Shubhangi Mantri
Born in Mumbai, India, she spent her childhood surrounded by the color and pageantry of a vivid and varied culture. She is a graduate of the Bandra School of Arts, Mumbai with a Diploma in Interior Design.
"I cannot remember a time when I did not have a brush in my hand", says Shubhangi. While that may seem improbable to some, it is not a far-fetched claim for her. She grew up in a household where art was an integral part of life.
Her mother taught adults to paint in oils, so it comes as no surprise that young Shubhangi quickly learned to paint on canvas. She also recalls with clarity, numerous trips to the Jehangir Gallery of Art with her mother, when she was just ten years old. They went to see the exhibits of oil paintings by Haldankar, a veteran Indian artist, who also taught at the J.J. School of Arts. Her mother used these opportunities to teach her about color and design.
Despite art being woven so intricately into the fabric of her early life, her family still cautioned her against pursuing it exclusively. "Art won't feed you." was their constant refrain. She took this counsel to heart when she came to the United States as a young, newly-married woman, suppressing her artistic aspirations, for a season.
She took a few computer classes, until her sense of adventure got the better of her. Before long she was throwing caution to the winds, venturing into the very medium that her mother had warned her about – watercolor. Always taught that it was a tough and challenging medium, Shubhangi approached it hesitantly. However, under the able instruction of Jane Jones and Jo Williams, she fell in love with its fluid freedom.
Once she began there was no stopping her. She continued to study this elusive medium, intrigued by the clarity of colors, the effortless blending of vivid hues, and its sheer unpredictability. She loves to travel and has done so extensively. Her sense of adventure took her to Bali to paint with Doug Walton, and to the Grand Canyon and Spain to paint with the late Rob Erdle. She has also studied with some outstanding watercolor artists , like Leo Smith, Don Andrews, Gerald Brommer, Katherine Chang Lui, Ken Hosmer and Stephen Quiller just to name a few. Yet she finds herself eventually returning to the patterns, and imagery of her homeland, India, which she still visits annually. She painted a series inspired by Indian classical and folk dances, striving to express the gestures used by the dancers. Her trips to India fuel her interest in the colors, patterns, texture and richness of Indian fabrics. Those influences invariably work their way into her watercolors. She confesses a weakness for the color Red, in all its brilliance and warmth. Shubhangi has had her watercolors exhibited in numerous juried exhibitions and is a member of the Society of Watercolor Artists. "For the pursuit of any dream, it is important to remember that it takes patience and perseverance." She has demonstrated both, as well as an irrepressible sense of adventure. Check back often to view more of her work.
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