STORY BEHIND THE ART OF DAMODAR GURJAR
Abundant Future: Cultivating Diversity in Garden, Farm, and Field
Pumpkin
Cucurbita moschata
Much of my inspiration is drawn from nature and cultivated crops. I find myself particularly drawn to botanical specimens that are rich in color and have intricate textures and structures. Following early botanical artists, observation of the actual specimens is of high importance to me. In the final composition, I give careful consideration to the color balance of the plant components. When working on a painting, I use a combination of watercolor and tempera to carefully describe the unique beauty of the specimen as well as its scientific botanical structure.
I enjoy the time spent in my studio studying texture, observing lines, or arranging a still life. It is when I am focusing on the gifts of nature, and not getting carried away with the hurried world in which we live, that I realize creating art is a form of meditation.
I come from a family of farmers, where we cultivated three seasons of crops in a year. I used to visit my father’s field and most of the time I observed the cultivated crops and native flowers, insects, etc. My botanical interest began at a very early age and my interest has continued. I am drawn to ‘pumpkin’ as a subject because of the complexities of the lines, shapes and colors in it. Most of my botanical subjects are very familiar to everyone, which leads me to capture the very fine details so that people or viewers will easily understand and recognize them.
Pumpkins, which belong to the Cucurbitaceae family, are a popular vegetable crop in India, grown during the rainy season. The pumpkin is also known as kaddu in Hindi. It is used for cooking and to make sweets. It is good source of Vitamin A and potassium. Its leaves, young stems, fruit juice and flowers contain medicinal properties. Although native to the Americas, pumpkins and squash are now a main staple crop of India, and India is the world’s second largest producer of pumpkins and squash.
Next Story
Back to List