Asha Aditi Ruparelia

1. AshaAditiRuparelia AshAditi Career Change: Journey as an Artist www.ashaditi.com ashaditi.com

2. Introduction • AshAditi’s paintings have been installed periodically in the various theme based Art exhibitions by the Association of the African Canadian Artists: www.colourblind.ca and www.colourblindinternational.com. • Each year, a set of paintings’ collection is specifically created for the new theme of the year exclusively to deliver ‘one-of-a-kind’ version of art work in each painting. ashaditi.com

3. AshAditi’s Artistic Approach:There are several techniques that Asha-Aditi commonly utilizes as a part of her artwork; such as: ‘Structured Texture’ is an attempt to exemplify the ‘textures of natural stone carving’ on canvas and are meant to emphasize textile textures and effects expertly applied to result in stunning artwork by using venetian plaster and other mixed media. ‘Antique Silver Effect’ is self derived technique that expresses the innovative artistic ability to create unique artwork using the ordinary kitchen foil to resemble the antique silver effect on various surfaces such as canvas boards, framed canvas, table tops and any customised accessory craft piece. ashaditi.com

4. AshAditi’s Artistic Approach: ‘Tapestry’: Innovative leading edge painting and decorating techniques employed, mainly influences by some of the old world paintings and images that are incorporated in a fabulous wall art tapestry using recycled construction paper with a variety of mediums and venetian plaster to give the emphasis of leather finish. ‘Sculptured Mirror’: a simple household item such as a mirror is transformed into a magnificent and decorative work of art for home décor that can be a unique point of elegance and distinction. ashaditi.com

5. AshAditi’s Artistic Approach: ‘Shadow Boxes’: creative hand crafted sculptured figures of reused precious textiles mounted on a painted background. ‘Textile Art’: by investigating the combination of textiles, fibres, yarns, paper, mix media explorations, worked primarily in the craft tradition often found in textiles. many are hand painted to create richness, luminosity and structural texture not found in commercial art form. ashaditi.com

6. 2009 Asha Aditi’s next NEW theme art collection, for the Caribana ROM exhibition, ‘Beyond Rhythm’ at the Royal Ontario Museum, in July 2009 is based on the poetry by Joan Butterfield, the curator. “Beyond the Rhythm” It’s the rhythm of our journey that has kept us alive, it’s our strength as a people that helped us survive. It’s more than the rhythm that set us free, we are more than what you imagine us to be. We are people proud of who we are, and all that we have accomplished thus far.  We do more than play ball, bop and jive, we have achieved much more in our lives.  We are artists, writers and teachers too, read about us in the pages of who’s who.  Doctors, Scientists and Inventors - that’s what we are, in spite of the obstacles we have come so far.  Business owners and corporate CEO’s, actors and director’s of Broadway shows.  Houses in the country, condos downtown, mega yachts floating leisurely in the sound.  We are proud mothers, fathers and children who, have hopes and dreams for our families too.  We have soul food Sundays, with homemade pies, backyard picnics under sunny skies. B Moonlight cruises, walks at sunrise, friendly gatherings for traditional fish fry’s.   Our heritage is rich with stories yet untold, our lives continue to unfold. We are people of courage, faith, hope and will, with many more dreams yet to be fulfilled.  Discover - who - dwells - Beyond the Rhythm.             -Joan Butterfield To View Asha Aditi’s new collection of Artwork, please visit: www.ashaditi.com ashaditi.com

7. 2008‘Roots to Rhythm’ Collection: At the exhibition, July 2008, the theme ‘Roots to Rhythm’; AshAditi’s painting collection was installed at The Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, based on the following poem by Joan Butterfield, the curator: ‘We were born to the rhythm of the African drum, we stand proud of the land we are from. We were stolen from the rhythm of our motherland, to become enslaved by another man. We refused to be broken by the rhythm of the trip, or the threats of a master’s whip. We sang and we danced to the rhythm of our songs. We disguised the word and did no wrong. We now jump-up to the rhythm of steel pan, we limbo to the beat of a calypso band. We live by the rhythm of gospel sounds, that share hope and promise of heaven bound. We tell stories in the rhythm of jazz that echoes the sounds and beats of our past. We make love to the rhythms of soul; our Hip hop music is brass and bold. Our rhythm is rooted deep within our soul, it’s the beat of our heart, and our stories told.’ ashaditi.com

8. 2008 “The Rhythm of the Beat Goes On” - Rhythm of the beat goes on in the colourful African Village. Art Technique: Multimedia with sculptured texture ashaditi.com

9. 2008 “Triumphs – The Storm” - In fury and terror, the tempest broke. It tore up the pine, and shattered the oak. Yet, the humming bird hovered within the hour, sipping clear rain from flowers inspiring the rhythms in life. Art Technique: Multimedia collage with sculptured texture ashaditi.com

