Expressions in colour

An article by Mian Naeem

Recent works of a book illustrator and abstract painter, Ghazala Sarfraz, titled "Expressions in colour," are on display at a solo show at the Coopera Art Gallery. In her works, she creates fantasy landscapes, inspired by scenes of a hill station, with a number of tall and green trees.
Most paintings are vertically composed. They are executed on low-texture canvas and paper, using thin layers of radiant colours. She trained in the discipline of Fine Arts at Peshawar University and has a large number of solo shows to her credit.
A monochromatic landscape in blue colour can be regarded as a good work. Thin and tall trees in the foreground, with a forest and hills in the background, and a bright moon which dominates the sky, are major elements of the painting. It creates a pleasant and serene feeling. In another work, she composes tall trees, without any leaves, against a stormy and cloudy sky.
She looks comfortable with monochromatic works. Another composition in red is also impressive. The elements and composition are the same, with a slight shift in treatment. Washes of red in the foreground, tall trees in the middle and a bright moon, which serves as the background, add to the beauty of the painting.
In most works, she uses a wide range of bold and bright colours. The effects, created by the application of thin paint and ink on wet surfaces, add to the beauty of the works. However, there are a number of repetitions in the paintings. All of them are produced using almost the same technique. The formula of dividing the space between hills, trees and the moon varies slightly. It looks like a single painting, repeatedly made with a variety of colours and compositions.

Author: (c) Mian Naeem
Art Critique
Lahore, Pakistan.