Anita Sumariwalla’s Paintings

text by Anita Sumariwalla, photos by Reina Lopez, edited by Connie Kent

My mother was very religious, and our home was filled with prints of religious paintings by Holbein, Raphael, Tintoretto, Rembrandt, and Fra Angelico, but I soon lost interest in them. My favorite memories go far back in time visiting art museums, when I still too young to read the labels. I knew immediately which paintings I did not like. I never cared for Rubens’ frolicking obese women, or some gruesome scenes by El Greco. The Pre-Raphaelite and other Romantic paintings left me bored. I didn’t know what to do with Picasso’s abstract paintings. The Impressionists were so much praised that I got tired of them. I know this sounds very arrogant and most ignorant! Only later was I able to relate to colors, compositions, harmonies, and moods — to really appreciate the works of art.

After I was married to Russy, we visited art museums wherever we were. I became fascinated by Russian and Greek-Orthodox icons. The rich deep-golden background enhanced the somber colors of the figures, and one could sense the deep devotion and adoration by the artist. But I couldn’t understand the bleak expressions of Mary. In my mind, Mary would not look so severe. So I tried to paint her myself. The  pictures here are my versions, the ones I painted after being inspired by the masters.

During the years we lived in Mill Valley, CA, while I was teaching, I painted during weekends. Someone asked me to submit one of my paintings to the annual Mill Valley Arts Festival. To my amazement and surprise, the local newspaper selected my painting to photograph and publish along with an article about the Arts Festival.

After visiting a special exhibition for Paul Gauguin’s works of art at The Metropolitan Museum in New York, I was totally mesmerized by his brilliant colors. I went through a long phase with Gauguin’s paintings. I bought books of his life and art. Bright original-design printed sarongs against the sun-kissed bronze skins of native Haitians were intoxicating for me. I knew I had to attempt to capture something like it on my canvas. I left out whatever I didn’t like, or I rearranged some figures. The beauty of painting your own version is the freedom of doing whatever you like.

My very last painting, I did with my fingers because all my paint brushes were already packed for another move, this time from the Plaza to the Terrace. On moving day the painting was still wet, so I carried it by hand from one building to the other, where we secured it in a frame and hung it up on a wall to dry!

There are still times I wish I could paint but my control of fingers and hands have deteriorated…