The Forests are Dark and Deep with Oh! So many Lovely Trees

The forests are inviting, dark and deep/ But I have many promises to keep/ And many miles to go before I sleep/ Many miles to go before I sleep.

Let us hope the forests are deep enough but not too dark because it looks like Sarita Dongol will be not be going to sleep anytime soon since she wants to, " paint thousands of more trees." To anyone familiar with this young artist's work, the question does arise, "how many more trees can she conceivably paint in different ways?" because everyone knows that Sarita has already put on canvases thousands of trees.

Of course, as every art connoisseur knows, nobody else quite paints trees like Sarita does. Each canvas is a delight to behold, such is the pleasing blend of colors; such is the artistry with which the individuality of its subjects, trees of course, is brought to the fore. If not already, then possibly in the near future, Sarita Dongol could well feature in the Guinness Book of World Records as the artist who has painted the most trees. And painted them very beautifully as well.

One does wish however, that she would add to the individuality of her subjects by christening each canvas with as poetic a name as is each of her canvas. For there is no doubt that every single one of Sarita's works deserves to be treated as a unique piece of creativity. Even if the subject is always trees. Trees. And more trees. So naturally, one would like to ask the bubbly artist, 'why only trees?'

With her eyes brightening up visibly, and with small and neat gestures, Sarita explains, "Trees are probably the most fascinating part of nature. Each tree has its own distinct personality. I find trees to be an absorbing subject." Listening to her and looking at her paintings, one begins to then comprehend what it is about trees that captivates her so. Looking more closely at each of her work one begins to understand that she is indeed right. One realizes that trees are not simply the 'trees' one has seen a hundred times in a day, trees are not merely the 'trees' we have come to take for granted.

Sarita, born 19^th September, 1973, is no doubt one of the youngest artists in the country but her maturity in the profound knowledge of her favorite subject is deep, as can be deciphered from what she says, " Trees have anatomy, are moving, and are symbolic of man's sufferings and joys." If nothing else, Sarita Dongol must be congratulated for making people aware of the fact that indeed, trees are a special creation of the Almighty, and that indeed, trees are not something that are to be taken for granted.

The artist has gone into many deep and dark forests and spent hundreds of hours in solitude with her beloved trees. Eight years ago Sarita married Sirish Man Dongol, who manages a trekking agency, Tin Tin Trekking and Adventure in Jyatha, Thamel, and has a two-year old daughter, Sudikshya. This has however not deterred Sarita from her sojourns. "I have gone to a lot of jungles and have found the trees in Ghandruk and Makalu regions to be the most interesting. I often go to Chobar and paint. Sometimes the well-known poet, Manjul, gives me company. He says that my paintings act as a muse to him for composing poetry."

She has painted her trees in many different colors, in many different moods. Looking at the artist's portrayals of different trees in their varying manifestations, the viewer must soon come to the conclusion that every tree has its unique identity and that every tree has its own unique characteristics. Sarita succeeds in making us look at forests with more focused eyes so that we also see the thousands of trees that stand tall and proud, strong and sturdy, as testimonials of nature's true glory.

Today many of them are displayed on the walls of 'Dongol Atelier' in Sanepa. Not only are the compositions a mirror of an artistic soul's reflections on the sentinels of nature, they are as much a feast for eyes in search of blends of appealing colors. Born in Mikhabahal, Patan, to retired topographer, Ganesh Bahadur and Ram Kumari Maharjan, Sarita has two siblings younger than herself, a brother, Amar who is studying in Australia and a sister, Ramita who has done her masters in rural development as well as in music. However, Sarita reveals, " In my family's entire history I believe I am the only artist."

Sarita adds, "Although even today many of my elder relatives do not understand the work I do, there are many more who are proud of what I have achieved." Sarita finished her Bachelor's in Fine Arts in 1998 from Lalit Kala Academy and is hoping to do masters if and when the course is started at the institute. She did her early schooling from Srichandi Vidyashram and says, " I started to draw when I was in class seven or eight. The teachers noticed my talent and I was selected to participate in every inter school competition after that."