10. 2008 “ The African Rhythm” The drum has started beating, the chanting, first high, then low and high again. The drumsticks are just a blur upon the painted buffalo skin, the chanting, like haunting warriors’ cry that stirs dead hearts and moves deep passions, abandoned down in the dark recesses of the soul. I close my eyes and the darkness has disappeared; colour now is everywhere, leaping and bounding, laughing and swirling, rising and falling, spinning and curling, rhythmically and symmetrically they chant and drum with joy. Art Technique: Multimedia with sculptured texture ashaditi.com

11. 2008 “Ambitions”  Fame is a bee. It has a rhythmic song; it has a sting.Ah, too, it has a wing! Art Technique: Recycled & reused multimedia collage with sculptured texture ashaditi.com

12. 2008 “The Rhythm of the Dancing Sun on My Land”  There were times in the Inuit land, when the Sun would dance for us; All the Inuit stopped their daily routines at work; and sat to watch the Sun dance in the Inuit way. ‘Come dance with me!’ All the Inuit would then join and dance in joy; with the rhythm of dancing Sun who danced in the Inuit way, in the Inuit land. Art Technique: Multimedia with sculptured texture ashaditi.com

13. 2007‘Mask’ Collection: • The theme of the 2007 exhibition ‘Mask’ at the Blue Dot Gallery, in The Historic Distillery District, Toronto, inspired AshAditi to participate by working in a variety of unique mix mediums to interpret her perception of the theme. • AshAditi contrasted the traditional use of the masks throughout the World for their expressive power as a feature of performances as they are a familiar element in many folk and traditional pageants, ceremonies, rituals and festivals, by adding the story telling component within her paintings. ashaditi.com

14. 2007 ‘Freedom Beyond Boundaries’: Beyond boundaries, the ‘freedom’ felt by a woman who has no heritage. Preservation of freedom is a fresh challenge and a fresh conquest for each generation. Art Technique: Structured Texture ashaditi.com

15. 2007 ‘Happiness’: Happiness is an attitude of the mind; born of the simple determination to be happy under all outward circumstances’. Art Technique: Sculptured texture. ashaditi.com

16. 2007 ‘Security’: ‘Security’ is the priceless universal product of parenthood. The innocence of childhood is ‘Colourblind’. Art Technique: Sculptured texture ashaditi.com

17. 2007 ‘The Law of Attraction’: ‘Creation is only the projection into form of that already exists. The great secret of life is the law of attraction; your thoughts become things.’ Art Technique: Multimedia Collage with Sculptured Texture ashaditi.com

18. 2007 ‘Unmasked Friendship’ ‘Misery is when your very best friend calls you a name she really didn’t mean to call you at all; Misery is when you call your very best friend a name you didn’t mean to call her either”. ashaditi.com

19. 2007 ‘A Queen Forever’ ‘Freeing oneself from words is liberation – a woman in her own rights, is ‘A Queen for ever’. Art Technique: Antique Silver effect. ashaditi.com

20. 2007 ‘Enlightenment’ ‘Enlightenment is not imaging figure of light, but making the darkness conscious; it is to gaze with undimmed eyes on all darkness.’ Art Technique: Sculptured Texture ashaditi.com

21. 2006 • In 2006, the theme of the art exhibition by the Association of the African Canadian Artists was ‘COLOURblind: Breaking Down The Barriers of Discrimination’, at the ‘Spin Gallery, Toronto, AshAditi’s paintings depicted her feelings and experiences in response to the theme statement. ashaditi.com

22. 2006‘Breaking Down The Barriers of Discrimination’ collection: • My birthplace Tanzania's history dates many years back when the World's 'first tourist' decided to make Tanzania his home. From that date and before the end of the last century, Tanzania has been dominated by more than six civilizations in turn, each of which left traces of their culture, history, and religion. Tanzania today has a diverse immigrant community population from all over the World living in harmony and has enriched the culture by "Breaking Down the Barriers of Discrimination" • My painting shows full bloomed flower, with each petal symbolizing the World's Religions, denoting the country/World, with each petal symbolizing the World's Religions and the sun in the centre shining always in Africa to keep the flower of World's religions' prayer blooming for ever; "Breaking Down the Barriers of Discrimination". ashaditi.com

23. 2006 Unity Is Diversity ashaditi.com

24. 2006 Celebrations of Spiritual Unity in Canada ashaditi.com

25. 2006 Smiling Sun on my Land- Africa ashaditi.com

26. Rangoli “ Rangoli” Indian Folk –traditional floor art by AshAditi: AshAditi has participated in displaying oversized and at times outdoor ‘Rangoli’- the artistic prayer, at several festive events listed below in Toronto, using various materials to specifically portray the event respectively. She chooses her painting, ‘Unity is Divinity’ that shows full bloomed flower, with each petal symbolizing the emblems of the World's major Religions, as an inspiration to design Design of Rangoli: With the Visual explorations of the powerful meaning of life – affirming theme of love, peace, eternity, nurturing, enhancing, enriching, healing and balancing. The artist hopes that this artistic interpretation, Archetypal “floral display of World’s major Religious symbols” is such a peaceful interaction that creates a cultural focus, inviting the viewer into a personal experience of deep compassion, joy and acceptance and that it will encourage the Canadian Multicultural citizens to keep open pathways for mutual understanding and tolerance between people of different faiths. Although the World is made up of opposing forces, Love is the thread that weaves harmony and balance into our lives, intolerance is often the product of fear and ignorance, something which our culturally mixed societies today cannot afford. ashaditi.com

