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ARTIST Sita Dotinga, well known for her camels painted in funky colours, has switched her focus to nature for a new exhibition entitled Flying High, writes Anasuya Kesavan.
The Bahrain-based Dutch painter is showing her latest portfolio at a two-day exhibition at her home in Janabiyah, this weekend.
Finding inspiration in the world around her, Sita is showing 30 pictures which are painted in acrylic and aim to highlight the beauty of flowers with a range of textures, shapes and colours.
Showing for the first time after a gap of two years, she said: “I started painting again in the spring with a lot of new ideas in my head. I like to approach new themes in different ways and colour and texture will always be important elements in my work.
“Inspiration is something I find everywhere. As long as you try to enjoy life you will see the beauty in many things. Nature, for example, is endless. But, people also inspire me by their work, attitude, visions on life and perseverance.”
Sita dabbles in both figurative and abstract paintings and says the latter remains her first love. She also loves to use paper, photos and textiles in her paintings, adding: “For a lot of abstract artists their journey began with figurative work. I’m convinced that you cannot make exciting abstract work, if you don’t know how to do figurative.
“Now and then, I just love to make some figurative works. But I like to do it with a twist.
“My camels, for example, are painted in funky colours!
“My love is my abstract work because it allows endless ways to express myself. I am also trying new techniques like collage.”
Sita showed her first exhibition in 2006 and hasn’t looked back since. She began painting after moving to Bahrain and has put the spotlight on the traditional, intricately-designed doors of old Bahraini homes, as well as mosaics in mosques.
Her husband, Sipko, works in Saudi Arabia as a general manager of a construction company and she has a 17-year-old son, Renger.
Pieces from her latest exhibition, which will be held on Friday from 2 pm - 7 pm and Saturday from 10am-6pm at Venice Garden, Villa 2, Janabiyah, are priced from BD45 to BD300.
Sita can be contacted on 39163879.
