A Tribute to Womanhood

A woman is a special being that possesses the miraculous power of creation itself. Being the harbinger of life, creativity comes naturally to her and she is born with it. Just as she conceives life inside her body, nurtures it and finally brings it into the world, she can also spawn beautiful ideas in the womb of her intellect, cultivate them and eventually deliver them to one and all.   

This post is a celebration of feminine creativity and is especially dedicated to all my fellow women artists out there. Why? Because it’s International Women’s Day of course! So here’s wishing all those wonderful ladies that hold the power of creation in their hands, a Very Happy Women’s Day!!

A woman is a receptacle of limitless talent. Throughout history, there has been many a women artist who has created outstanding works of art, be it in the form of paintings, photographs, sculpture or motion picture.  Artists like Mary Beal, Gwen John, Lee Krasner, Eileen Aigar and Frida Kahlo to name a few have made some of the most distinguished contributions towards the field of fine art in particular.

Inspite of facing constant opposition from their male counterparts, women artists have outdone themselves and stood the test of time. Today they are as integral a part of the institution of art as their fellow male artists and walk hand in hand with them, their heads held up high.

One of the greatest gifts a woman possesses is her power to express and emote better than a man. It is this faculty that a women artist harnesses successfully and uses to its fullest potential in order to emote her thoughts to her viewers. This skill allows her to redefine and extend the boundaries of art thus making a mark for herself in the male-dominated world.

On the occasion of International Women’s Day and in celebration of Women’s Week, my next few posts will tell you the story of not only few of the amazing women who have played muse to artists or have inspired art in some way or the other, but also some well known women artists themselves in the field of fine art. So let me kick off the festivities with my personal ode to commemorate this celebration of femininity.    

My artwork displayed above titled “Cheers to Womanhood!” has been inspired by the fabulous womankind that has held its ground with its never-say-die attitude. It is also a mark of respect to all my fellow women artists, in recognition of the remarkable work done by them in the past and looking up to them as a source of inspiration in the future.

This piece of art symbolizes the strength of a woman on the whole and how she is capable of carrying the weight of the entire world on her shoulders. For centuries, women have been marginalized and dominated by men, especially in my country, India. But things are changing now and women are no longer the oppressed sex of the society. For the Indian woman in particular, standing up for her rights against all the atrocities and hardships of the world is a feat in itself.

The veil of modesty that she drapes around her head in the artwork does not diminish her strength or abilities in any way, but only enhances their beauty and power furthermore. The “bindi” or red dot in the centre of her forehead is yet another symbol of her brute force and not just a mark of adornment. Through the expression on her face and the look in her eyes, I have tried to convey that she’s the epitome of power and she’s here to stay.

I have created this piece using prismacolor pencils, with a hint of brush markers for the subtle details. I tried out something new for the background of the veil around the woman’s face. I rendered it with water color pencils, giving it a soft water color wash using a brush dipped in water. Then I added a second layer of color on top, but this time with chalk pastels and once again gave it a wash with my moist brush. I am happy to say that the two shades of peach and pink that I used for the background blended in quite well to create a water color effect. Then I created the print of the fabric with consecutive layers of pencil colors, fine tip markers and rubber stamping with distress ink, thereby adding intricate details to the print.  The face of the woman has been done with prismacolor pencils.

This artwork is not only my tribute to the feminine spirit but also a portrait of the artist in her who has been endowed with the ability to conceive and thereafter deliver her vision. I hope you like my rendition as well as celebration of feminality and you look forward to my upcoming posts in its honor.  

So watch this space for more and till then….

CHEERS TO WOMANHOOD!