“There is no better reason to paint than just for the love of it. I enjoy, I struggle and I exult. Sometimes I will not follow the norms and rules of watercolor. Those who write prose will go by the rules, poets will not. Painting is a visual poem.”
Ratindra Das is a nationally known artist, educator and juror who holds signature membership in the American Watercolor Society, the National Watercolor Society, Transparent Watercolor Society of America (Master Status), Northwest Watercolor Society, Watercolor West, Mississippi Watercolor Society and Arizona Watercolor Association.
A frequent juror of exhibitions and shows, he was one of the select jurors for the American Watercolor Society and sole juror of selection and awards for the 2006 annual exhibit of the Transparent Watercolor Society of America.
He has won numerous awards in national competitive shows that included five awards from the American Watercolor Society.
Das attended the American Academy of Art in Chicago and studied with many nationally known artists such as Robert E. Wood, Frank Webb, Cheng Khee Chee, Irving Shapiro and Serge Hollerbach. He is a licensed architect and a member emeritus of the American Institute of Architects.
“I love watercolor because of its dynamic qualities- it moves! That’s watercolor’s inherent characteristic.”
Das often makes preparatory sketches, which are further developed into paintings. Over the years, he has relied less and less on photographs and more on the emotion and direct impact his sketches have on his paintings. With thousands of sketches in hand, he has enough to paint for the next three-hundred years.
“I love colors and use them intuitively rather than relying on what’s out there. It’s the fruit of life!”