Paresh Maity is a child of nature

Paresh who is born and brought up in rural Bengal says that his upbringing has played a vital role in his painting career so far. The artists who is showcasing his paintings at the Eternal Landscapes show at the ICIA Gallery, Fort talks to CS about his love for nature and art:

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Who: Paresh Maityu00a0

What: Talking about the influence of nature on his art

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Looking for inspiration
My biggest inspiration is always nature. I started my career as a landscape artist, as I grew up watching the seasonal colours of rural Bengal. As you know, Bengal is surrounded by water, which has played an important role in my life as well as in my career. English romantic landscape painters, Joseph Mallord William Turner and John Constable are my favourites, as well as my biggest inspirations. They were the reason why I took to landscape painting as a profession. No one in this world could capture landscapes like them.
My paintings have always talked about life in villages, especially in rural Bengal. Some of my paintings have a bit of my childhood memories in them. I always try to capture the spirituality and landscape of rural life, be it in my installations, water or oil paintings or writings.

Colour on canvas
My close-to-nature and landscape paintings have always allowed me to use my favourite colours. I explore colours like red, yellow, blue, green etc, as I believe that they represent true India. I just love them. My art commands me to use them. And I am a slave of my art. I don't interfere with what my painting demands. If tomorrow it requires me to work in black and white, I will. The focus of my work has never shifted from nature thanks to my minimalist use of technology. Believe it or not, till date I don't own a television, nor do I carry a mobile along with me. I work with the natural colours. I don't paint after 5.30 pm as I love to paint in natural light. And trust me, the results are amazing. Staying away from technology has benefited me in many ways.

Romantic me
I do my work and leave it on the public to judge. My art is a very romantic one. I paint the love nature bestows on us. Also, I am a romantic person at heart. Any romantic novel, film, or even picture I just pick it up. They inspire me to do better every time. u00a0