Photo courtesy of Pratima Kramer.
Scientist turned artist Pratima Kramer creates sculptures that honor her heritage.
The colors and textures adorning Kramer's sculptures tell the story of Gujarat, India, where she grew up. The region has a very long history of traditional crafts. Now, based in Hertfordshire U.K., she finds a connection to her Indian heritage through her creative practice.
Pratima Kramer is mainly known for her female figures and elephant sculptures and explains the significance of both.
"The female figures symbolize 'Shakti' (power, strength) and 'Devi' (goddess), the embodiment of love, care, and protection in Hindu culture," while the elephants are "imbued with emotion of
love and gentleness with a hint of sadness as they are often subject of butchery and cruelty."
The elephant sculptures also pay homage to 'Ganesh', a mythological deity worshipped in India who represents intelligence, wisdom, and understanding.
Each sculpture is given a unique traditional name after contemplation by Kramer.
"My experimental nature, being a scientist in my early career, draws me towards a more experimental way of working and solving the problems, not conforming and controlled by the material, which often gives exciting new directions. My intimate experience of rich and vibrant Indian life informs my craft practice.”
We got the chance to ask Pratima a few questions about her art practice and art business.
Do you have a favorite or most satisfying part of your process?
I absolutely love starting any sculpture, it's a very organic process, at the start I don’t know how and what anything would look like but I let my imagination lead me and see what happens. As a result, I discover many new things.
But opening the kiln at the end of the firing cycle, I still get a thrill out of it, every single time. The satisfaction comes when I have photographed the work and am ready to go on the website.
Purvi by Pratima Kramer. Black Clay, 16 x 11 x 4.5 cm (6.3 x 4.33 x 1.77 in)
What has your artistic education consisted of (formal or not)? If you did receive a formal education like an MFA, did you find it necessary for your artistic growth, or did you find that elsewhere?
My first degree is in Microbiology, but art has always been my passion. So, while I was working in the Health Service as a scientist, I was attending various part-time art courses and learning skills when I could. I have also been a part-time student at Camberwell College of Arts in St.Martins.
I would call myself mainly self-taught in my artistic expression, but I have also learned techniques from the experts.
Which routines—art-making and administrative—are essential to success in your art career?
I always check my emails in the morning and do my small administration work first. This is where Artwork Archive comes into play.
It is so easy to update quickly for anything current and attend to it more in-depth later on. Being prompt in response is key to any success.
Why did you decide to inventory and archive your artworks?
I show my work in some galleries and take part in exhibitions—it became necessary to keep track of it. To have all that information at a fingertip in one place is very convenient. It’s the one place, the Artwork Archive, I need to go to track any of my work. The website is a very important accessory and tool for my business.
What advice would you give an emerging artist during this time?
Whether one is already in the business or starting out, it is important to keep track of things—as no one knows where this journey would take you.
I was caught by surprise, so it is important to start keeping the records earlier. It is also a tool where you can look back to see how far one has come.
There would be ups and downs in the art business. Being able to see your progression and achievements through the archive is just what one might need during tough times.
