Coffee Artist Mira Chudasama of India Interview with Ezju

Warm Up Questions!

Tell us about yourself

By profession; I am an artist & designer. Other than paintings;
I love designing web sites, logos, branding, advertisements and animation.

Where were you born, raised and live now?

I was born in India at a small but very cultural and arty town
of Gujarat - “Mahuva”. However my days of childhood and education were
spent in street of another city - “Bhavnagar”. Currently I am practicing
my art at Hyderabad.

How would you describe your childhood?

Attending art competitions & returning successfully with almost
first and second prize are lively chapters of my childhood. Thanks to
my elder sister from whom I learned this wonderful art.

How would you describe your life now?

I have always tried to see art as my profession. After completion
of my degree in Business Management I had two questions to answer myself
– What & Why? I was eager to make a career in advertisement. But our interest
in promoting coffee & clay as a medium of painting became our primary
goal. Today when I meet someone, I feel proud in interchanging my visiting
card where it says “Mira Chudasama – Coffee Artist”.

Tell us about your art training

Honestly, I learned it from my elder sister whom I consider
a born artist. I did my further art study at city based college of art.

How would you describe your artistic style? Your artistic philosophy?

I never wished to bind myself in a single art style. Those
who visit my display always look for unique art style in my paintings.
Even god has not made this world with one art style.

Although I love to use single shade of coffee
in my paintings, I have not yet forgotten the magic of primary colors.

I love to do ‘Abstract Art’, ‘Knife Work’,
‘Glass Painting’, ‘Mosaic & Cubism’, ‘Portrait’, ‘Nature Studies’, ‘Wild
Life’, ‘Floral Art’, ‘Miniature’, ‘Landscapes’, ‘Folk Art’ and ‘Modern
Art’. I use various mediums or pigments to form art including Coffee,
Clay, Oil color, Water color, Egg, Oil Pastel, Ink, Acrylic color and
sand.

Which artist inspired you most? Which art movement?

Not sure about inspiration but I like Van Gogh & Turner’s paintings
and their art styles.

Where do you feel an artist's place is in society?

Artists are not only visionary but also excellent history writers.
Artists make present immortal. They weave culture and tradition in their
art.

However we are talking of bitter truth of
the society where most of artists are poor, unemployed and live in slums.
The society realizes their value only when they are standing at gates
of heaven or reborn at any other corner of this world.

If money and availability were not an issue, what one painting
would be hanging in your home?

Turner’s painting ‘Sun Rising Through Vapour’.

When painting, do you listen to music or is it quiet? If music
what kind/artist?

Oh! Yes – I love music. Nothing special but I love pleasant
songs.

If given the opportunity, who in the world would you want to
sit for a portrait by you? What medium and style would you use?

I portrait expressions rather than people. So I am not sure
about any personality of this world.

Who is your favorite historical artist? Why?

Van Gogh’s passion, brushstrokes, art styles & attachment to
art made me admirer of him. ‘Sunflowers’ & 'Starry Night' are my favorite
paintings.

What interest or hobbies do you have other than fine art?

Gardening, observation, Music & Traveling

How do you take your coffee or tea?

By habit, I take tea generally. Ginger tea is my special one.

If a coffee roaster named a blend after you what would it be
called? Would it be a light, medium or dark roast?

Hmmm. Not sure.

All Warmed Up!

The obvious question: why coffee?

This is not the first time we (My sister & I) are using painting
with very different pigment or medium. We have simply used clay too. Yet
we need to use oil color to give brunt umber touches to our clay paintings.
We have always been near to nature and loved liveliness. To achieve liveliness
& natural shades of historical mosque carvings, we did many trials. Nothing
happened accidentally. We tried a lot with tea or clay. But coffee worked
better.

Describe your coffee "paint" making process.

Mostly we use coffee with water. Sometime to achieve darkness;
we boil it as well.

What is your coffee painting technique?

Coffee-painting technique requests not to place a canvas in
standing position to avoid the spreading of shades. Blend water with coffee
in different extent to create variety of shades of brown. This will enhance
layer development in the painting. Process of repeatedly applying the
brush with added coffee paint will help the middle portion emerge bit
darker to differentiate it from light tone on outlines. The technique
is to use coffee powder mixed with water and depending on the density
of the solution, the shades also change. White space in the canvas adds
to the contrast.

