About
Born
21st April 1964, Pune, Maharashtra, India
Educated
Rishi Valley School, Andhra Pradesh.
Foundation course
J.J School of Fine Arts, Mumbai.
Graduated
Lady Shriram College, New Delhi.
Worked with
Air India as a Flight Attendent for 9 years
Children
Two boys – Prahlad and Arjun
Resumed Painting
8th Jan 1996
Debut Dec, 1997Debut Dec, 1997 “The UnVeiling” The Holiday Inn, Pune.
2nd Feb, 2000“The Viewing” The Holiday Inn, Pune.
3rd May, 2003“Expressions of Ganesha” May 2003 – Gurgaon.
4th Feb, 2004“Point of View” Tablu, Hotel Clarks Amer, Jaipur
5th May, 2006The Holiday Inn, Nairobi Kenya TV did a 10 min feature of my work and me on their show.
6th Feb, 2010”Where have all the forests gone?”
5th May 2010 ”Where have all the forests gone?” Feb 2010-5th May 2010 Hotel Taj Mahal, New Delhi Epicentre, Gurgaon The Art Experience Gallery, Gurgaon
7th, 1st-30th Aug, 2011“Art By Vallery Puri” Quill and Canvas, Gurgaon.
8th Apr, 2012“One Billion Plus”
27th-29th Apr, 2012Le Meridien, New Delhi
1st-16th May, 2012Quill and Canvas, Gurgaon
10 Mar 1998“Women’s Day” The Holiday Inn, Pune.
1999 “Art for Kargil” The Holiday Inn, Pune.
Jan 2009“Celebrating Women” Quill and Canvas, Galleria, Gurgaon.
Feb 2009 Art Mart, The Art Experience Gallery, Epicentre, Gurgaon
Oct 2009“Life is not Black&White” Art Experience, Epicentre, Gurgaon Visual Arts Gallery, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi.
23rd-25th July 2010“A Rainbow of Colours” Art Experience, Epicentre, Gurgaon
Dec 2011 – Jan 2012“Women Power” Quill and Canvas, South Point Mall, Gurgaon
I am strongly influenced by the power of nature and how it controls us.
Vallery Puri, the artist and her art.
If you were to ask Vallery what art is, she would say:
‘It is that which appeals to you and touches your soul.’
Vallery has been painting and creating art from the time of her earliest memories but focused goal-oriented painting began with a vivid dream she had on the night of 7th of January 1996, in which she explains:
‘A gentle but distinct voice instructed me to take up art with seriousness and passion. It guided me and literally explained to me what it is I should do.’
Fortunately, she listened to this voice, followed its guidance and has been painting seriously and passionately ever since. Vallery’s paintings are colourful, vivid expressions which derive from the wellspring of her experiences, emotions and influences. In her words:
‘The way I think, the way I feel, the way I am – my emotions spill out on my canvases in a way that is figurative, descriptive, possibly busy at times and otherwise simple and straight. My paintings communicate the state of my mind – racing busyness or gentle calmness or any of the many emotions in-between. I am also strongly influenced by nature and marvel at the power it has over us.
The colours, compositions, and combinations are simply an expression of the varied feelings I experience as my life unfolds, with all its interesting twists and turns. Sometimes, the colours I use contrast the way I feel – bright ones when I am actually in a dark space and so on.’
Vallery’s art is deeply personal but even as each of her paintings has a strong personal tale for her, Vallery is cognizant that it will not be the only narrative:
‘I know that each of my paintings has two stories to tell – one which is mine and one which is that of the viewer who will relate to them in their own personal way, with their particular insight, their unique perspective and with their own distinct feeling and reaction.’
Vallery is a self-taught artist who has explored and continues to explore and grow. In this process she has used multiple approaches, substrates and accessories.
‘My style has evolved and matured over the years and continues to do so. It has been an interesting and colourful journey, one in which I have used many different types of materials, tools and techniques.
On the 7th of January 1996, the day I decided art was to be my career, I began with black ink on cartridge paper. In the weeks which followed, I started to add colour and then gradually moved to canvas boards and a thick texturised relief.
As Vallery with disarming humility describes her artistic odyssey:
‘It has been an adventurous, experimental learn-along-the-way-as-you-play kind of journey, one which has brought me immense pleasure and fulfillment and I hope in turn brings happiness, positivity and joy in those who view and own my art .’