JOIN USBrighten your place with Batik art
Many who attend several crafts mela and other handicraft exhibition would have been bowled over by the Batik art that are displayed there. While some pass off throwing glances, some others who know the real value of it would like to purchase and hang it at the right place at their residences and bring an artistic touch to their drawing rooms and enjoy the curious looks the piece of fabric draws from the family and friends.
One such multi-faceted person is Hema Shekar, who has specialised in Batik and tie and die art and imparted training to many young girls, especially in the rural areas and has made an attempt to make them financially independent. A native of Mysore district, the love for art and perseverence towards it to make it popular among the other womenfolk has taken this woman to great heights in the world of art.
Speaking to City Herald, Hema said that she took to the art as hobby when her husband was transferred to Bijapur. As there were not much friends as it was a new place, she began learning Batik, who was encouraged by her husband, which later turned into a profession.
Though this fabric art looks very simple, it involves a lot of process and the person learning it should not lose their patience. More the colours and intricate designs the process is long but the final outcome after it is dried, gives a great sense of achievement, she adds.
The girls from rural areas shows a lot of interest in learning the art compared to the urban women, Hema says the city girls who come to learn the art being impressed by it after watching it in the exhibition wants to complete it in a jiffy and sometimes even lose interest.
Her various art pieces like sculptures, human forms, ruins of Hampi and a lot more with bright colours have been displayed in several expos and received huge response.
Hema Shekar has also participated in several exhibitions and in contests and won prizes.
She has specialised in Batik and Tie and dye and has undergone training in Regional Design and Technical centre and also a short training at Jadi Batik Centre, Kualalumpur, Malaysia.
She has trained more than 275 women candidates under Vishwa scheme of Govt of Karnataka, Handicrafts training scheme of RTDC, Govt of India and others. Apart from this, she has conducted demonstration and training in various schools and colleges and also at taluk and district headquarters in Karnataka. Some trained women have taken the art as profession and are leading decent livelihood.
She also practices kalamkari, Mysore and Tanjore painting, terracotta, ikebana, bonsai, screen printing, ceramic work, vegetable carving, embossing, cut and foil work, thermocole and other art.
She has participated in many handicraft exhibitions at Surajkund, New Delhi, Pune, Chennai, Tiruvananthapuram, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Mysore, Hassan, Udupi and other places.
She has been recognised by the state government and bagged the National award for the year 2002. Karnataka state award for the year 1995, State merit certificate in the year 1994, Kittur Rani Channamma award in 2002, Kempegowda award sponsored by Bangalore City Corporation in 2002, Aryabhatta award in 2002, many rolling trophies, silver cups, medals in Ikebana and a lot more.
Hema Shekar is currently working as president of Karnataka Handicrafts Artisans Welfare Association (KHAWA), Bangalore.