A Feeling for Colour K. S. Kulkarni (1918-1994)
From being forced to paint signboards to becoming a stalwart in modern Indian art; Dinkar Kowshik lists the struggles of K. S. Kulkarni observing the person in the artist.Krishna Shamrao Kulkarni, born in 1918 in Belgaum, was in his early teens when he first came to Pune in search of education and work. With an indomitable will he began as an apprentice to a signboard painter. Here he learnt the skills to paint large areas and draw the alphabet in Marathi and English. After painting huge and long signboards of shops and hotels, he had to carry them on a cycle to their destination, collect the money and hand it over to the owner of the painter’s outfit. While doing this he joined an evening art class, where one Puran Master gave instructions in drawing and painting.
In fact, Kulkarni was one of the first students of this class which later on become The Institute of Modern Art. In this art class, Kulkarni worked hard and quickly learnt the lesson to still life studies, life study and landscape. Puran Master would prepare the students to appear for the diploma examinations of the J.J. School of Art, Bombay and this gave him the exposure to the art climate in the city.
Kulkarni started as a student of Puran Master and within a year or two, he assumed the role of an assistant teacher. This was because Puran Master used to run another evening class in Bombay and during his absence Kulkarni would teach the class in Pune, collect their fees and keep the accounts of the class. When he appeared for the J.J. School of Art examination his talent was recognized and earned him a scholarship for studies in the post-diploma course where K.K. Hebbar, P.T. Reddy and others were his senior colleagues.