The enthusiastic artist did not always paint only trees. In her early years after college she painted many landscapes. In fact, the first 'tree exhibition', most appropriately titled, 'Defining Trees', was held at the Siddartha Art Gallery in 2000. However, Sarita had already won the 1^st prize with her 'Human Happiness' in an art competition at the Srijana Contemporary Art Gallery as far back as in 1992. "That was the first time I felt that I had really achieved something." Sarita has participated in many group exhibitions, the earliest being in 1994 and 1995 during 'Vision 51' and 'Image' at Lalit Kala Campus.

The young and friendly artist is grateful to her parents whom she says were, "educated, liberal and supportive", and she is especially indebted to her mother for her unstinted support in her pursuit of artistic excellence.  Today Sarita Dongol lives in Balkhu and has her studio in Dongol Residency in Sanepa. After finishing her SLC, Sarita taught art in Maitreya Shishu Sadan in Swaymbhu for three years besides giving tuitions at home. From 1996 to 1998 she worked as a trainer for arts and crafts with ECCA, a Swiss INGO involved in environment conservation.

Sarita remembers that the first painting she sold was on 15^th November 2000, "I think it fetched a price of about Rs.3000 to Rs. 4000." The highest price she has received for a painting of hers is Rs. 50000. She remembers this too, "It was bought by a Belgian and was about 100 cm by 89 cm in size." Her most inexpensive paintings at the moment are priced at Rs.5000 each and come in sizes of 12 inch by 12 inch. Nevertheless, she adds, "Of course some paintings come out so well that their price can be much higher without consideration to size." As an example, Sarita points to a small sized canvas that portrays a tree stump that has been splayed wide open and one can observe the play of strong winds on and around the stump, "This is one of my favorites. Sometimes I just don't want to part with some of my works because I like them so much and become very attached to them."

Many dignitaries including the Ambassadors of Korea, Japan and Australia have her collections, and among local connoisseurs, "Keshab Sthapit, former Mayor of Kathmandu, has bought one of my canvases as has architect Manohar Sherchan." Sarita has also done experimental works that she calls, 'installation art' which are not of a permanent nature and so is not meant for collections. Of course, besides this, all other paintings are done using oil and are semi abstract in nature. Sarita claims to do her paintings in one sitting and does not believe in re-touching her works, and says, "re-touching will only dilute the original expression of my work and will result in a mixture of my different moods." In many of her paintings the color black dominates and she informs that the color lends boldness to her canvases. The nature of her work is inspired by current events and she declares that she still has a lot of deep study to do on trees.

In 2002, Sarita had been invited by a museum in Japan for a three-month residency program and will be going there again in March 2005 for another workshop. She obviously enjoyed her stay in Japan, and says, "people on the streets used to recognize me and compliment me." From 2000 to 2004 she has done eight solo exhibitions at various art galleries in the capital as well in Pokhara, France and Japan. The latest, 'Screams of Nature' at the Lumbini Art Gallery (NAFA) in Kathmandu, portrayed trees that 'tell stories of suffering and whisper tales of peace as well'. Sarita informs that this January she might be doing an exhibition at the Yak and Yeti Hotel.

From 1994 to 2004 she has participated in sixteen group exhibitions in Kathmandu, France, India, Bangladesh and the United States. She was awarded the first prize in 'The Second Eastern Region Art Exhibition' in Kolkata (India) in 2001. Sarita has also taken part in ten workshops in the period 1999 to 2004 in Kathmandu. The 'Nugha Mikha' international artist workshop, Sutra, Bhaktapur, in 2004 was the most recent one. The accomplished artist admires works of Shashi Shah and Shasikala Tiwari and is also highly respectful of the works of old masters like Vincent Van Gogh, Cezanne and Gaguin. And although she is firm in her view that her works are original she does say that she has heard critics claim her work to be influenced by the impressionists. 

Sarita Dongol, at the moment, is the very epitome of a successful artist at the height of her powers. Every painting that she does becomes one more beautiful part of her ever-growing collection. For those visiting her new studio, 'Dongol's Atelier' in Sanepa, it is like wandering into another world. A world in which trees in lovely colors, fascinating shapes and varying moods compel you to look at them in a different light, with a fresh perspective, and with a new awareness.

Welcome to the world of Sarita's trees.