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A Bahrain-based Dutch artist is so crazy about camels she has been inspired to stage a show of her work featuring the Arabian ship of the desert.
Sita Dotinga's exhibition themed 'Crazy Camels' is part of the Art House Open Studios 2009 series and will be open today at her home in Shakoora. "Camels are wonderful animals and I just love their character and their stupid, silly expressions hence the theme of my exhibition.
"I wanted to paint the camels in a funky way so I decided to paint a series of close ups of their faces in vibrant colours," said Sita, pointing to her bright canvases that display her love of colours.
Camels with their big eyes and thick eyelashes stare out of vivid red and yellow canvases in a myriad of expressions. The paintings exude a happy yet pensive mood which is typical of the masterful mammal.
Sita, 45, took countless photographs of camels when visiting camel farms in Janabiya and Saudi Arabia and developed ideas for her current collection. She predominately uses acrylic as her choice medium for her paintings.
Sita, who has a 14-year-old son, Renger, a student at Bahrain School, actively started to paint when she moved to Bahrain with her husband Sipko, a contractor, almost five years ago.
She had her first exhibition in 2006 and hasn't looked back ever since. Sita has painted doors of old Bahraini homes, mosaics in mosques rendering each one her own perspective. Abstracts however dominate her style of painting.
"There are so many different ideas and avenues to explore which is why I like to experiment and do something different every time," said the teacher turned artist at her home in Shakoora. "A lot of time goes in developing an idea and then the painting itself could take anything from two to three weeks depending on when I feel satisfied with my creation," she added.
But Sita feels that art should not be restricted to only a few who can afford it which is why she produces a lot and sells a lot too. "I want to reach out to people through my art as it can be very enriching which is why my art is affordable and people keep coming back to me for more."
