Gurpran
Rau

Gurpran Rau is a painter, print-maker and mixed-media artist. Born in the Indian Himalayas, she was constantly moving as a child and remains inspired by her many travels. She studied Textile Design at the New Delhi Polytechnic and began her career in the fashion world, working with Indian multinationals designing evening-wear, including creating hand-crafted, hand-painted silks for fashion houses like Dior. This period was formative in establishing her life-long fascination with colour and its interplay with texture. Rau went on to live in France where she took drawing classes at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris and French Civilization at the Sorbonne. In 2000, she relocated to the US and completed an MA in Fine Arts at Purdue University before moving to California to begin a busy period of gallery and museum exhibitions across the US and UK. She moved to the UK in 2012 and continues to practice and exhibit. Her work is coveted by private collectors and  held in both public and private collections in the UK, USA, Europe and Asia.

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“These paintings were inspired by my walks in the woods of Cambridgeshire” she reflects, “I was fascinated by the ephemeral dance of light and shadow on the forest floor, as sun- dappled patterns emerged and faded revealing nature's exquisite choreography. I feel a deep connection with my surrounding environment. For me, the forest floor is like a tapestry: highly patterned, alive, chaotic, mysterious, and beautiful all at the same time. I am in awe of the healing and regenerative power of nature.”

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Most recently based in Cambridge, Rau continues to travel the world and is a truly international artist interested in exploring the connections between people and an place and what links us across cultures, geographies and time.