Varsha Kharatmal

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Biography:

Varsha Kharatmal showed a talent for visual art at a young age. She was nurtured by her father, an art teacher, and grew up with painting, photography, and calligraphy. Deaf since birth, Varsha attended a special school for hearing impaired children. But as she transitioned from this school to a regular art college, she faced difficulty in spoken lectures. She persisted through textbooks and notes, and was found to be the best in drawing among the female students of her class. She connected with the best male student, Ramchandra Kharatmal, and they ended up marrying. Along with her husband, she paints and exhibits frequently. She has participated in twenty group exhibitions across India since 2006 and has held two solo exhibitions in Pune. In addition, she participated in the All India Art Exhibition and the India Art Fair several times, as well as workshops and art camps.

Varsha’s paintings are decorative and stylized, influenced by the artist A.A. Almelkar. She displays acute realism in the women’s saris and jewelry, combined with traditional Indian miniature motifs in the backgrounds. Her “Ajantaesque” paintings feature women in rich jewel tones and decadent patterns, gazing at the viewer from under heavy lids, daring them to gaze back. As the viewer takes a closer look, they will see the level of mastery and care with which Varsha has created this sensuous and stylized world.

For inquiries about all available art, please contact Not Just Art.

Artwork:

  1. Rhythmic I (2015) - Acrylic and charcoal on canvas, 30x40” [sold]. Three stylized women dressed in green and yellow patterned saris tilt their hips to the left, their faces in profile, holding their arms behind their heads. They stand in front of a landscape of bright green grass, yellow sky, and gray clouds. (#VAKH001)

  2. Rangoli (2015) - Acrylic and charcoal on canvas, 30x30” [available]. A woman with a long braid and orange patterned sari squats down, holding a small dish of white powder in her left hand. Her right hand pinches some powder. Her body faces away and she looks over her shoulder. Behind her is a faded brown and purple patterned background. (#VAKH002)

  3. Ek Zoka Ek Zoka - Acrylic and charcoal on canvas, 40x30” [sold]. A woman in an orange patterned sari sits on a swing, while her friend in a blue patterned sari stands on the swing as well. They both have long braids, their faces in profile. They stand in front of a landscape of blue water and brown sky, with leaves and vines above them. (#VAKH003)

  4. Lakshmi (2018) - Acrylic on canvas, 36x36” [sold]. A woman in a patterned sari and gold jewelry faces front and looks to her right, her face in profile. Lotus flowers and lilypads are arranged in front of her and in front of a blue and green pond background. (#VAKH004)

  5. Two Friends Make Rangoli - Acrylic and charcoal on canvas, 30x40” [sold]. Two women in red (left) and light blue (right) patterned saris sit on the ground. The woman on the right holds a small dish of powder and adds to a green, red, and blue rangoli pattern. Various trees and flowers are in the background, in front of a gray patterned building. (#VAKH005)

  6. Mask I (2017) - Acrylic on canvas, 24x24” [available]. A woman in a blue patterned sari and gold jewelry faces front and looks to her right, her face in profile. She holds a crème and white masquerade mask in front of her eye. Behind her is a dark background with red and blue dots. (#VAKH006)

  7. Mask II (2017) - Acrylic on canvas, 24x24” [available]. A woman in a blue and red patterned top faces away, looking back over her shoulder to her right, her face in profile. Her hair is long and curls at the ends. She holds a crème, white, and red masquerade mask in front of her eye. Behind her is a green and blue background with green and blue dots. (#VAKH007)

  8. Rhythmic II (2017) - Acrylic on canvas, 24x18” [available]. A woman in a yellow patterned sari turns to her left, her face in profile. Her right hand rests on a tree trunk; her right hand rests on her head. She stands in front of the tree, its foliage, and large palm leaves. (#VAKH008)

Press: