A passionate artist could cross the boundaries of creativity to find the realms of art on his own. Sheffy Tattarath is one such artist who is constantly redefining his own artistic skills. A winner of the prestigious OSFA Award and other accolades, Sheffy is an Indian artist who made Oman his second home for the past 27 years. Currently, the Art Director at the Golden Brush Art Consultancy, his fascinating array of paintings are done in a variety of mediums such as oil, oil and chalk pastels, acrylic, watercolours, pen and ink and graphite or charcoal. With 53 exhibitions to his credit, Sheffy’s paintings are sought after by art lovers and collectors from around the world.
Sheffy’s beautiful rendering of both His Majesties in a single painting at the Al Mouj Township is a beautiful work revealing his depth of imagination. In the painting, late His Majesty Sultan Bin Qaboos Said looks in a silent smile at the prospective royal king His Majesty Sultan Haitham Bin Tarik, in a likely prediction of the future. Sheffy believes that “art and creativity is something that every individual possesses. It is up to each to discover the talent in oneself through determination and constant practice.”
How did you begin your career as an artist?
Painting has been always my passion, but I never thought of making it my career. I got an opportunity to work as an artist in an amusement park cum restaurant in Oman, which I consider a major turning point in my life.
Can you tell us about the process of making your work?
It’s a bit complex to explain how I get inspired. It may be a person, an event or a thing that triggers my imagination. Once the seed or idea is sown, I nourish it by collecting references from different sources. As I continue, it might even change into different forms and themes than from where I began.
Which kind of paintings do you do?
My subjects for the paintings vary. I believe and love everything under the sun as my subject, space being my favourite one. I am a realist painter but I do like to experiment with abstract works as well if the theme demands. It is best to explain a story or poem in semi-abstract, I think. I always tell people that I am a realist painter struck in a surrealist world by default.
Which is your favourite artwork? And why?
It’s more like asking me which one of my children is my favourite. Some works may give me more satisfaction but they might not turn out to be my favourite ones. And some might be new experiments, some will be well appreciated, but if you still insist then my contemporary work called ‘Wet’ is one of my favourite (it’s currently owned by a Taiwanese gentleman) and two portraits of Late His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Said and His Majesty Sultan Haitham Bin Tarik (2018/20) in the Kempinski Hotel Muscat.
Who is your inspiration?
My inspiration is my uncle Mohammed Manathala, who is also a painter as well as a writer since my early childhood. I still enjoy the smell of the Pelican brand brush and colour set, which I got as a gift from him.
How did you get the concept for His Majesties paintings in the Al Mouj township?
It is all due to Muna Al Kindi, who asked me to do something similar to my work in the Kempinski Hotel Muscat. Through our company, Golden Brush, I took up the assignment, and by using different photographs of both His Majesties’ as a reference, I decided to take all the positive aspects to complete the painting. But, I admit, this is the most difficult work I have done to date. To create the feel of royalty with a cool look was challenging work.
How do you find the art scene in Muscat?
Oman is as colourful as a colour palette. The Omani Society for Fine Arts (OSFA) is doing a lot of contributions to make it more colourful for the Omani nationals and expats by conducting several exhibitions annually. I was the first expatriate to win the prestigious award from OSFA in 2015 and was later followed by others.
Many private galleries and institutions or clubs such as Rangrez ISC, the art wing of the Indian Social Club, also conduct exhibitions frequently. Even during this pandemic period, art lovers and enthusiasts have lent active support to add an extra shade to the art scene in Oman.
Which has been your best exhibition so far?
I have done 53 international exhibitions so far, including 6 solo exhibitions as well. My recent one titled ‘Ekphrasis’ was held on Oct. 23. In 2007, I did a themed solo exhibition ‘Cultural beats’ opened by HE Dr Rawiyah Bint Saud Al Busaidiya, Minister of Higher Education at Yaara Gallery. It was about the artist’s interpretation of the cultural similarities of Oman and India. But I consider my recent solo exhibition ‘Symphony of Colors’ (Sept. 2021) at Art & Soul Gallery as my best. It was not a themed one and was received very well. I got good media coverage and reach as well. Above all, by the grace of God, it became my 50th exhibition without any prior planning!
What other hobbies do you indulge in?
I like all three forms of art. I love writing whenever I feel like expressing myself and I write in a magic realistic style (such as by Gabriel Garcia Marquez and OV Vijayan, an Indian writer). I have done many screenplays for feature films as well. Unfortunately, for different reasons, they didn’t see the light so far. I love reading books related to spirituality (not religious), motivational, space, astrophysics, psychology, etc. Love ghazals and slow rock are my favourites. But my daughter forces me to listen to new Korean Bands as well.
How did you utilise the pandemic period?
As I always say, artists live in isolation – in their own world – so that attitude helped me to cope up with the pandemic period especially my health issues. I had to go through a bypass surgery then. I have had the opportunity to judge many competitions in Oman and I conduct art classes (online as well) in my studio as well as the commission works. I can be reached through Instagram @sheffyart and sheffyart.com.
The home I grew up in is Kochi in Kerala, India.
When I was a child, I wanted to become a painter.
My greatest inspiration is my mentor Dr Betty Edwards author of the book Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain.
My heroes are Stephen Hawking, Nick Vujicic, Morrie Schwartz, medical workers, soldiers, firefighters around the world, social volunteers, and whoever motivates others with their life!
If I could change one thing about myself, is I wish I could talk less.
I dream of a peaceful, colourful world.
You may not know it but I’m no good at cooking, so I am saved!
If I have time to myself, I play with my four-year-old son Rayan.
My house is like a den where you’ll find colours and canvases scattered everywhere, which tempts me to come back no matter how far I go.
My favourite holiday destination in Oman is Salalah.
My favourite weekend spot in Oman is the beaches.