Teresa Prashad

krish168@aol.com
www.teresaprashad.com

Teresa Prashad is an artist and designer currently residing in the state of New Jersey. She is a talented woman who continuously believes in hard work and aesthetic creative expression. Painting to her comes naturally and even as a child she was always either sketching or painting. Born in one of the oldest families in the Indian city of Ahmedabad she continues to remain an icon to several people and women in her family.

Her study in India in the seventies included graduating from the CN College of Fine Arts with a degree in textile design. After teaching at several prestigious high schools she came to the United States of America in 1974. Initially, she freelanced at several design studios all over New York City for a decade. (1980 – 1990) Her work included designing original home furnishings.

From 1992-1994 she worked for RC screen printing as an artist cum designer and worked on the designs for several major colleges and universities. Later, she took classes in silk painting at Demarest, New Jersey. During this time she also designed hand painted banners for Fortuneoff, A & S as well as Lancome. She has also worked with a team of interior decorators in creating hand painted draperies for Christian Dior's fabulous Apartment in New York City. Teresa Prashad is the recipient of the prestigious Mercer County "Purchase" Award.

In her spare time she likes to paint display pots, draperies, design and paint on silk fabric and make room dividers.

Artists Statement

As an American artist of Indian origin, the colors of India play a major role in shaping my ideas before I begin to paint. The blank canvas is then brought to life as I look back and visualize scenes from my extensive travels in the country and more importantly to Rajasthan. A bulk of my traveling period within the country is spent in the state. The lost world of color, patterns and Rajasthani motifs fascinate me. As an artist I firmly believe in recording these scenes and visuals and expressing their thoughts, lives and colors through my canvas. I use several visual references too as the distance doesn't permit me to draw straight from life. These references include hundreds of photographs taken by several of my family members and also from my travels with my sisters. My goal however is to take a simple scene from everyday rural Indian life and to make something more vibrant or colorful out of it.  And if something looks really pretty I try to add some surreal backgrounds or gradients and hope to make it better. While most people do not stop to think beyond what is seen, I like to stop and wonder and paint life's simple moments. Simple moments that need to be reflected on, everyday gestures and happenings. The radiant Indian ethos fascinates me as an artist.