Adding emotions to Channapatna toys

Today when the new generation is not even aware of its existence, they may be found once a while in showcases.

Meet Jayadevanna T S from Mysore who is all set to bring back these childhood delight through his paintings- ‘Channapatna toys’ comprising of series of 30 paintings exclusively on these toys.

Speaking to City Herald, Jayadevanna says that Channapatna toys are an intricate part of folk culture. “As a child,  I was always fascinated by these toys. Their bright colours, delicate handwork added to my delight. Hence I decided to revive these toys from my memory. I have tried to express various emotions by giving expressions to these toys,” he said.

The artist has used bright colours such as red, blue, green and yellow. “I chose this colour scheme as it is very close to folk culture. When people see my paintings, I want them to be relieved from stress caused by the mecahnised lifestyle and remember the childhood delights and go back to their folk roots,” he says.

Apart from the doll series, the painter has also done a series on buffaloes. “I grew up with nature and I love animals. I have painted more than 30 paintings giving different emotions to buffaloes,” he says and adds that he also has painted several landscapes.

Pointing at one of his paintings ‘After 38’, which portrays a clock and a weeping man, he explains that he has tried to show that time and nature will not wait for anybody. “I am 38 years old and one day I realised that i will be 40 soon and have already lived half my life. With the busy life, I never realised how years passed by. Hence I painted this artwork, which will act as a reminder of the temporariness of human life,” he says.

Speaking about himself, the artist says that he has been painting for more than 15 years. “I studied painting from Ken School of Art in Bangalore and also secured a merit. My family was unhappy when I said that I wanted to be an artist. They used to tell me that I cannot make a living. But I still pursued my dream,” says Jayadevanna who is now a full time professional artist. “My family is now very supportive. They are happy that I proved them wrong with my achievements,” he says.

He is married to Shobha Rani who works as a High School drawing teacher. “I taught my wife drawing after our wedding. She picked up very fast. She is now a good drawing teacher,” he says. The couple are blessed with a daughter. Jayadevanna has also won the Dasara painting expo award five times and has displayed his artworks in Bombay, Coimbatore, Kerala, Hyderabad, Bangalore and other places.

He has displayed his art work for the very first time in Mangalore at a joint expo in Prasad Art Gallery. Eight of his art works have been displayed in this expo. Interested can visit the gallery which will host the expo till Saturday evening.