Warli Artist Meenakshi Matai

Getting known around the Valley of the Sun, Meenakshi Matai gives an artist interview on Warli Art, a geometric tribal art form that primarily uses circles, spirals, triangles, and other symbols, and originates from the state of Maharashtra in India. Jivya Soma Mashe says, “The Warli tribe consists of some 300,000 members today and is located about 90 miles north of Mumbai. They have their own belief system, life-style and customs. The Warli speak an unwritten dialect mingling Sanskrit, Maharati and Gujarati words.”

1. What is Warli art?

Warli is a tribal art form of the people of the Warli tribe. They live in the western part of India in the state of Maharashtra. Warli paintings have been a tradition that dates back to more than four thousand years ago. Their lifestyle is one that revolves around nature and keeps them close to their source of life, their land. In reverence of this, their paintings feature elements of Mother Nature and Mother Earth. The paintings are done as murals on walls made of mud and cowdung and that’s why it’s common to see them with a dark background. The foreground is white since it’s painted with a paste of rice flour and water. Even though they are not colorful like other Indian art forms, they are culturally rich and informative.

2. What inspired you to become an artist, and especially a Warli artist?

Warli Art by Meenakshi Matai

I was drawn to colors and patterns ever since I was a little girl. My mother recognized this and she nurtured my creative side, as she believed it is important to have a well rounded personality. When she noticed that I picked crayons over dolls, as birthday gifts, she found me wonderful teachers and they taught me all the skills I needed to learn. I have always enjoyed painting, as all colors have moods associated with them. I like to find beauty in almost everything I look at. This inspires me to capture what I see in my paintings.

Growing up in Mumbai, I first saw a Warli painting when I was nine years old at an art exhibition that my Mother took me to. I was amazed by its beauty, but more importantly by the fact that it was intricate yet simple. A few years back, I painted my first Warli painting just to give it a try. It involved several long days of continuous painting, but I enjoyed the process. It brought me peace and I decided that I would bring Warli to the western world.

3. What are the significance of circles, spirals, triangles and other symbols in Warli art?

Warli Art by Meenakshi Matai

The Warli people believe their life revolves around Nature. In reverence to Mother Nature, they use circles to depict the sun and the moon, and triangles to depict mountains and trees. Most Warli paintings have dance and musical depictions, sacred symbols and scenes from daily life. The wedding ceremony and its celebrations are one of the most intricate compositions, with a blessing from the Goddess of fertility, Palaghata, a decorated horse for the groom, a welcoming home for the couple and an energetic wedding party immersed in music and dance. The Warli people get together in big numbers to perform a spiraling dance, called Tarpana, which signifies infinity, with no end and no beginning, just an objective continuum.

4. Some Warli art is constructed like a mandala in its symmetrical way or a rice flour rangoli we find often in front of homes in India. Can you say a few words about this?

'Warli Tarpana Dance', acrylics on canvas, 12 x 16", (C)2008-2010 Meenakshi Matai

In India, a lot of importance is given to making our homes a welcoming place, not just for the guests but for the Gods. People clean their homes and beautify them with hand made designs and patterns, on a daily basis. The rangolis you see are mostly done by the women of the house to welcome the Gods, so that they may come and bless their homes and families. Warli paintings are done as murals with a similar idea and also with the motive of telling stories. This is the way wisdom and life lessons are passed on from one generation to another.

5. What do you experience in the creative process?

The world of patterns, colors, shapes and forms is magical to me. Painting has a meditative effect on me. I can get lost in it and hours can go by like the bat of an eyelid. When I create something, I usually feel a harmony between my canvas, my colors and myself. When I reach that balancing point, I paint without being too worried about the end result and enjoy seeing how beautifully colors blend in with my thoughts. I gravitate towards bright and vibrant colors because they make me feel energetic and positive.

6. What is the main message of your Warli art?

The main message of my Warli art is to introduce people, especially of the Western world, to this beautiful art form of India. I want to bring to Warli, the exposure and appreciation it deserves. In return, I want to bring to art lovers, the aura, the beauty and the stories of Warli. Right now, I showcase just my own paintings, but I am working on bringing the attention to the tribe itself. In the future, I will showcase original works done by the tribal artists. There is definitely a place for this ancient art form in the contemporary world. I hope to find this niche soon.

7. What inspires you to become a better artist?

Several things. In my free time, I volunteer at Arizona Arts Collective. This is an art gallery in downtown Mesa that exhibits paintings done by artists with special needs. Midge White runs this wonderful gallery and I teach fine art classes there. My students may or may not have disabilities, but they are all brilliant artists. When I see the joy on their faces after a successful painting, I feel very satisfied. They inspire me to be a better artist and a better teacher.

The Warli tribal people and their exemplary paintings, inspire me to work towards my goal of bringing them appreciation.

I work as an Electrical Engineer in the semiconductor industry. The starkness and impassivity of the corporate world, also reminds me to stay connected with my roots and my passions.

8. How do you prevent artist’s block?

Truly speaking, I only paint when I feel like doing so from within. I have noticed that when ever it rains, I feel like painting. This could be because I grew up in Mumbai, where the monsoon season lasts four months. I usually paint with some melodious music in the background and if raindrops feature in the song, I am able to paint even better. One of the other ways of preventing artist’s block is studying other artists’ works. A visit to an art gallery, or even to the library, or even just other artists’ websites, helps me find inspiration. Nature is the primary source of ideas and living in Arizona, our dazzling orange sunsets are always inspiring. One thing I love about Arizona is that we have all the primary colors working for us, the red of the rocks, the blue of the sky and the green of the trees. It’s a perfect palette of colors.

9. How do you market your artwork?

I have my website where all my art work is available for viewing. I send out a monthly e-mail newsletter that keeps people informed of any events that I maybe participating in. I continue to participate in art shows, art walks and art festivals around the valley. I have also had my paintings in a few galleries. I have an exhibition coming up at ASU Gammage and Herberger later this year. The power of online social networking, like Facebook, Etsy, is amazing. I have had good luck with my Facebook Fan page, which is searchable by my name. In order to introduce people to art forms of India, I write a column called “Arts of India” in the monthly Indian newspaper, Valley India Times. Other than that, networking with other artists, through local art associations has helped me as well.

10. What else is there that you’d like to share with our readers?

I am lucky to have a very helpful group of friends and a very supportive family. I have also found great teachers along the way. I am thankful to all of them. Without all these wonderful people in my life, I wouldn’t have been able to balance my duties at home, my commitment to work and my passion for art. I would like to request everyone who is reading this to take the time to support and appreciate the talents of their friends and family members, especially children. Sometimes all a child needs is a slight nudge in the right direction, like giving them their first computer or their first set of watercolors. The common people of today are the ones who go on to become the Salvador Dalis and Edisons of tomorrow.

©2010 Meenakshi Matai & Mahadeva Consulting dba Radiate Bliss! in Art

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