is called Flo-Art. From the kilns at her studio in Vallabh Vidyanagar, Amin brings a collection of clay statues, figure heads, tribal masks and murals to Pune. These will be on display at the Residency Club from March 19 to 21.

Born and brought up in Kenya, Amin was always interested in the artistic; she experimented in painting, photography and needlework at a young age itself. Later she started beauty care as a professional, before she switched over to dress designing and interior and garden decoration. On settling down in Gujarat, she chose to dabble with the material easily available 8211; terracotta 8211; and that has been her medium ever since.

8220;That8217;s because it is easily mouldable and one can work well with it. I believe that the artist must use the materials at his command in such a way that his emotions or ideas are communicated. Working with terracotta gives me the satisfaction that I have communicated well,8221; she elaborates.

A sample of her works prove just that. While the bulk of her creations in Vallabh Vidyanagar cannot be gauged from Pune, the creativity and power of expression are evident. The intricacy of her motifs, the details of the features speak for themselves. Traditional symbols, human and animal images, religious figures, some abstract forms, or then just beautiful designs 8211; they adorn a range of products, from frames and boards to pots, pans and statues.

Yet another aspect of her work is the colour. Highlighting the natural earthen hues of the material she uses, Amin also makes a generous use of bright colours, and the effect is quite dramatic. And whatever be their size, each of her sculptures is crafted by hand. With no moulds, each detail is etched by her expert fingers or those of her workers.

8220;I travel a lot and the artist in me seeks inspiration in each new place I visit. Be it in the present-day evidence of ancient civilisations like that of Egypt, or in the villages around here, there8217;s something everywhere that can inspire a new design,8221; says Amin. A flip through the pages of her portfolio provides evidence of her travels 8211; the Sphinx, a variation of the famous Dancing Girl of Mohenjodaro, a gathering of village men at the village chaupal, different portraits of Ganesh, or then just depictions of an elephant, a cow, a human face. A glimpse of her creativity and the diversity of her work can now be had by Puneites too.