Two self-taught artists, Stacy Rodrigues and Clarice Vaz have collaborated and put up a collection of works for sale. Titled ‘The Giver’ the proceeds from this exhibition will go to the National Association for the Blind. NT BUZZ takes a peek at what’s in store
Janice Savina Rodrigues | NT BUZZ
In Chinese philosopher, Lao Tzu’s, words “The wise man does not lay up his own treasures. The more he gives to others, the more he has for his own.” This adage must have struck a chord with many people who believe in giving back to society. In keeping with this are two artists, self-taught and queens of their own domains, who have decided to give back to society using their art. Stacy Rodrigues and Clarice Vaz have both flourished in the styles they have chosen and have decided to collaborate and put up an exhibition of their works in ‘The Giver’, to be open for viewing and sale over this weekend – March 16 to March 18 at Kala Academy. The charity show is in aid of the National Association for the Blind that has helped Stacy – whose brainchild this exhibition is – in the past.
Stacy spent most of her youth in Siolim and loved the village for what it was – verdant, quiet and serene. “But over the years I saw the fields being converted into residential land, and trees being cut to widen roads, and I didn’t like it. This exhibition is an attempt to give back to nature, from where I seek inspiration regularly,” she says. Diagnosed with a hereditary condition at the age of 14, owing to which she began losing her bilateral vision, Stacy ventured into art as a form of self expression. She found solace in the nature around her and that is when she thought of an exhibition in honour of the ever-endowing ‘giver’ – Mother Nature.
Her romance with nature is very evident in her work and she decided that it was high time to preserve the sanctity of the village life that is diminishing very quickly. “I always feel a distinction in the village and city life, the air and the whole ambience, I don’t like that distinction; but unfortunately our villages are also slowly becoming like the urban areas and I felt a need to document what I feel about nature before it all goes away,” she states, and that thought propelled Stacy to connect with Clarice, whose work she struck a chord with.
“When I had my exhibition in December, Stacy got in touch with me and asked if I would like to be a part of an exhibition revolving around nature and I obliged, so in essence this is Stacy’s solo exhibition with a few of my paintings also on show,” says Clarice. Clarice, a qualified nurse, too began painting as a form of catharsis in 2009, following a family tragedy. She paints unconventionally using the tools of her trade, syringes and needles. “When you enter the art world, and if you want to excel at something, you have to find a means to be the best, and so I developed my own style of painting using syringes and pastes,” says Clarice.
The exhibition will have about 46 artworks on display with the recurring theme of nature running through all these works. “I have about 35 of my works on display while Clarice has 11. Out of the works I have on display 26 are charcoal drawings, while the rest are acrylic on canvas. And they all speak about landscapes, and being in the presence of nature,” says Stacy. Her charcoal works have an aura of peace and serenity about them, while her acrylic works are a colourful sight.
Clarice’s works of syringe and paste are a splash of colour, with her paying respect to sunsets and landscapes. Her paintings are a work of labour of over six to 10 months. “I use imported paints and thus the paintings are priced a little higher. It takes up to a year to complete one work at times, as I have to wait for one layer to dry to then paint the next layer,” she says.
‘The Giver’ is sure to bring peace to the viewers and take them closer to the divinity of nature. “Mother Nature provide us with everything, isn’t it a necessity that we give back to her, in whatever way we can?” concludes Stacy with a thought provoking question.
(The exhibition will be open to public viewing post its inauguration on March 16 at 10:30 a.m. and will remain open till March 18 till 7 p.m. The artworks on display are for sale, the proceeds of which will be given to NAB. The exhibition is open to all.)