Vachu Chilakamarri: MOMENTO

Vachu Chilakamarri
MOMENTO

June 6 - July 3, 2012

Table of Contents

The Artist......................................................................... 1
Images............................................................................ 3
Biography/CV................................................................13
Images from Artist Talk.....................................................18

Momento

And when the last leaf falls….
like a fragment of time
Temporary drama

resembling form and structure
living under endless skies
to be trapped under the
word “death”
the sadness, the earth
mixes into recipes
called life

As a pair
of cotyledons
emerge from the womb

of a seed
palms of sap color

become big
leaves

of dark shade
Thin roots uncurl
anchor into the earth
like structures of a rope
their secrets embedded
deep dark embedded
I imagine all things growing
as gatherers of time

Space infinite
Time gatherers
Stitching, sewing, mending, spending
endeavoring, enduring.
All soft, silent

patience
No breaking
ticking time
after human
deteriorating kind

Vachu Chilakamarri

The title of my show means “in the moment”, but it also refers to the fleeting nature of time. I am
fascinated by what is alive and of the moment.  I like to bring my observations to my work. And yet, I
come away with the realization that nothing in life is really permanent. Just as the seasons come and
go, we also experience and adapt to loss, change and renewal.
Meditation
I look inward and I become myself as a piece of time, endeavoring and enduring. I am meditating;
my portrait is shown here, and I become like the leaves on the trees knowing only the moment, as I
meditate to clear my mind in the night. It is highly personal for me, and these bundles of marks are my thoughts.
When It Rains
I wanted to capture the speed and the sound of rain falling. I used the blues and mauves for dark skies since I associate them with
the approach of rain or falling rain, and white markings or drips for splattering of the fast rain drops. I imagined the rain to be
endless, so I painted them on three canvases, to stretch the time.
Winter
I painted this as a direct voice coming from trees in winter, showing the weakest limbs, the dry, leafless, cracked and vulnerable
trunk. Through the process of about 50 preliminary sketches, I reduced the shapes further, to show decay and variation of the tree

1

surface. The leafless limbs are barren, to suggest the affects of time.
Time Fragments III
One midnight, I became fascinated watching leaves sway in the dark and began to consider each leaf as a unit of time. I enjoyed
exploring in large scale, various possible ways leaves can occur on trees. These paintings are also done in triptychs, or sets of threes.
Sunset Birds
I wanted to capture the rhythm of birds flying towards the sun at evening time. I chose blacks and reds to create and weave together
visual counter melodies.
Adriatic
I painted these upon my return from Europe. As I traveled across the Adriatic Sea I became absorbed in the movements of the
ocean waves; I noticed how one moment in time overlaps the other. The act of painting this series brought back memories. I use
red and blue, a peculiar color combination for me. To me, red denotes urgency and blue, the ocean waves. 
ankuraN अंकुरण
The Hindi word ankuraN is used to describe a seed germinating. I developed drawings from seeds of fenugreek, an Indian spice,
observing these seeds in each stage of growth. I kept all natural colors in my paintings, pursuing the idea of growth and beauty.
I pushed and pulled greens and reds away and towards each other in a response to the dynamics of germination.

2

Meditation
2009, 48 x 60 inches each, oil on canvas

3

When It Rains
2008, 48 x 48 inches each, oil on canvas

4

ankuraN
2011, 48 x 48 inches, oil and acrylic on canvas

5

Time Fragments III
2009, 48 x 60 inches each, oil on canvas

6

Adriatic (5)
2008, 48 x 48 inches each, oil on canvas

7

Adriatic (1, 2)

8

Sunset Birds
2009, 48 x 60 inches each, oil on canvas

9

Time Fragments
2009, 48 x 60 inches each, oil on canvas

10

Artist Talk

11

Biography

Born and raised in Hyderabad, India, Vachu Chilakamarri studied drawing and painting at Columbus College
of Art and Design and Central State University in Ohio; she also holds a B.S. in Biology from Begumpet
Women’s College, Hyderabad. Vachu taught painting at the Art League Houston and Riverbend Art Center,
Ohio, and has served as docent for Museum of Fine Arts Houston and a presenter for the Menil Collection’s
“The Artist’s Eye, 2011” in Houston, Texas. A three-time finalist for the Huntington Art Prize, her award-
winning work has been featured in numerous group, juried and solo exhibitions throughout Texas and Ohio.
Her recent solo shows include University of Houston’s O’Kane Gallery, the Dallas Center for Contemporary
Art, Intexure Gallery, Houston and the Riverbend Art Center in Dayton, Ohio. Vachu Chilakamarri lives and
works in Houston, Texas. http://www.vachuart.com

