Ratnakar Ojha

“Life is full of both good and bad, negative and positive everywhere and even in nature. Life’s changing patterns are complex and mysterious. I find solace in painting these ever changing patterns of life/nature,” says Ratnakar Ojha, a painter . Ojha’s trademark is vibrant colour and figurative work not to mention the reflection of the extremes of emotion that his “people” experience. He has aught woman in a pensive mood, their melancholy evident in their slanting eyes and inward gaze. These unforgettable figures leave an indelible impression on the inner eye even and they don’t fail to captivate the viewer. He was born in a village at the Keonjhar district of Orissa, in 1957. For Ratnakar Ojha it was painting or nothing right from the word go. One of his strong influences was his grandmother. “She used to make clay dolls for us to play. She also encouraged me to do something about my interest in drawing and paintings,” remembers Ojha. Besides, the natural surroundings of his village in Orissa reinforced his use of dramatic colours in his paintings. Ratnakar Ojha graduated with Diploma in Fine Art from Indira Kala Sangeet University, Khairagarh and G. D. Art in Metal crafts from Sir J. J. School of Art, Mumbai. The artist works and lives in Mumbai.