Biography :
I am Arun Akella, an engineering and design student with an interest in art, music and photography.
Painting has always been a passion since childhood and my retreat from daily schedule. After high
school, it faded out due to lack of time. It was while pursuing a Master’s degree in mechanical
engineering that I rediscovered my passion for painting. I worked with water colors initially, and
eventually found the perfect medium for me- oil paint! I currently intend to pursue a Master’s degree
in product design, and turn my passion for painting into a more serious hobby.
Artist Statement :
Realism is what we see. Abstraction is what we think we see. When it comes to painting, these two
concepts never aligned. But a few artists, such as Rembrandt, created and mastered techniques that
showed nothing but paint strokes when seen up close, but when seen from a distance, the painting
looked real. Modern masters such as David Leffel have mastered this lost art and called it ‘Abstract
Realism’. It is his work that inspired me to take up this style of painting. I try to represent the subject
with brush strokes, and light and shadow, rather than shapes and values. I primarily paint still life
setups, but also do portrait and landscapes.
