Ifthikar Cader presents ‘In the tradition of Plein-Air Realism’

Scheduled for 8 and 9 December between 10 a.m. and 7.30 p.m. at the Harold Peiris Gallery, Lionel Wendt after a lapse of two years is an exhibition of paintings by the all too popular Ifthikar Cader. With a local as well as an international following at this exhibition are 50 paintings in oils of mainly small and medium sizes and about 15 large canvases.

Fondly known as “Ifthi” who came into the limelight during his rugby era says he always loved to draw even in his youth. Together with his brother Ashy, he started painting first with water colours before transitioning to oils!

He says: “I painted for my own joy and pleasure and derived great satisfaction when family and friends wanted to keep and display them in their homes. Only one painting remains from that time, a plein-air (location painting) canvas in oils of Kandy Lake from the magistrate’s bungalow when I was about 16 years old in 1954. My brother-in-law M.M. Maharoof was the magistrate at that time and I gifted him this canvas.”

“Painting in oils and on canvas in my teens took a new dimension when I came across the works of the Impressionists and Post Impressionists, especially the works of Vincent Van Gogh. His method of vigorously applying thick layers of paints made a tremendous impression on me that was heightened by the movie ‘Lust for Life’ in which Kirk Douglas’ stirring performance as Van Gogh made him look a larger than life character,” he excitedly says.

By the age of 21 while a student in London but alas, not to study art, he claims that the universal view in those days was that there were absolutely no prospects for a decent life as an artist. It was 36 years later when he quit the business arena in Sri Lanka that he chanced again to pick up brushes in 1995 and began painting again.

It was however not a deliberate and calculated decision to embark on a painting career at age 57. It was rather more to do with finding something satisfying to occupy his time to the relief of his wife, children and family! Ifthi goes on to say that God does indeed do things in mysterious ways because it was not long afterwards that he plunged into serious painting with enthusiasm, dedication and discipline that even surprised himself!

His first solo exhibition was held on November 1, 1996 at the Lionel Wendt Art Gallery. It was enthusiastically received and he was happy to discover that 7 paintings had sold from his collection. He has never looked back since and dedicated himself to improve as a painter in oils ‘In the tradition of plein-air Realism’.

He later spent almost five years in London during which time he frequented the National Gallery, Tate Gallery and other smaller galleries in London. He also visited the Louvre in Paris a couple of times too. These visits in his student days motivated him to paint occasionally and he even enjoyed going out and painting scenes on location where he lived in Chiswick.

The visits to museums continued and increased when business trips came his way especially to Paris, Brussels, Antwerp, Berlin, Hamburg, London and Boston. These provided him the opportunity to see and study original paintings of the masters which greatly enriched and expanded his knowledge, understanding and technique. He was determined that a lack of formal training was not going to be a handicap and that what mattered was acquiring the technical skills to improve the natural talent he is blessed with!

He goes on to say that one very important facility that helped him to self-educate himself in art is now within the reach of anyone who has access to a computer and internet connection. Thanks to the internet he was able to study and understand the basics of colour and light theory, values, edges, drawing and composition.

Opportunity to purchase recommended art books, art magazines, and promotional DVDs by some of the greatest living artists helped tremendously to expand his knowledge whereby these theories could be applied intelligently in his paintings. He was also fortunate to locate a copy of Richard Schmidt’s ‘Alla Prima,’ a book which enables anyone to learn the essentials necessary to make him or her a better artist and several of his informative DVDs that demonstrate lucidly how he applies theory in his art. This book and the other classic Robert Henri’s ‘The Art Spirit’ have, without any doubt, given him more insight, inspiration and knowledge to become a better painter he says.

‘Plein Air’ painting is French for “open air” where the artist has to capture the essence of the scene quickly before the light changes and affects colours in both shadows and lighted areas. Today, especially in USA, UK and Europe plein-air is gaining in popularity by leaps and bounds.

To elaborate further about his work, Ifthi uses the finest of materials to paint with and will not substitute for quality. Most of his paintings are on linen canvas but he also sometimes uses good quality cotton canvas made in USA.  He also uses Artist Quality Colours which is the highest grade available and Winsor and Newton painting medium to thin his paints. 

A painting is made he says when the artist is intensely moved by something of great interest which feeling he tries to convey on canvas to his viewer to share and enjoy. Prices of paintings are fixed according to the size of the painting. Of course for the same size an experienced and recognised artist will charge appreciably more per square inch than a relatively unknown artist.  A good painting has always been a worthwhile investment and it continues to be so. A good painting is one that stimulates visually, intellectually, and emotionally. You are about to witness simply this: ‘In the tradition of Plein-Air Realism’.