Sunil S. Mehta
I live in Mumbai and Merces, Goa - India. After my ‘0’ level in Art, it was four decades before I began sketching and then painting as I was working in the Marketing and Advertising industry. I am indebted to my mother Usha Mehta, an unassuming versatile artist from whom I inherited my artistic genes, and to Katharine Holmes of Yorkshire who freed my inhibitions in style, media and quantum of use of paint and size of brushes! Her teaching style was truly expressive - she taught me a lot about acrylics and mixed media painting.
Art should be enjoyed - when one sees paintings at a gallery or at a friend's house; when one buys art for love of the painting or as an investment; or when one paints the work. At each stage, essentially you should ‘be happy’. My signature is a Mandarin chop. The two left side vertical symbols are my name. The right side symbols are the words ‘Be happy'. I believe that it’s far more expressive than just signing my name on the canvas!
As part of my social responsibility, I insist that we support an NGO at each art exhibition. On my part, I personally ensure that 30% of my sales are directly given to the NGO supported at the exhibition. This practice also applies for other sales.
A bit about my painting techniques
I paint in acrylics, oils and water colours. My favoured style in oil or acrylics is impasto as it creates beautiful imagery and depth and exploits the richness of the paints. It produces a pleasing tactile surface. Landscapes convey peace, tranquility and considerable warmth. My work reflects nature at its most awesome and my paintings attempt to record a landscape moulded both by man and by nature; I paint the wild grandeur of the sea and the greens of the pastures. I see the landscape in terms of an ever-changing palette, from season to season, as clouds and sunlight striate the countryside or seas. I often use mixed media techniques, especially for my abstract works. My style reflects a natural world that is alive, restless. I prefer painting land and seascapes along with abstract works in oils and acrylics on canvas. I generally paint western landscapes.
The Navhind Times of Goa commented "Sunil Mehta's landscapes and natural scenes .. his paintings were such that if you stare at them long enough you'll want to be a part of them!"
To quote Abe Toshiyuki, whose philosophy i admire, when questioned about what art means, he responded by saying "Art is a mirror of the soul for the beholder. For example, many different viewpoints come out when different people look at the same painting, but when the same person looks at the same painting, their viewpoint can easily change depending on their state of mind. This change is what I mean by art being a mirror of the soul for the beholder".
Media used
Watercolour, acrylics and oil paints on paper and canvas.
Exhibitions
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
- Oct 2009, Multimedia 5+1 Group show, Kala Academy, Panjim
- April 2010, Art4all Group show, Hutheesing Centre, Ahmedabad
- Oct 2010, Art4all Group show, Kamalnayan Bajaj Art Gallery, Mumbai
- Aug 2011 – Bajaj Art Gallery Monsoon show, Mumbai
- May 2012 – Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai
- November 2012 – The Art Entrance, Kala Ghoda, Mumbai
- 15th November 2013 – ArtGate - Inaugural Group show, Churchgate, Mumbai
- April 2014 – Cancer Society of India Group Charity Show, Art Musings Gallery, Mumbai
- April 2015 - Cancer Society of India Fund Raiser, Art Musings Gallery, Mumbai
- March 2016 – Gufa Gallery, Ahmedabad - art4all show
FUTURE EXHIBITIONS
- Exhibitions planned in Pune, Ahmedabad and Mumbai
My top painting tip
Be happy when painting. Always try out something new; be innovative. Try and see art from the viewer’s point of view if you are exhibiting. I often see art works which are full of the artist’s angst and internal anguish being expressed in art – whilst appreciating these feelings; does it help the artist when there is no sale? Paint from the heart any subject you feel comfortable about. Be sincere. Attempt to be a good citizen by giving a percentage of sales proceeds to charity as it helps NGO’s - Go surprise yourself.
Academic Qualifications
- Schooling at Cathedral & John Connon School, Mumbai and Dulwich College, London
- B.A. (Hons.) Archaeology and Anthropology - Queens' College, Cambridge University
- M.A. (Hons.) Cambridge University, England
- M.E.P: Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad
Interests
I travel, write travel articles, love photography and paint. My travel articles have appeared in various leading Indian travel and specialized magazines. My travel blog is multitaskerme.blogspot.in Have a read and enjoy the articles.
Career
Marketing and Advertising with leading international & national companies from ICI Fibres Ltd. UK and Intermarkets Advertising of Saudi Arabia to Hutchison Max Telecom / Orange and Marketing Head, National Centre for the Performing Arts in Mumbai.
In 2002, i began Businessasusual – my own Marketing & Advertising Consultancy and art4all.