Introduction
Sathyabhama K was a daily wage worker who unfortunately fell victim to the pandemic that ravaged the world in 2021. At 65 Sathyabhama is now famous as an artist having a solo show just organised at the main Thrissur Lalithakala Academy gallery. Her story is inspiring for those who look for various approaches of overcoming crises with art.
Discovering the Artist Within
In 2021, when the pandemic trapped her at home is where Sathybaham’s metamorphosis to become an artist started. She spontaneously made the image of a peacock that called Vishnupriyana her nephew. His encouragement and guidance played a vital role as she developed interest.
A Life-Changing Moment
When he told Sathyabhma to open a colour tube and take up a brush, she changed her life forever. Apart from assisting her to colour her paintings it sparked a passion in her to paint of bigger scale.
The Journey on Canvas
The story of Sathyabhama’s artistic path since 2021 has been truly remarkable indeed. So far she has made roughly around sixty and fifty paintings and sculptors all of which can be seen at the gallery of Lalitha Kala Academy in Thrissur. Her talent earned her an opportunity through this grant from The Academy.
‘Pontha Kaaduketty’: The Solo Show
Pontha Kaaduketty’ is a title of ‘Sathyabhama’s solo exhibition where she showcases her own experience in life through paintings and sculptures. The name also contains some symbolism ‘Pontha’ which literally means shrubs, referring to her past profession of cutting undergrowth and working on construction sites.
Diverse Mediums for Expression
Sathyabhama’s creativity knows no bounds. Using unusual items like hardboard, jar lids, broken plates, and pots she expresses her imagination. The fact that she never received any professional training on art only proves that her story is indeed amazing. More so, her work depicts the purity and naivety associated with something done without using sophisticated skills.
Beyond Canvas: Clay Sculptures
In her art, Sathyabhama creates not only paintings but also clay sculpture. During one of his projects that involved sculpting clay into an object, she was compelled by curiosity. Her sweet memories of those moments are well depicted on her fired kitchen fireplace where she took eight hours to do so. In her art, however, she is commonly observed featuring crows as they conjure up some memories from a young age.
A Journey of Determination
The journey of Satybhama is one that was characterized with strength determination. She was born in Tirur and started working when her age was 10. Later she married and moved to Wayanad. However, despite her failure in marriage, she refused to remarry and instead concentrated on getting an income through different job, later turning into the house work.
Continuing the Artistic Odyssey
The journey of her artistic life began in Kozhikode where the works were displayed for the first time. Additionally, her nephew, Vishnupiryan, and his friends remain supportive of her throughout this remarkable journey. In essence, Sathyabhama persists on making art though there are just little amenities at home. To her words, “I would like to cover bigger canvas but my house has not a sufficient equipment for painting and I still will be drawing”.
Feature Image: Sathyabhama | Courtesy: The news minute
