Some background about this typical art:
These paintings are called ‘Warli Paintings’. This is a beautiful folk art of India and its roots may be traced to as early as the 10th century AD but they were discovered quite recently. The tribals who revealed this art form are called ‘Warli’. They were originally hunters but today they are a farming community. The Warli Paintings, which form an integral part of their life, are done using rice powder over cow dung smeared walls of their huts.
The most important aspect of the paintings is that it does not depict mythological characters or images of deities, but depict social life. Their paintings contain numerous small elements, giving a panoramic view of their day -to- day life with startling exuberance. With simple triangles, line and dots, their depiction of animals and birds, plants, rivers, mountains, and humans are so alive that one can almost feel the activities of the birds, animals or hear the rustling trees, gurgling rivers or the trumpets and drumbeats. Circles are an important element in Warli Paintings, as they believe that life is a cyclic phenomenon, without a beginning.
When I first saw these paintings, I was overwhelmed by its beauty and simplicity. I got engrossed in observing the little activities of their simple life which is in perfect harmony with the nature. Creating Warli art gives me the same great joy. It sets me free and I just spend hours and hours immersing my soul into the pure pleasure of painting Warli art.
Hope you also find the same joy looking at these paintings!
Anjali Vaidya joined Fine Art America on December 1st, 2010.
