Indian Folk Art:  Warli and Gond Painting

Indian Folk Art with Painting Classes with Verma Mitra at Colorado Free University
With a history that’s rich in culture and heritage, India is a treasure trove of art forms.  CFU is thrilled to be able to present Indian Folks Art painting classes with Indian artist, Verma Mitra.  Verma recently moved to Denver from India and is eager to share this art form with us.

Indian Folk Art: Gond

Gond painting was developed by one of India’s largest tribes over 1400 years ago. The Gond believe that everything in nature is sacred and inhabited by a spirit. Their paintings reflect reverence for nature and an appreciation of the connection between humans and the natural world. Painters get their inspiration from nature, from the myths and legends of India, or just from their imaginations.
Gond painting stands out because of it’s vivid lines and bright colors.  While it is an old art form, it is a popular art form today and many modern artists in India have modified techniques to create paintings that are brighter and more captivating than ever.

Indian Folk Art:  Warli

Explore the origin and evolution of WARLI art. See if this art form remains relevant in the contemporary society of the world and if there remains a future possibility for its survival. WARLI Painting is not just an art form, but a way of life for the WARLI tribes from the West Mountains and coastal regions of India. This art form that originated around 3000 BC has an enigmatic appeal to it. The paintings are beautifully executed and resemble pre-historic cave paintings in execution and usually depict scenes of human figures engaged in activities like hunting, dancing, sowing and harvesting.
Verma writes, “Look at the five following details about this ancient Indian Folk Art that will surely inspire you to learn.

• Invented way before the age of cell phones, smileys and emoticons, Warli paintings don’t just pull at your heartstrings thanks to their rustic charm, they also tell a vivid story.
• Warli art to some extent makes us think of being environmentally conscious and finding joy in simple things of life.
• Let’s have a wonder about an art form that restricts itself to two colors, but this classic simplicity is what makes this art stand out from the clutter.
• The figures of Warli are extremely rudimentary and the composition is achieved with the help of variations in the basic shapes: circle, triangle and square.
• There’s something about these paintings that take us back to the time, setting and sentiment behind the art — be it their belief in harmony between nature and man or the act of worshipping the tribal gods.”

Gond and Warli painting are no longer offered as CFU classes, but artist Mitra Verma is teaching a number of other classes.