‘Drawing And Design Explorations Have Been A Part Of My Journey Since Being An Architecture Student’

Architect, professor and artist Tushar Manohar Shetty from Dahisar, Mumbai, is known for his detailed watercolour works of old Bombay. He has dabbled in graphite and pencil sketches, then painting and later pursued architecture as it blends technology and art. He’s had two art exhibitions in this medium. One in 2017 on the coastlines of India, followed by the moods of rains in a show titled, Tushar (rain showers). After a long break, Shetty has taken to painting again, and feels his passion slowly turning into his profession. Here, he talks to Kavita Ezekiel Mendonca, who admires his art, about his process and painterly language.

What are the major influences on your work?

I have been drawing and painting since childhood. Drawing and design explorations have been a part of my journey since being an architecture student. This ranged from object drawings, figurative, portraits landscapes, memory drawings and so on…

From 2016, I chose to concentrate on watercolours. I have explored railscapes, object drawings, figurative studies, portraits, abstracts, in this medium. Over time, I have met many good watercolourists, who mentored me through demonstrations and outdoor excursions. They instilled the importance of practice. Now, I constantly practice mastering the finer details of this art. As an architect, I love to make more of line and graphic drawings.

Why watercolours?

I have experimented with oil, dry pastels, acrylics, but felt more at home with watercolours. Material-wise, it is the most easily accessible medium. Also, it gives quick results and is easier to handle. I love the fluidity, transparency, flow, texture, body, and correctness of hues that this medium gives. While switching from sketching, I found watercolours gives a nice sketchy look that lends an abstract feel. It’s magical how the colours blend into one another, and create new shades. This, while coupled with water, adds more charm to the painting.

At the outset, this medium creates great disappointment for beginners and new enthusiasts because it uses water as the base. By its very nature, water is fluid, flowing and cannot be controlled. The trick lies in knowing how to control the water and tame it for the right use in the painting. Once you understand the pulse of the medium and tricks to accomplish the work, it becomes one of the most precious mediums to handle. Again, practice is the only key.

Do you have a fixed time to paint?

I usually paint in the afternoons and evenings, as mornings go in completing daily chores at home or work, though I love painting in the mornings. Mood is something that’s created once I am at my easel. What triggers my creativity is the arrangement of objects in nature, the light any object receives, their individual perspectives, and colour schemes. Nature has been the strongest influence to explore this art. Nature has always shown magical changes with regard to colour, texture, feel. And I aim to capture the pulse of the moment.

For a while now, I have been following artists Chandrakant Mandre, Milind Mulick and Aditya Chari, Alvaro Joseph, Vikrant Shitole, Prafull Sawant, Vilas Kulkarni, and Aniket Mahale. I adore their approach to various themes on nature, and their use of colours and textures. After much practice, I have developed my own style.

What is the role of art and the artist in society?

An artist must constantly explore and achieve newer dimensions and convey the uniqueness of the subjects of art through his works. In my opinion, an artist is a mirror for society. Creativity is always a constant, be it painting, singing, cooking, etc. I am an ardent Kishore Kumar fan. I see an interconnection between singing/music and watercolour paintings. Just as you have voice and music, likewise there’s water and colours. I also play the mouth organ and guitar, and occasionally dabble in badminton, carrom and chess. Your art is an image of who you are. It speaks volumes of your mind, character, beliefs, and personality. The prepositioning of art to a subject itself is proof of the contribution it offers to the consciousness and mindfulness that artists possess.

I always wanted to do something on the Indian Railways. Hence, I juxtaposed my watercolour art with some writing, and compiled a book, which combines my love for the railways as well as watercolours. The book is slated for release this year.

What is the difficult part of making art?

The tough part of making art is not believing in it while you are painting it. The much harder part is not approaching the painting at all, despite your conviction that it could be a good art piece. It can take years for your truest emotions and concerns to surface on the canvas or just a fraction of a second to figure out the expression you want to create. Your painting is complete when you are aware that you shouldn’t add more to it.

(This appeared in the print edition as "‘Your Art is an Image of Who You Are’")

Kavita Ezekiel Mendonca is a teacher of English, French and Spanish. She has two published books of poems to her credit: Family Sunday and Other Poems (1989) and Light of the Sabbath (2021)