This artist’s passion for horses
is reflected in the restrained power of her paintings
Mussarat Masters has an abiding passion
for horses; but you’re not likely to find her at
the racecourse. She will most likely be tucked away at
her studio in Salisbury Park, recreating their power and
beauty in inimitable paintings, oils on canvas.
Artist Mussarat’s engagement with
creative art makes an inspiring story. She trained as
a commercial artist at the Abhinav Art College, Pune,
then lived in Iran with her architect husband. There she
had a full-time job as a graphics artist with AT &
T. On returning to India, she felt the urge to turn from
commercial to creative art. She began her creative career
by making hand painted greeting cards, which she sold
for just Rs.2/- each.
She has fond memories of those days –
of how the money didn’t matter, of how much joy
and satisfaction those little cards gave her. Today she
advises anyone, young or old, who is at the threshold
for any new venture, “Never underestimate the value
of small beginnings. Traveling that road is absolutely
essential. Without small things, there can be no big achievements.”
She also adds optimistically “Who
knows what wonderful experiences await us in future? But
the foundations must be worked on first … thoroughly,
without a pressing thought for quick success.” And
that’s really the secret behind Mussarat’s
standing as an artist today.
At 38, with her children grown up and quite
independent, she studied fine art at the SNDT College
for women. Even at middle age, still studying art, she
felt unhurried, and unharried for success. She says, “For
me, it was important to go into the depths of the art.”
Today her large paintings of horses are
much appreciated in Mumbai and Dubai, and she is planning
an exhibition in the U.K. in the near future. In the last
12 years, her creative work has progressed in leaps and
bounds.
In the early part of this period she produced
excellent studies of birds, and some imaginary landscapes,
the latter being suffused by an ethereal, almost spiritual,
light. Later, she did studies of horses, which have evolved
from charming realistic ones to dynamically abstract pieces,
which blur the equestrian forms, but capture the fascinating,
graceful movements.
Mussarat draws powerful sweeping lines across
her canvas, which criss-cross to create an irregular,
geometric patchwork. Each segment in this net is painted
in enchanting colours, almost magical in their appeal.
Each colour is painted with great care, keeping in mind
how it will harmonise with the whole painting.
Slowly, in this maze of flowing lines and
beautiful colours, one discovers the heads and bodies
of horses, and their impassioned riders, the jockeys.
Mussarat succeeds eminently in capturing the powerful
beauty of these animals; perhaps the most dignified and
graceful among the creatures that inhabit this planet.
And sometimes her painting seems to celebrate, not just
horses, but a great energy flowing through the whole universe…
- Shabnam
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“It
is said that music draws people closer to God. For me,
it is my paintings that bring me closer to him,”
says Seema Rathi who adroitly manages to give Ganesha
a contemporary quality without compromising on the traditional
aspect of her work. With Indian mythology as the basis,
the elephant god is captured on canvas, paper, and silk
using several themes like the Zodiac, music, shastra,
and dance among others.