Vrindavan Solanki

"By the time I was ten, I was drawing and writing poetry, and about four years later, I had made up my mind about growing up to be a painter."

Vrindavan Solanki, who likes to call his diplomas, degrees and prizes "bits of paper" is focused in his choice of career. This focus and lack of ambiguity about his work is one of the reasons his art is totally original and not derivative of the styles associated with particular regions or institutions of learning.

Solanki's paintings depict the men and women of Rajasthan in easy, flowing lines. His fascination with these people can be traced to his childhood when the children of the Rabari tribe of this State would visit his house. Typically, he draws them in black and white, capturing their innate beauty and the timelessness of their lifestyle. The faces however, are not the focus of his work, being either blinded by a glow or left blank. Instead, he concentrates greatly on their attire. His paintings have a photographic quality about them as he creates a play of light and shadow over the canvas.

Solanki has a Diploma in Painting and a Post Diploma in Graphics, both from the M. S. University, Baroda. He is the recipient of many awards, the earliest being in 1966, when he got the First Prize from the Gujarat Lalit Kala Akademi, Ahmedabad. He has had over thirty solo exhibitions and close to twenty group exhibitions in India and abroad, over the last thirty years. Solanki lives and works in Ahmedabad, in Gujarart.

Honour
2006 Gaurav padak, Junagadh Mahotsav-2006,
Vibrint Gujarat

2006 A Chapter about the artist in a text book
'Chitrakala', as a part of curriculum to10th class by Gujarat State Education Board

2008-09 Lalit Kala Gaurav purskar, Gujarat Lalit Kala Akadamy, Ahmedabad

1942 Born - Junagadh, Gujarat, India
1980 Diploma in Painting, MS University, Vadodara
1982 Post Diploma in Graphics, MS University, Vadodara
1982-87 Visiting Faculty at NID, Ahmedabad
1987-90 Member of Lalit Kala Akadami, Gujarat

From 1969, works have been displayed in 43 solo shows, 128 group shows, 47 charity shows in India, U.S.A.,
U.K., Singapore and many other countries. Also participated in several artist camps. Visited several museums
during the travelling in Asia, Eroup and America.

Awards & Achievements
1966 First Prize, Gujarat LKA Ahmedabad
1967 First prize, Gujarat LKA, Ahmedabad
1967 First prize, Kalidas Art Exhibition, Ujjain
1970 Gold medal & first prize, Art Society of India, Mumbai
1972 First prize for best figure study, Bombay Art Society, Mumbai
1974 Silver medal for best drawing, Bombay Art Society, Mumbai
1978 Cash prize for best drawing, Bombay Art Society, Mumbai
1978 Cash prize for lithograph, 5th All India Graphics Exhibition, Hyderabad
1984 Print Award for Etching, Takhman 28, Udaipur
1987 First prize, Gujarat LKA, Ahmedabad
1989 First prize, Kalidas Art Exhibition, Ujjain
1996 Prize for drawing, All India Art Exhibition, LKA, Lucknow

Major Projects
1970 Mural for Air India Booking Office, New-York (USA)
1979 Solo Show for Bharat Pandya -at Museum, Junagadh
1991 TISCO Calender, Tata Steel, Jamshedpur
1997 105 Artists of Ahmedabad, for Archer, Ahmedabad
1999 Young brush of Ahmedabad, for Inside Outside Mega Show, Ahmedabad
2000 Lino-Print -Workshop & Exhibition for Y K Shukla Foundation, Ahmedabad
2002 Workshop for upcoming artist at Pethapur, Ahmedbad
2003 Apnu Amdavad: Ek Varso 'Artists Impressions', Exhibition conceived & curated organised by Heritage Dept. AMC, Ahmedabad
2008 Sarjan Jyot Utsav, Gujarat Visual Art Association Ahmedabad