Gulshan Achari

Introduction

I am a Professional Artist have been painting for more than 25 years. Since my childhood days, I have always been fascinated by the art and painting has been my favourite medium of expression.

Painting for me is passion, discipline, meditation and an infinite space in this finite world for being with ‘own self’; a process of thanking nature.

As an artist I paint in many mediums like Watercolour, Acrylics, Oils, Charcoal and Pastels. While I paint in many mediums, am completely in love with watercolour for the various qualities like freedom, spontaneity and the ability to keep surprising.

I’m equally comfortable with painting various subjects like Landscapes, Cityscapes, Waterscapes, Portraits, Cartoons and Caricatures.

In the past, I had been working in the Corporates in Manufacturing, ITES and Financial sectors for more than 20 years in a Business Excellence and Quality Improvement profile. However, even during my corporate job I continued my love for painting with all my passion and dedication. In 2016 passion overtook everything and I made a huge decision to move out from the Corporate Business world and pursue my passion for painting as a fulltime Professional Artist.

Being an Artist at heart, I have set myself on a mission and goal which is to 'Share happiness in the society through Art and Painting'.

To inch closer to my goal I have been involved with activities like Plein Air painting, doing Solo and Group Exhibitions, participating in Art Camps, performing live painting demonstrations and teaching my experiences and expertise through Offline and Online Painting workshops. I find doing 'Plein Air' painting the most inspiring and enthralling experience of all, in fact I have been regularly doing plein air painting for more than 15 years and have been extremely active in spreading the joy of painting by being among the masses be it some remote village, a busy market or in the middle of a buzzing urban setting.

I believe unlearning is an essential step to learn which is done by sharing my learning and experiences by regularly conducting Painting workshops and teaching art to hobby and budding artists.

In my journey of an artist, I have received notable recognitions in various National and International competitions. I have been regularly exhibiting my works through Solo and Group exhibitions and my paintings are in the collection of many private individuals in India and abroad.

Awards and Recognitions

• Won the ‘Best Theme’ Painting Award in International Art Icon 2022 Competition

• Won the First Prize in National Art Contest in 2019 held at Mount Abu,Rajasthan

• ‘Maharashtra State Award for Painting’ from Prafulla Dahanukar Art Foundation

• Among Top 10 Winners in the National Level Competition in the Art Project organised by HDFC in 2021

• ‘Runner-up Award’ in Mumbai Majhi Metro Contest, 2018. The painting was also printed on Mumbai Metro Train as a part of the Event.

• Among the 10 Artists Invited from India in the ‘Fabriano in Aquarello’ Global watercolour festival held in Fabriano, Italy in 2017

• Watercolour painting shortlisted in the Fabriano in Aquarello’ Watercolour Painting contest held globally in ‘in 2017 & 2018 at Fabriano, Italy

• Watercolour painting shortlisted in the ‘2nd International Watercolor Society Biennale 2017’by International Watercolour Society, India

• Watercolour painting shortlisted in the ‘International Watercolor Festival UAE’ by International Watercolour Society, UAE

• Watercolour painting shortlisted in the ‘2nd International Watercolor Biennale 2017’ by International Watercolour Society, Pakistan

• Watercolour & Acrylic paintings selected and exhibited at National Exhibition of Camel Art Foundation Contest, 2016 and displayed at Jehangir Art Gallery

• Watercolour painting shortlisted in the ‘2nd International Watercolor Biennale 2017’ by International Watercolour Society, Albania

• Invited as ‘Showcase Artist’ in ‘1st International Watercolor Biennale 2016’ by International Watercolour Society, Thailand

• Watercolour Painting selected and exhibited in‘1st International Watercolor Biennale 2016’ by International Watercolour Society, Thailand

• Watercolour Painting selected in Mumbai Majhi Metro Contest, 2016 and printed on Mumbai Metro Train as a part of the Event.

• 2 Watercolour Paintings shorlisted & exhibited in Maharashtra State Art Competition 2016 at Jehangir Art Gallery

• ‘Best Painting’ Award at Spandan International Art & Craft Festival 2016

Exhibitions

Solo Exhibition

• ‘Art Escapades’ at Jehangir Art Gallery (Hirji Jehangir Gallery) – 2023

• ‘Watercolour Hues’ at Karnataka Chitrakala Parishad, Bangalore - 2017

• ‘Impressions in Watercolour’ at Leela Hotel, Mumbai – 2016

Group Exhibitions

• Mumbai Art by Artist Group Exhibition at Coomaraswamy Hall, Mumbai in 2019

• Watercolour Painting Exhibition at Bharat Bhavan, Bhopal in 2018

• ‘Fabriano in Aquarello’ watercolour exhibition at Fabriano, Italy – 2018 & 2017

• Mumbai Art by Artist Group Exhibition at Coomaraswamy Hall, Mumbai 2018

• Group Exhibition at Chitrakala Parishad, Bangalore – 2018

• Mumbai Art by Artist Group Exhibition at Coomaraswamy Hall, Mumbai 2017

• ‘2nd International Watercolor Society Biennale 2017’ by International Watercolour Society, India – 2017

• ‘1st International Watercolor Biennale 2016’ by International Watercolour Society, Thailand - 2016

• Camel Art Foundation National Exhibition at Jehangir Art Gallery – 2017

• Maharashtra State Art Exhibition at Jehangir Art Gallery – 2016

• Spandan International Art & Craft Festival Mumbai – 2016

• Mumbai Art by Artist Group Exhibition at Coomaraswamy Hall, Mumbai in 2016

• Prakruti Group Exhibition - 2015

• Mumbai Art by Artist Group Exhibition at Coomaraswamy Hall, Mumbai in 2015

• Mumbai Art by Artist Group Exhibition at Coomaraswamy Hall, Mumbai in 2014

Art Camps

• 2022 – ArtEco 2022 Social Cultural Project with Shryansy International in collaboration with Jammu & Kashmir Tourism Development Corporation

• 2020 – Dharohar Watercolour Art Camp at Chittorgarh organized by West Zone Culture Centre, Udaipur

• 2019 – Watercolour Art Camp organized by Kerala Lalitkala Academy

• 2019 - National Art Camp organised by Brahma Kumaris at Mount Abu, Rajasthan

• 2018 – Watercolour Art Camp organized by Bharat Bhavan, Madhya Pradesh