1stAngel & Friends

Umesh U V
Welcome to the Artists Blog !!

1stAngel: When did you first become interested in art?
Umesh: From childhood I suppose, since my mother was very good with her hands; knitting, sewing designs etc, so I was drawn to creative expression in art and during my primary school days I recollect very well how my Geography teacher used to take me to other classrooms to make me draw Indian map on the blackboard, (including only girls section and it was a privilege then)

1stAngel: What style of art do you use most?
Umesh: I prefer intricate line drawings a lot which leads me to paint more often figurative works with lot of detailing and color sense. Though in the recent past I do also try to use bright colors to do few abstract work when time constraint is less.

Abstract

1stAngel: Has your style changed from when you first began as an artist?
Umesh: Very much. We tend to learn more from doing practically rather than seeing different styles. Since I am a self-taught artist, my knowledge was acquired experimenting with different medium and also my association with different short-term training camps under different professionals from time to time.

1stAngel: What medium do you use?
Umesh: I love to do watercolors on paper and have started to enjoy equally acrylic on canvas.

Scene With Abstractism 2007

1stAngel: What made you choose that medium?
Umesh: Ease and comfort.

1stAngel: Do your ideas come from life or imagination?
Umesh: I do travel a lot, interact with lot of established artists and attend large number of art shows throughout the year. Hence, while traveling, I getlots of ideas which I immediately scribble on to a pad which I translate into actual paintings thereafter as time permits.

1stAngel: How do you choose your images and colours?
Umesh: Images are chosen depending on the composition of the complete picture and colors are selected based on my mood at that particular state of mind.

1stAngel: Who is your favourite artist?
Umesh: The list is too long and majority of them are no more on this planet.

1stAngel: What is your favourite piece of work by yourself?
Umesh: Pen on paper drawing of 3 deities

3 Deities Pen On Paper 2002

1stAngel: How much time (on average) does it take to complete a work?
Umesh: Watercolors usually take 2-3 days to complete (3-4 hours) and acrylics take one long stretch of 6-8 hours at one go.

1stAngel: How well do you take criticism?
Umesh: With open positivity if it comes from an experienced eye.

1stAngel: What do you do to overcome a ‘block’?
Umesh: Quit the scene and come back to it after a gap of time or days.

Abstract

1stAngel: How do you know something is ‘finished’? Is it easy to walk away?
Umesh: Since Virgo artists are perfectionists, it is difficult to walk away since I always keep seeing ways to improve and it keeps getting more and more complicated

1stAngel: Have you had exhibits in galleries?
Umesh: Group shows yes, but no solo show till now.

1stAngel: Have you any exhibits in galleries planned for the future?
Umesh: I have been planning to hold atleast one in this year 2008, either one show of photographs or one show of my paintings and the next one hopefully of sculptures.

1stAngel: What are your plans for the future?
Umesh: Keep working on art……

Self Portrait With Letters Pen On Paper 1994

1stAngel: Looking back, what has been the best part of your work?
Umesh: I do a lot of painting just to experience the thrill and not with an aim to sell. I am more of a serious art collector and sell online through my website http://affordindianart.com so when I get an inquiry from my clients about my work I feel elated but feel at a loss to quote the selling price.

Umesh your work is amazing and I feel honoured to have been allowed to interview you. Thank you for being a part of 1stAngel & Friends.

You can see Umesh’s site at http://affordindianart.com