Kenistudio

There is a quiet, almost sacred stillness in a forest blanketed by heavy fog. In this study (10" x 14", oil on primed paper), my main intent was to capture that serene, cool atmosphere where light barely breaks through the dense canopy above. ​Building Atmospheric Depth To convey the feeling of stepping deeper into the woods, I focused heavily on value transitions and temperature shifts. The distant trees are rendered in pale, desaturated blue-greys, almost dissolving into the cool haze. As the eye moves into the middle ground and foreground, the values deepen into dark, sculptural silhouettes, creating a dramatic sense of spatial illusion and recession. ​The Forest Floor Below the ghostly veil of mist, the damp earth comes alive. I wanted the forest floor to feel rich and tactile, like damp earth, scattered fallen leaves, and vibrant patches of moss crawling up the mossy bark of the foreground trunks. The contrast between the warm ochres and earthy tones on the ground agains...

Capturing the Blues: A Study in Monochromatic Oil Portraiture, featuring Daenerys Targaryen from Game of Thrones There is something uniquely challenging and incredibly rewarding about stripping away the full color spectrum and forcing yourself to see the world through a single hue. I recently finished this small oil portrait (roughly 10" x 8"), and it was an exercise in pure value, atmosphere, and light. The Foundation: Crafting the Surface Before the paint even touched the surface, this piece started as a hands-on experiment. I wanted the stability of a wooden board but the organic texture of a canvas. To achieve this, I pasted a thin cotton cloth directly onto the wood, sealing and priming it with three precise coats of gesso. The result was a beautifully textured, responsive surface that allowed the oil paint to glide smoothly while retaining a lovely, subtle grain. The Palette: The Power of Two Blues When working in a monochrome style, your choice of pigment d...

A miniature oil painting done on board.

A charcoal sketch Of my daughter Anvi, done on my sketchbook paper.

​These are a couple of my still life studies in oil. Working on these pieces helped me immensely with understanding light logic, atmosphere, and capturing varied surface textures. ​The interplay of light, shadow, and reflections changes dramatically across different surfaces, from the smooth skin of grapes and the metallic sheen of a jug, to the soft glow of cut fruit and the gentle folds of drapery. Rather than simply rendering shapes or objects, these works served as a deep dive into light behavior. Especially how illumination interacts with translucent plum skins, a slice of butter on a plate, glossy berries, or the warm reflections across a decorative pitcher. ​Another essential aspect of this study was color harmony. Observing how a collection of varied objects responds to a shared light quality and unifies within a single atmosphere. ​Although a few of these have found homes and bought by collectors of art patrons, I will always treasure them. Studies like these built a foundati...

Finding Tranquility in Color: Painting the Blue Ganesha ​Welcome back to the studio! ​Today, I’m excited to share a painting that holds a very special place in my heart. A modern, color-rich interpretation of Lord Ganesha. ​As the remover of obstacles and the lord of new beginnings, Ganesha is a beloved subject for many artists. But with this piece, I wanted to step away from traditional iconographic palettes and explore a sense of deep calm, warmth, and modern abstraction. ​The Concept: Serenity and Vibrant Contrast ​The core of this painting came from a desire to blend tranquility with energy. Instead of traditional warm tones for the deity himself, I chose a cool, serene shade of cerulean blue for Ganesha’s face and trunk. In color psychology and art, blue evokes peace, cosmic wisdom, and depth, qualities that resonate deeply with Ganesha’s role as the guide through life's complexities. ​To balance that cool, tranquil center, I built a rich, warm backdrop of earthy ochres, ...

Red Ganesha - Lord Ganesha's oil painting This specific painting is an important milestone in my artistic journey, completed back in 2004. Looking at it today brings back many memories of the creative process and my development as an artist. ​This piece, Red Ganesha , was rendered in oil on primed paper and measures 28 x 21 inches. My goal was to create a contemplative yet modern contemporary painting of the revered deity, while still honoring traditional descriptions. ​According to ancient scriptures, Lord Ganesha is often described as being red-colored, the Raktha hue symbolizing the primal energy. For this painting, I embraced this scripture-based color palette, using a rich, deep red as the predominant base tone for Ganesha 's form. ​The background is a textured, mottled blend of muted earthy and blue-grey tones, designed to make the vibrant red figure advance toward the viewer, almost emerging from a meditative space. The final composition is enclosed in a classic, ...