What do you find most unique about coffee as an artistic medium?

Shine and a pleasant aroma!!

Have you ever drank or tasted your coffee paint? Describe
it!

Oh!! Never

Have you ever had or made others taste your coffee paint?
Describe their reaction!

Honestly I avoid seeing visitor touching or smelling my work.
Ultimately that is a painting not a coffee!!

How do you think history books will look back on Arfé, coffee
art, coffee painting, and coffee artists?

Sooner or later… every one of us will accept coffee as a new
medium. I respect Arfé and have confidence in coffee that it will make
it's space soon in the art world.

How do you want history to remember you and your contribution
to the art world?

Neither my sister nor I had ever faced media earlier. Our aim
to promote art of coffee painting gave us that power & confidence to do
so. When we tried with coffee somewhere in 1999 or 2000; we were part
of our small area. Later we made it town then city & now country. We have
learned that an artist’s life is not so easy. The only comfort & cheers
we receive is to paint with coffee.

In the future if history writes us; I would
love to see our names together as we have sipped our coffee together.

How do you want history to remember Arfé, coffee art, coffee
painting, and coffee artists?

IN COFFEE LETTERS!! Art of Coffee painting is really revolutionary.
Probably I have faced the question of it's life a number of times. I strongly
believe that everything needs concern and care. Everyone who loves coffee
will nurture coffee painting & coffee art. Art spirit of coffee artists
would make history to write about this ground-breaking art.

What significance does coffee play in your culture? Your life?

As of now I would say that coffee has changed my last five
to six years. In life; I would like to be known as coffee artist rather
then simply artist.

What cultural influences do you feel most impacted and/or
are most reflected in your work?

I admire & respect all different cultures. When my work includes
mosque carving, it also includes temple carving and coliseum. I love wild
life & nature as subjects. Yet culture of ‘Kutch” & “Saurashtra” are most
reflected in my work.

Before I contacted you, how aware of other artists who use
coffee as an artistic medium?

While hosting my art & painting site I got a touch of the internet.
At that time I read a few articles which were also talking about coffee
paintings. This was enough to know that coffee is proving itself everywhere.

Do you think the recent proliferation of coffee artists around
the world is Zeist Geist?

Yes.

Some people think Arfé or coffee art/painting is just a novelty
or quick passing fad. Do you believe this? Where do you see this movement
going in the near and distant future?

Coffee is everywhere. Everyone starts life with it. Hanging
coffee is novelty. But it will make its space. Those who visit my display
always ask me if I can teach them. This clearly shows their deep interests
in coffee art.

Has commercial advertising, marketing and design had an impact
on your art, subject matter and/or decision to use coffee as an artistic
medium?

(Can you please elaborate? Do you mean if any coffee house
/ companies did help us or if we advertised coffee paintings?)

How do patrons and art admirers describe your work?

They are surprised by seeing portraits which we have created
using coffee. How can one create such nice portraits with coffee?

How do critics describe your work?

They are worried about life of coffee painting. How long would
it exist without any damage?

How as the media received you and your work?

I am personally thankful to CNBC Awaz taking initiative to
broadcast our coffee paintings in news. During display at state art gallery,
other leading media and newspapers contacted us & published.

What level of satisfaction and success have you had on a personal,
social, spiritual, and commercial level with your art?

Other than commercially, I am very much satisfied.

What is your life dream in regards to your art? Have you fulfilled
it? If not how do you plan to reach it?

This is just a beginning. I wish if I can meet different cultures
& catch them on my canvas using coffee. I would say, Arfe 2007 would fulfill
lots of my dreams.

During interviews a local radio personality, Ichabod Caine
on KMPS, ends his interviews with the question I leave you with. What
is your very first child hood memory?

Most of the times, I recall those narrow streets, farms & hills
of my grandpa’s village. Daily evening we (My siblings, Grandfather &
I) would used to pass through village enjoying scenic beauty. None of
us can forget railway tracks crossing the farms.

Visit Amita's & Mira's Web site: Coffee Paintings »

Amita's & Mira's Fine Art Web Site Art and Painting »

Their Coffee Painting Blog Coffee Painting Blog »