Karnataka - Mysore   

His works evoke sublime feeling

By Our Staff Correspondent

A work by N. Cheluvarai.

MYSORE, JUNE 25. N. Cheluvarai of Naganahalli, who has carved a niche for himself in woodcarving, has a strong affinity and bond with elephants.

A winner of the Rotary Ramsons Kala Pratishtana Award for 2004, Mr. Cheluvarai is sometimes described as "lost in the world of elephants.'' This is best reflected in his works. One of the few artists who can bring out the intricate details of animals in his creations, Mr. Cheluvarai can chisel out elephants as small as one inch to giant ones measuring over five feet. But the difference if any will be in the size of the artwork.

The Ramsons Kala Pratishtana, which instituted the award in 1985 to encourage artists born or domiciled in Mysore, pointed out that Mr. Cheluvarai's works evoked sublime feeling among those who viewed them.

With the magical touch of his hands, a piece of wood metamorphoses and assumes qualities so as to almost infuse it with life. A look at his creations, which range from an elephant measuring one inch to another as high as five feet, imparts the viewer with a feeling that the magnificent gentle giants have been shrunk and frozen in time. The first striking feature of Mr. Cheluvarai's masterful creations is the texture of the skin and one almost expects it to be tender and soft to touch. The folded contours of the ears, the curvature of the tusks, all create an impression that one was beholding a real elephant, according to Ramsons Kala Pratishtana.

It was stated that his artistic ability remains unrivalled whether he was working on rosewood, ebony, red sanders, sandalwood or teak. Described as a workaholic, Mr. Cheluvarai is immersed in his art day and night and constantly endeavours to upgrade his knowledge. Though he is a master artist chiselling out elephants, he is delighted when presented with an elephant as a gift.

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