Very aptly expressed by Dominique Ingres –
The more simple the lines and forms, the greater the power and beauty…..
Spirit of the Horse
“A look at Sujata’s works tells us that she creates her own sculptonic identities as she captures these poetic animals. So fascinated is Sujata by horses that the subject has remained a leitmotif throughout her storied artistic career. These portrayals of animalistic beauty do not just erupt across the canvas, they stand like silent sentinels wrapped in the grace of equine elegance.
She grows with the challenge of creating forms in the simplest manner possible. Sometimes her forms are simple and sleek, at other times they are shown in tumultuous gallop, with a display of immense power, a testament to her skill in depicting a sense of movement through her lines. Drawing directly with a paintbrush leaving no room for error, as she weaves in the elegance of spirit. These paintings, rendered in the artist’s immediately recognizable, charismatic style and monochromatic palette, serve as a fine example of her supple application of brushstrokes.” Uma Nair, Art Critic and Curator
“I love to use earth colours while painting horses. I start the under-painting with gesso and then shades of blue or purple acrylic paint, adding layers of warm colours like burnt sienna and vandyke brown. I play with thick and thin lines, using a brush in a gestural way, sometimes dipping my fingers in paint and working directly on the surface building up the energy of the horse. I seldom erase.” — Sujata Dere
She adds: “In some of my recent works, I have digitally printed a map on the canvas and painted the horse over this to depict the role of the horse in history, connecting people and cultures across the world. I have added glaze to the pigment to create a shine-through effect illuminating the horses, highlighting their very positive aura and energetic field. Glazing adds depth and dimension, bringing out some of the colours from underneath. Finishing touches are added using bold strokes with conte.”
