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Art

"...I am an artist, but a beggar to this world!"

MELVIN PATHER, Unglamourous Life Series , 4/22/2005

unglamorous

 

adjective

1.

lacking in glamour, allure, or fascination: the unglamorous side of the business

 

But I believe that through all the grit and toil of daily life, between glimpses of the ordinary there is timeless beauty to be found...

"The world is in your hands, do what you will and never be afraid of what tomorrow brings..."

MELVIN PATHER, THE WORLD IS IN YOUR HANDS MURAL , 3/06/2003

The premise behind this mural was to adourn the foyer of the Chatsworth Youth Centre and to encourage the youth to realise that they choose their own destiny, their own path, and what choices are made today will affect tomorrow.

 

This was a commissioned mural that was completed in under two weeks of work before the opening of the Chatsworth Youth Centre. The centre was opened by the late great Nelson Mandela at the end of 2003. Nishaan Soman and I worked tirelessly paying attention to small details to complete this mural to our satisfaction. The end result was absolute gratification of time spent worthwhile.

An exhibition of some of my paintings from my "Unglamorous Life" series detailing the beauty found in mundane, sad, decrepid and ordinary circumstances.

A mural completed at the Chatsworth Youth Centre with fellow artist Nishaan Soman

"The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark."

MICHELANGELO, Painting Treatise , 1524

I have never painted a ceiling mural before and realised early on the possible implications of attempting a project like this. The need to concentrate and pay attention to detail while lying on your back metres off the ground or to continually be arching your neck up to paint as it aches hour after hour. But after months of perserverance the mural was complete and the results once more were gratifying and pleasing to the eye. The owner was happy with the results and in due course commissioned more murals.

"...Every good picture leaves the painter eager to start again, unsatisfied, inspired by the rich mind in which he is working, hoping for more energy, more vitality, more time - condemned to painting for life."

JOHN SLOAN, 1890

Over the many months and years of mural painting, one begins to realise the timeless quality one can achieve if you commit to your work, mind, body and soul. We all have the ability to achieve great feats but it stems down to trusting yourself and bearing with the impatient inner voice. Silence it and work on. Nowadays I look for time to spend devoured by painting but it is time that is far and few between. My art is yet to be fully realised and I will pursue it until I perish and am just a memory...

Video Slideshow of Creation of Adam Mural - Start to Finish

Painting on scaffolding - Ceiling mural at Elarish

Completed Ceiling mural at Elarish Restaurant

Painting from a stair ladder - Ceiling mural at Elarish

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