Raj Chaudhuri
Raj Chaudhuri
Raj Chaudhuri describes himself as one of the "New Orientalists," a traveling painter in the modern world. Storytelling is his focus, creating exotic imagery from ceremonial camel races to paintings utilizing bright flashes of color such as "Rajasthani Women Waiting for a Bus" which recently won Raj an Honorable Mention Award at the 15th Annual American Impressionist Society's National Juried Show.
Raj Chaudhuri says: "Art has always been my passion." Raj teaches a 3-day workshop at Art Students League of Denver - his subjects vary but his favorite is The Traveling Painter. Students review works of traveling painters and Orientalist's such as Sargent, Sorolla and others. They learn composition, emotional content and storytelling. Raj believes in learning the visual vocabulary of a painting.
Raj currently serves on the faculty of Art Students League - Denver, Colorado Teaching classes on "The Traveling Painter" and "Composition".
Since my earliest memory, I have always drawn and painted. But, I didn't pursue it as a profession in the beginning, rather keeping it as a hobby while I pursued a career in software for 17 years! In 2009, I was able to make the transition to painting full-time (started part-time in 2003). It is in art that I am determined to make a success of myself and have devoted all my efforts and attention towards it.
I have had the privilege of learning from Quang Ho and Mark Daily here in Denver. Both, amazing painters, teachers and instrumental in my development as an artist. I have also been very fortunate to spend time with Dan Sprick, a remarkable painter and person.
The painting process to me is two fold. One part is the subject matter and the other, the process of utilizing an artist’s vocabulary.
My subject matter has been things that I love and understand. A lot of it is material from India, where I grew up. Figurative work, Cityscapes and the still life also feature in my paintings. Poker chips, cards and sports scenes (hockey, soccer) are dear to me. I really enjoy painting people. My family have been subjected to many a pose for my paintings!
The second part is technical in approach. Here my goal is to be very clear what I’m trying to accomplish in my painting to the viewer. Whether it’s the visual approach (such as light and Shadow, Local Tone, Color, etc.) or in the visual design (shapes, values, color) of the painting, I want to lead the viewer through a very clear and engaging journey. The painting becomes an exploration of these abstract elements and my search for finding a solution to a visual problem.
My goal is to try to and find a balance between the abstract and the real. Ultimately, it is all abstract from a purely artistic standpoint. To me the challenge is to find that abstract connection in every painting – the pattern of red through the painting, the big shapes grading to small ones, light sliding into dark. All of this happens within the context of the design (or shapes) in the painting. For the overall balance and beauty, simplicity in the composition is key; yet the painting of that very simplicity must provide layers upon layers of treats for the viewer – juxtaposing various colors of the same value next to each other to make the painting shine, or the use of half-tones to provide transitions between big value shifts.
In my previous career in Software, I taught a fair amount of technical workshops and facilitated numerous requirements discovery workshops (based on a methodology called ‘UML’). In the past few years I have done painting workshops for art groups in town such as Aurora Arts Guild and Palleteers. In each case the response to my teaching has been very positive and I really enjoy sharing my knowledge. It makes me a better painter and artist. I plan on pursuing more opportunities to teach.
AWARDS
2012 Oil Painters of America Western Regional Juried Exhibtion
2010 Salon International, Juror's Top 60 Award, National Juried Exhibition, Greenhouse Gallery San Antonio, Tx
2007 Salon International, Best Figurative Narrative Award
2004 Oil Painters of America Award of Excellence, Zhiwei Tu, Seattle, Washington
2003 Art Students League Art and Soul Expo, Third Place Denver, Co
Publications
2014 Southwest Art Magazine Where They Are Now
2012 Oil Painters of America - Event Spotlight
2010 Southwest Art Magazine - Oct 2010 Featured Artist
2006 Southwest Art Magazine - April 2006 Artist to Watch
Raj Chaudhuri describes himself as one of the "New Orientalists," a traveling painter in the modern world. Storytelling is his focus, creating exotic imagery from ceremonial camel races to paintings utilizing bright flashes of color such as "Rajasthani Women Waiting for a Bus" which recently won Raj an Honorable Mention Award at the 15th Annual American Impressionist Society's National Juried Show.
Raj Chaudhuri says: "Art has always been my passion." Raj teaches a 3-day workshop at Art Students League of Denver - his subjects vary but his favorite is The Traveling Painter. Students review works of traveling painters and Orientalist's such as Sargent, Sorolla and others. They learn composition, emotional content and storytelling. Raj believes in learning the visual vocabulary of a painting.
Raj currently serves on the faculty of Art Students League - Denver, Colorado Teaching classes on "The Traveling Painter" and "Composition".
Since my earliest memory, I have always drawn and painted. But, I didn't pursue it as a profession in the beginning, rather keeping it as a hobby while I pursued a career in software for 17 years! In 2009, I was able to make the transition to painting full-time (started part-time in 2003). It is in art that I am determined to make a success of myself and have devoted all my efforts and attention towards it.
I have had the privilege of learning from Quang Ho and Mark Daily here in Denver. Both, amazing painters, teachers and instrumental in my development as an artist. I have also been very fortunate to spend time with Dan Sprick, a remarkable painter and person.
The painting process to me is two fold. One part is the subject matter and the other, the process of utilizing an artist’s vocabulary.
My subject matter has been things that I love and understand. A lot of it is material from India, where I grew up. Figurative work, Cityscapes and the still life also feature in my paintings. Poker chips, cards and sports scenes (hockey, soccer) are dear to me. I really enjoy painting people. My family have been subjected to many a pose for my paintings!
The second part is technical in approach. Here my goal is to be very clear what I’m trying to accomplish in my painting to the viewer. Whether it’s the visual approach (such as light and Shadow, Local Tone, Color, etc.) or in the visual design (shapes, values, color) of the painting, I want to lead the viewer through a very clear and engaging journey. The painting becomes an exploration of these abstract elements and my search for finding a solution to a visual problem.
My goal is to try to and find a balance between the abstract and the real. Ultimately, it is all abstract from a purely artistic standpoint. To me the challenge is to find that abstract connection in every painting – the pattern of red through the painting, the big shapes grading to small ones, light sliding into dark. All of this happens within the context of the design (or shapes) in the painting. For the overall balance and beauty, simplicity in the composition is key; yet the painting of that very simplicity must provide layers upon layers of treats for the viewer – juxtaposing various colors of the same value next to each other to make the painting shine, or the use of half-tones to provide transitions between big value shifts.
In my previous career in Software, I taught a fair amount of technical workshops and facilitated numerous requirements discovery workshops (based on a methodology called ‘UML’). In the past few years I have done painting workshops for art groups in town such as Aurora Arts Guild and Palleteers. In each case the response to my teaching has been very positive and I really enjoy sharing my knowledge. It makes me a better painter and artist. I plan on pursuing more opportunities to teach.
AWARDS
2012 Oil Painters of America Western Regional Juried Exhibtion
2010 Salon International, Juror's Top 60 Award, National Juried Exhibition, Greenhouse Gallery San Antonio, Tx
2007 Salon International, Best Figurative Narrative Award
2004 Oil Painters of America Award of Excellence, Zhiwei Tu, Seattle, Washington
2003 Art Students League Art and Soul Expo, Third Place Denver, Co
Publications
2014 Southwest Art Magazine Where They Are Now
2012 Oil Painters of America - Event Spotlight
2010 Southwest Art Magazine - Oct 2010 Featured Artist
2006 Southwest Art Magazine - April 2006 Artist to Watch
