Soumya Netrabile, The Sway, 2023; Hand-Embellished, Signed, and Numbered Limited Edition Print

Born in Bangalore, India and currently based in Chicago, Soumya Netrabile works primarily with oil paints to portray emotional and psychological responses to nature. Cultivated during daily walks in a forest preserve, these conscious engagements have allowed the artist to connect not only with the plants and animals that she encounters, but also with her own collected memories and imagination. Netrabile first studied at Rutgers University, and then later at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She has exhibited at venues such as Andrew Rafacz, Chicago; Anat Egbi, Los Angeles; Rachel Uffner Gallery, New York; and Karma, New York; among others. 

The Sway is an exploration of form, color and movement, in which gestural strokes of reds, greens and yellows appear in gradient tones. As in many of Netrabile’s paintings, the image features botanical contours that are simultaneously figurative and abstract. While creating this work, the artist thought of the slow sway of plants when a soft breeze moves through, prompting her to infuse otherwise inanimate subject matter with a dancerly or musical disposition. Vivid and piquant, the image manifests a profound appreciation for the natural world. Netrabile has hand-embellished the edition with gouache, adding textures and washes making each print unique.

Of this series benefitting global reforestation, she notes, “I’m very concerned about the impending environmental crisis that humanity is facing. The forest preserve where I spend my time is a dying ecosystem, so this is something I confront every day when I am exploring the woods. I am so thrilled to be working with ART FOR CHANGE to help raise funds for reforestation efforts by providing this limited edition print.”

In support of global reforestation, ten trees will be planted for each print sale of works in this series commissioned on the occasion of EXPO CHICAGO 2023. The artist will also receive 50% of net proceeds from each sale.

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*Unframed prints ship within 1-3 weeks.
*Framed prints ship within 3-6 weeks.