Curriculum Vitae

Education B.S. Biology Begumpet Women’s College, Hyderabad, India
1971-1974 Drawing Columbus College of Art and Design, OH
1990 Drawing/Painting Central State University, Wilberforce, OH
1991-95
Sunblossom Residency, Houston, TX
Scholarship and Awards Miamisburg Art Gallery, Miamisburg, OH
Montgomery County Furtherance Fund, OH
2014 Visiting Artist

2004 Award

2002 Artist Grant

10

C.V. cont’d Award Midwest ’ 99 Exhibition, Chicago, IL
Award Fairborn Art Association, Fairborn, OH
1999 Award Dayton Society of Painters & Sculptors, OH
1997 Award Central State University, Wilberforce, OH
1996
1994 Lone Star College-Kingwood Art Gallery, TX
O’kane Gallery, University of Houston, TX
Solo Exhibitions The Dallas Center for Contemporary Art, TX
2012 Intexure Art Gallery, Houston,TX
2011 Riverbend Art Center, Dayton, OH
2008 John Bryant Center, Yellow Springs, OH
2007 Central State University, Wilberforce, OH
2004 Riverbend Art Center, Dayton, OH
2004
2002 Gambol, Juried Exhibition, Art League of Houston,TX
2001 Hunting Art Prize, finalist, Houston, TX
Hunting Art Prize, finalist, Houston, TX
Juried Exhibitions Hunting Art Prize, finalist, Houston, TX
2011 Dayton Visual Arts Center, Dayton, OH
2012 Dayton Society of Painters & Sculptors, OH
2011 Rosewood Arts Center, Kettering, OH
2009 Cincinnati View Point, Cincinnati, OH
2004 Dayton Society of Painters & Sculptors, OH
2003 Central State University, Wilberforce, OH
1998
1997
1997
1992

13

Group Exhibitions

2014 Art Installation, Russ Pittman Park, Houston, TX

2012 Lone Star College-Kingwood Art Gallery, TX

2010 Baker - Ripley Neighborhood Center, Houston, TX

2010 Lone Star College-Kingwood Art Gallery, TX

2010 Gallery 1724, Houston, TX

2009 Andrews Art Museum, Andrews, NC

2009 Many Faces of Houston, Houston Public Library, TX

2007 Art Institute of Houston, TX

2007 Art League of Houston (faculty exhibit), TX

2007 Intersections: Asia/America, Montgomery College, Conroe, TX

Presentations Guest Artist, Saleri Studio Saturday, Blaffer Art Museum, Houston, TX
2014 Artist Eye, Menil Collection, Houston, TX
2011 Kingwood College, Kingwood, TX
2007 Docent Program, Museum of Fine Arts Houston, TX
2006 Central State University, Wilberforce, OH
2003 Cultural Arts Center, Columbus, OH
2002

Instructor Instructor, Art League of Houston, Houston, TX
2006-2008 Instructor, Riverbend Arts Center, Dayton, OH
2001-2003

Reviews & Publications The Andrews Journal, NC
2009 Dayton Daily News, “Arts and Entertainment”, OH
2004 Fairborn - Daily Herald, “Living”, OH
1997 Beavercreek News Current, “Art about town”, OH
1997

14

Credits
LSC-Kingwood Media - Jason Watson
LSCK TV - Garrick Joubert, Edwin Brega, Dan Ko

Designs in Print - Pamela Clarke
Graphic Artist - T.C. Robson

LSC-Kingwood Fine Art Gallery
20000 Kingwood Drive

Kingwood, TX 77339-3801
Phone 281.312.1534
LoneStar.edu/Kingwood

Affirmative Action/EEO College