Artist Ram Prakash Joshi‘s exhibition ‘My Journey – Arms to Art’ reflects his love for nature and passion for his craft

Having a passion for art and culture since childhood, Ram Prakash Joshi, left the army to follow his creative calling.

Hailing from a remote village Simri in Uttarakhand, Joshi did not have much opportunity to pursue art. After devoting 30 years of his life to the army he finally left it in December 2017.

Posted in Sikkim and different places in Jammu and Kashmir during his service, Joshi was highly inspired by nature and this reflects in his works. His current paintings are on display at the exhibition aptly titled, ‘My Journey – Arms to Art’.

“I have been immensely inspired by the fauna and flora, as well as the cultural heritage of the country. Being a veteran techno warrior, I had quit my job to pursue my fascination towards art and nature, by transforming my lifelong observation into compelling artwork,” says Joshi.

Highly connected to nature, Joshi feels that his roots are attached to his soul. The serenity and the beauty of Uttarakhand had fascinated him in his childhood days.

“I translate my thoughts into canvas with a calm mind, as art is a way to meditate for me. Most of my art works are conceptual, inspired by nature and Indian mythology. I work using  various medium like water-colour, acrylics, oil, charcoal and others to express myself,” adds Joshi.

With around 40 works in display — peacocks, butterfly and lotus features heavily in his them. His current work is the third part of his ongoing series under the same name.

The transformation from Armed Forces to an artist was an exciting journey for him. Having settled down at Vadodara, Joshi is a self-taught artist, and completed his Bachelor of Arts, from Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut. “I studied the styles and techniques of various different artists along with several art literatures to prepare myself.”

The exhibition is on display at India Habitat Centre till November 10