Spotlight on Warli

A warli painting by Jivya Soma Mashe image via

Let’s talk art! Truly, nothing is more pertinent than artwork when it comes to customizing your home décor and putting a personal stamp on it. Your home is a reflection of who you are and a well-curated art collection is a great way to allow your home décor to speak for your personality. Collecting artwork can be a daunting task especially if you are a novice. But remember - there is really no right or wrong way.  Building your personal art collection is a creative process that takes a sense of appreciation, a lot of intuition and a great deal of patience! Retail outlets, online curated sales, antique stores, flea markets and art fairs are all excellent avenues to find the right pieces of art that tie in to your unique décor philosophy.  

 I own art work sourced from all of the above and I am also very lucky because I own a few treasured pieces of art made by dear friends– my very own one-of-a-kind paintings!

Today, I want to share one of those paintings with all of you. This was made by a dear friend of mine in the Warli style and holds a very special place in my heart. 

My warli made by my friend RM, photo credits: Uj, my better half

 

 So, are you familiar with the Warli style of painting? 

White figures on a red background - the warli!, Image via Herve Perdiolle gallery

The Warlis are a contribution of the Warli tribe from Maharashtra, India and a part of India’s heritage. Lacking a script to communicate in writing, the Warli tribes invented their own art form as a way of expressing their relation with nature and thus the Warli paintings were born. With their unique art, the aboriginal Warlis infused life into tiny circles, triangles and squares and captured the essence of human interaction with the elements, pictorially. The original paintings feature miniature white figures painted from rice paste on a background of red earth and cow dung that gave the paintings their distinctive red hue.  Primarily, drawn as murals in the huts of the Adivaasis (first inhabitants), the Warli paintings became a portable art form only in the 1970s largely due to the works of Jivya Soma Mashe –a pioneer Warli artist.

The warli serves as a  backdrop for performing artists. Image via photographer Ed Bock

Do you want more information on Warli paintings ? Click here and here . Check it out, dear readers. There’s so much history behind this art form – it is a fascinating read!

Image via Rekha Kantak

There’s many ways to incorporate this art form into your décor - a backdrop, a mural, a vase or a painting or even a head board as seen above. The possibilities are endless! The versatile Warlis can work in any décor-scape. 

Paired with a fenton glass hobnail vase in a serene blue and a few gerberas in a gorgeous pink - my maroon, black and white Warli makes a lovely statement - don’t you think? 

A corner from my home, photo credits: Uj, my better half

Next time you see a Warli painting do not hesitate to add it to your collection. It's inherent graphic nature not only makes the Warli an appealing piece of art but also a great conversation piece.  Every Warli has a story to tell. Mine tells the story of “ the dancing circle of friends” as my 9 year old very imaginatively explains!

 And, if you like to paint  - why not try your hand at painting a Warli and contribute to keeping this ancient art form alive?

Cheers!
Deepa