Sahaja Yoga Arts

(Click on pic to see more works)

His art can be characterised by a desire to impart a sense of the sacred, whether the subject matter is drawn from Eastern or Western religious heritage. The term ’sacred’ carries much baggage with it, but here is used without reference to any dogmatic divisions between things. This sense of the sacred can be seen, not only in icons but in landscapes; even in simple still life arrangements. Where real objects or prototype images are used as models, they are points of departure only; the paintings ultimately originate within. Particular sources of inspiration are the Buddhist frescoes of Ajanta, the mughal miniature paintings produced for the court of Akbar, and the icons of Andrei Rublev.

Indian miniature paintings are a great inspiration, not only for their exquisite detail but for the rich colours they often employ. The technique for both Western icon and Indian miniature painting technique is similar: both use gouache or tempera rather than oil-based paints. Oil paints are slow-drying and can be blended and reblended. Gouache is fast-drying and does not allow much blending; instead flat areas of pigment are applied, and blendings of colour, and gradations of tone, are built up with fine hatching brushstrokes. The advantage over oil painting is a greater purity of colour. Gold leaf is often applied for richness. There is an emphasis on line rather than tone, two dimensional design over perspective and illusionistic effects. Graham Brown Lives and works in Sydney, Australia.
Graham’s website.