27. Rangoli Rangoli- Oversized outdoor Art with Asha Aditi Ruparelia Rangoli is a Hindu folk art, generally created on the entrance floor on special festive occasions. ashaditi.com

28. Rangoli At the Luminat’Eau festival, Harbourfront, June, 2008, the oversized (10 x 10ft) Rangoli installment was outdoor. Abiding by the theme of the festival, she particularly chose to use recycled materials in the design. Just to list a few of the ‘recycled materials’ used in this Rangoli: cardboards, wrapping papers & tissue papers, beer bottle caps, cardboard cylinder from inside of empty toilet rolls and kitchen napkin rolls, inside of photographic film roll winder, kitchen aluminum foil, stones & pebbles, CDs, marbles, beads from old jewelry, artificial flowers, etc.   Recycled materials have a history. They can be broken down, torn, cut, layered, and reworked until they are reassembled to create something more beautifully meaningful. Fragments and layers mark the passing of time, the rituals of making (gathering of materials, creating, manipulating and recycling) acting as a part of the narrative of the artwork and its creative artistic transformation. ashaditi.com

29. Rangoli‘Rangoli’- (outdoor 10 x 10ft –designed by Asha Aditi Ruparelia, mainly using reused & recycled material) at the Luminat’Eau Festival, Harbourfront, Toronto, June 2008. ashaditi.com

30. Rangoli ‘Rangoli’- (outdoor 10 x 10ft –designed by Asha Aditi Ruparelia, at the Luminat’Eau Festival, Harbourfront, Toronto. Inspired by a painting by the artist, the design portray the universal message of peace and equality of respect for all religions. Live sitar and tabla accompaniment by Anwar Khurshid. ashaditi.com

31. Rangoli Traditional ‘Rangoli’ at ‘Sharing Our Traditions’ festival at the Spadina Museum partnered with Panorama India, November 2008 At the ‘Sharing Our Traditions’ festival by City of Toronto, Spadina Museum and Panorama India, partnering with the cultural community groups for collaborative celebration and learning event, in November, 2008, depicting ‘Diwali’, a significant festival in India, celebrated by Hindus across the Globe as the ‘Festival of lights’ together with the Edwardian Christmas; Asha’s participation to display a traditional ‘Rangoli’, using same design as her painting ‘Unity is Divinity’, but with the traditional edible materials, she chose to use mainly rice. http://www.toronto.ca/culture/museums/spadina.htm ashaditi.com

32. Rangoli Typically, the raw materials mainly used to make a traditional ‘Rangoli’ are edibles like various spices & grains, rice or rice flour, pulse and leaves. All over India, floor paintings especially boarders or backgrounds are essentially white in color. White is a symbol of peace, purity and tranquility. ashaditi.com

33. Rangoli Here, specifically, the material used is rice and puffed rice, because rice to all Indians is a sign of prosperity. Yet another symbol of prosperity is the color yellow. Turmeric yellow or ocher is also often used to fill in the white outlines. More often however, vermilion is used. Vermilion, is considered auspicious. ashaditi.com

34. Rangoli Colours also used are pea green and rust brown. The ‘diyas’ (oil lamps or candles) are also used in between the design to symbolize prosperity. ashaditi.com

35. Rangoli Centre design of the ‘Rangoli’ is done with flowers and coloured ‘Diyas’ and candles. ashaditi.com

36. 2009 At the Winterlicious Festival at ‘Spice Route Restaurant’, Toronto, February, 2009. The context of the design of the ‘Rangoli’ – floral with specific religious emblem in each petal, portrays the Universal message of PEACE and EQUALITY of respect for ALL religions practiced on the ‘Spice Route’; as well as the true meaning of Rangoli – the welcome prayer artwork. Asha Aditi chose to fully explore the use of various spices, grains that are authentic to the places on the historic ‘Spice Route’ along with recycled materials’ of various types to compose the design of this ‘Rangoli’. Spices and grains used include, cloves, cardamoms, mustard seeds, cumin, cinnamon, nutmeg, black pepper, coriander, fennel, fenugreek, saffron, rice ( puffed as well as flattened) , moong, lentil, split pea, chickpea, black eyed & kidney beans and tapioca etc. ashaditi.com

37. Rangoli:2009 Rangoli at ‘Spice Route’ Restaurant, Toronto. Sunday, February 1, 2009. Winterlicious Festival: ‘Travel the Spice Route Brunch, a culinary journey along the ancient Spice Route. Menu items feature cuisine from Japan, China, Vietnam, Thailand and India. Welcoming guests into the restaurant, a Rangoli installation by AshAditi uses spices to highlight the five countries of the Spice Route. ashaditi.com

38. AshaAditiRuparelia AshAditi Career Change: Journey as an Artist www.ashaditi.com ashaditi.com