Genesis of an Artist.

I was a born artist, a prodigy!

I can’t prove it beyond this point, because I myself have destroyed a large number of scribbles and paintings that I have done as a small child.

My maternal grandfather was a poet.

And my paternal grandfather a painter. His name is Krothapally Subrahmanyam, migrated to Chennai and has become a successful commercial artist. I have never learnt art from him except for a few tips orally.

Meanwhile at school, they took an evil pleasure in demoting me twice or thrice. Teachers lacked the spirits for teaching children. In India student- teacher ratio is bad. Those who studied with me have gained good salaried jobs but they are also nondescript persons, acting as petty naukars and gumasthas of the corporates.

College is another place I detested, I hated book-keeping, while my father and brother insisted I pursue chartered accountancy after graduation.­­­­­Very soon, I quit my college education to study in an art school. Continued my diploma course in fine art for two years, and I later quit that too.

The art school lacked instructors who could teach practical methods and I found it regressive.

Every art skill that I gained, I attribute it to my self-exploration, by and large I am a self-taught artist.

I hated participating in art shows, I realised it even when I was young, it only incurred expenses and I knew my art work is bound to be rejected. In Chennai jurors and selectors are semi literates and corrupt to the core, I bothered least about them. As an exception to this, on only one occasion, I had sent my entry to the AIFACS’ National art exhibition, New Delhi, wherein I was awarded a cash scholarship and a certificate for the “best drawing” category.

When I broke my foot,

For about a year I worked in a craft museum cum heritage centre, the project envisioned by Laurie Baker. My honorarium was borne by grant of the Ford foundation. I also taught art at a Krishnamurti inspired school for sometime.

These two assignments are undertaken by me in capacity of an artist, under pay roll of an organisation. Rest of the times I functioned as a teacher. I have encouraged numerous underprivileged people to take up art as profession. Another vocation I took interest is revival of lost South Indian crafts with special emphasis on Srikalhasti school of Kalamkari. We have conducted several workshops with help of my mentor Mr Mapeti Ramachandra Reddy. It is not out of place to mention the contribution of my mentor Ramachandriah to my research, adopting ancient visual language and symbols and converting them to the language of modern art. I, my students and our friends are immensely benefited by his knowledge.

My visits to the Chennai Goverment. Museum have given me various insights about ancient Indian sculpture, design and ornamentation and the exposure to archaeology.

I always felt art is a practical field, and demonstrations are vital. I have done countless demonstrations for my students and my acquaintances. Even to this day (when I no longer wish to meet people), my art demos are released time to time on my youtube channel. Even If one person is benefited watching my demonstrations, I feel it an honour and our efforts recognized. 

Drawn with Harpic

I am also advocating using cheap and easily available art materials for art. In modern age art should be compact, small, and affordable and it must be in position to ship easily. I stopped doing paintings on canvas, I not only hated to interact with carpenters and framers, bit it escalated the cost. Heavy thick framed art doesn’t necessarily mean it is a good art. All my works are on paper -could be custom framed by the prospective buyer.

If you are looking for unconventional original art, Contact Me.

I live in Rajahmundry presently; the great Godavari River is only few kilometres away from my studio cum residence.

Thank you all for the patient reading. Your feedback is appreciated.

Srinivas Krothapally

20-April’2020

Rajamahendri