ARTISTOFTHEMONTH

Todayweshallexploretheartisticworldofan architect-turned-artist whose transitional phase of life made him realize his true love forart

In order to create his paintings on canvas, artist Edcel La Rosa Cabalan used his architectural expertise. He is an architect, artist,andphotographerfromthePhilippines who currently resides in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. He is a recipient of the National CommissionforCultureandtheArts'Harvest of Honour (Ani ng Dangal 2022) Visual Arts Award He exhibits a level of craftsmanship that transcends architecture. He has a keen interest in photography and has received numerousawardsfromtheorganizationona localandglobalscale.Hehasbeenawarded thefollowingtitles:InternationalPhotography Awards, Buildings (IPA-PH); Sultan Bin Zayed Photography Competition; The Society of Wedding and Portrait Photographers UK; XposureInternationalCompetition;AFalcon's Shadow (Best of the Emirates); and many others.

T r e n d i n g

His artworks have been presented in various exhibitions, including: 2020 Current: Art contributors for Kobo Art Online Gallery, a Dubaibased art gallery; 2022 Current-Art Contributors for Gallery Vibes— Mall of the Emirates; 2022 Current-Art Contributors for Artsmiley; 2022“ISOAGAnnualArtExhibition”byInternationalStudioforArtand Galleries “Valley of Colors": acrylic paint on canvas; “Ananuri Fortress”: watercolor on paper; “Stroll in Bur Dubai”: watercolor on paper; Divya Chakra 2022: Celebrating India’s 75th Independence Day:AVirtualArtExhibitionorganizedbyArtozeincollaborationwith the Consulate General of India, “Stroll in Bur Dubai," Watercolor on Paper, 2022 “Art Beyond Boundaries-3,” one of the largest online exhibitions of the region by ARTOZE Gallery and Exhibitions Celebrating International Peace Day: “Wanderer in Venice” WatercoloronArchesPaper,andmanymore.

While the solitude brought on by the epidemic may be depressing, thereisalwaysabrightspot,aglimmerofoptimism,andsomething lovely that will emerge. But quite often, this also depends on the personwhodealswithsuchasituation Attheend,itwasEdcelwho chose creativity over depression, paint brushes over sleeping pills, ideasoveranxiety,andartoverstilllife.Hisartworksareepitomesof Renaissanceandmodernart.

The harsh and dreadful pandemic had hit the world not only physically but also on a mental level It brought a huge and violent tide into the normally smooth and flowing wavesoflife.Thecloseddoorsofthehouses also became a metaphor for restricted minds for creative people like Edcel, who earlier used to move around in wide open areastoletthecreativityflowin.Ratherthan being captured by this confinement both physically and mentally, Edcel went a step ahead with his heart and soul, getting prepared for the transition from camera lenses to canvas brushes, from pixels to paintings, from capturing still pictures in frames to letting the pictures in his mind movetothesurfaceofcanvas

Even during such a dynamic transitional phase,EdcelLaRosaCabalanstayedtrueto one of his basic principles in creating art: thatitalwayscomesfromtheheart,andthe samegoesforthemanifestationofthefreeflowing expression of artistic imagination and emotion in every stroke. This manifestation is truly depicted in his radiant paintings.

By Estelle Darcy

24 September, 2014

T r e n d i n g

SushrutaChetan'sArtworks Show:HowNatureBecomesA HealerForTheHumanMind

Nature is a source of endless fascination for artists and a wonderful backdrop for the imprintingofprogressiveideasfromthenew aesthetic language and trends. In the past, artists would frequently imitate nature in their studios, using these models as inspirationforsomeofthemosticonicworks of art. Impressionism, an avant-garde trend, inspired painters to paint outside in natural settings Nature served as the inspiration for significant discoveries that forever altered the nature of art by examining the changing lightandresearchingtheperceptionofcolor. When artists get inspired by nature, they createanotherinspirationontheircanvas.

Today,weshallexploretheartisticinspiration of Sushruta Chetan that led her to create some of the most breath-taking artworks andhowherworksfunctionashealersofthe humanmind.

Nagpur native Sushruta Chetan reveres nature and its processes. For her, nature is a healer In her quest for a higher purpose, she took refuge in nature, seeking answers Travellingtothecountryside,shefoundaconnectionwiththedrydeciduouslandscape that changes its hues and form as the seasons go by She has discovered that it is limitlessandalwaysshifting.But,ifonelooksattentively,onecanfinditfathomableeven thoughitispresentinitsseeminglycomplexform.Inthisseemingchaos,hercuriosities drovehertofindpatternsthatallowedhertofindasenseoforder.Throughthishealing journeycameforthsomeofthemostbreathtakingartworks.

These artworks try to capture nature’s varied forms and the inherent hidden order. In her works, Sushruta creates realistic portrayals of grasslands, forests, swamps, riverbanks, wildflowers, etc., in an attempt to respond to the natural world around her. But she doesn’t merely transfer the visual memory butattemptsaswelltorecreatevariedtexturesthatpiquedher emotions evoked by the scene. She uses tinted charcoal and ink by building up layers of tones and textures to portray the dryness of a dry bushy forest. However, she also creates oil works using the Alla Prima method; sometimes she works en pleinair,andothertimesphotoreferencesfromherownnature expeditions are used.Most of the nature artists, like Sushruta Chetan,quiteoftenusethesubjectoflandscapeintheir paintings. The term "landscape" first appeared as a term for a painting in 1598 It later entered the modern English language as landskip (variously spelled), an anglicization of the Dutch word landschap, at the beginning of the 17th century. Within a few decades, it began to be employed as a phrase for actual viewsandtoexpressvistasinpoetry.

Sushruta enjoys a variety of subjects, but the diversity of designs in landscapes fascinates her more For her, everythingoperatesaccordingtoapatternthatrepeats related components. And Repeated elements create a sense of familiarity. The dynamic environment that we view is made up of many interconnected visual components Patterns give the landscape a sense of whatitis,defineitspersonality.Andthatmotivatesherto capturethecharacterandtextureofhersubject.

Sushruta'sworksaretruepicturesofnatureitself.Herworksseemtobeinviting the viewers with widely opened arms to take a moment to relax and let the wonderful music of nature wash over them. The fact that people go to natural places on vacation shows that nature has always acted as a healer. The modern man ' s mind is brimming with numerous thoughts. In such a situation, artists like Sushruta Chetan and their artwork act as a medium for bringing calmnesstooverthinkingmindsbyslowingdowntherushingthoughts. It won't be wrong to say that such artists do not only create majestic artworks but they also lead the creation of peaceful souls and minds. No wonder art holdssuchgreatvalueinthishumanworld!

AWildDelight,22x30

The-Wind-isPassing-by 14x18 SushrutaChetan