Written By Lisa Breslin
For more than 30 years, Bharati Morjaria’s paintings have welcomed viewers to the infinite joys of nature. By creating a three dimensional texture from layers of oil paint, Bharati unveils vibrant gladiolas, lupines, and landscapes that lure people down the paths portrayed.
“ ÔWhen I touch the flower, it seems like I’m touching infinity.’ The quote always inspires my work,” said Bharati. “When I paint, sometimes I pull back, close my eyes and try to visualize nature’s fullness. I try to feel it so my paintings can put people there.”
Nature’s wonder surrounds Bharati when she paints in a studio near the foyer of her Westminster home. Plants cascade from the windowsills inside – and views from three sides of the room feature her own garden’s splendor; gladioli, roses, sunflowers and petunias blanket one area. A weeping cherry tree, rhododendrons, poppies, redbuds, magnolias and dogwoods dot the rest of the one-acre lot.
Bharati loves to travel with her husband, Dr. Surendra Morjaria, who is a general practitioner and a pediatrician in Manchester.
Together they have explored several countries, including Europe, Asia and South America. And just in case, Bharati can’t pull back and visualize the beauty of each site when she returns to the United States, she takes a photo and brings the beauty home
Bharati was born in India. After completing her Master’s Degree in botany, she took several short art courses and dabbled in water color, charcoal and other media. But she was lured back to oil paints because, she explains, “they contribute to the texture and the three dimensional effect.” In turn, “Oils are more forgiving and the colors are more vibrant.”
She continued in oil painting under the guidance of S.D. Shejwalkar, a noted artist in Bombay, who remains her friend and mentor. Bharati came to the United States in 1980, and enjoyed painting in Chicago. After getting married, she moved to Westminster in 1981.
Her work has been featured at the Carroll Arts Center, and it remains on display in several buildings around the county, including her husband’s Manchester office.
My husband always inspires me,” Bharati explains. “He urges me to keep in touch with my art.”
Her parents offered the same gentle prod: “Don’t worry about sales – keep enjoying your work,” they told her.
Bharati’s paintings have an impressionist style, which she gains not by the swipe or stipple of a brush, but with the touch of a pallet knife. In fact, she rarely uses brushes.
“I use a variety of sizes because the knife allows me to add texture more easily. And more important – I have no cleanings. I can just wipe each knife with a rag cloth. I love that,” Bharati jokes.
During the winter, Bharati often has two or three paintings “running,” she explains. “I might need the paint to dry on one painting before adding another layer, so I’ll start another piece. Or sometimes I pass by a painting and think I’m going to add a touch here and there, but I’m locked in for 45 minutes or a few hours.”
Keenly aware of the fact that she finds inspiration from Georgia O’Keefe’s vibrant works and Frida Kahlo’s passion, Bharati’s ultimate affinity rests with the old master painters like Claude Monet, Paul Cezanne, and Pierre-Auguste Renior.
“They inspire me to experiment with light,” she said. “I’ve learned that a little beam opens up an entire landscape.”
“The rich textures and the bold colors in Bharati Morjaria’s work tempt us to pick the flowers she paints – to savor nature’s beauty as long as possible,” said Susan Williamson, visual arts coordinator for the Carroll Arts Center in Westminster. “Her technique is called impasto – and she has mastered it.”
Bharati believes that impressionistic painting appeals “to that special place in the heart – they have some nostalgic feelings, an effect on our minds which remind us of times gone. They always have some story to tell, or a mystery somewhere far out there.”
Westminster resident Dorothy Hewitt owns several paintings by Bharati Morjaria and notes that she loves the originality and the color scheme.
“With one painting, which is of a forest scene in the fall, I can just feel myself walking up the path,” Hewitt said. “The vibrant colors, the textures, the color combinations make me love her work.”
