“For me, my work was originally something that had no intention of being seen by others or being sold,” she said. “Many of these pieces, especially my more personal work, came out of necessity. I just had to do it now. I had to do it at that moment.”
Kalaveshi Arts is a space that offers Kalaveshi’s small and large paintings such as “Earthling” and “Stayin’ Alive,” her sister’s compositions of portraits which mainly focus on various cultures, such as Ancient Egypt, using mixed media such as acrylics, beads, glitter, threads and golden leaves to capture the clothing rather than human faces.
“I’m fascinated by the garments that people wear, clothing that is representative of their time and culture,” said Njomza Kalaveshi, painter and co-owner of Kalaveshi Arts.
With a long history of living through political turmoil in the mid-to-late 90s and starting her own businesses, such as a shoe store and a restaurant in order to support her daughters, Drita Choy rediscovered her love for art after having moved to the United States as “life had not given me an opportunity to explore it.” Now, her large ceramic works and abstract paintings are displayed inside of Kalaveshi Arts.
So, when the Kalaveshi trio found the white storefront on Simsbury Road, they knew that this would be their gallery where they could bring their dreams to life.
“In the galleries and museums that I have visited in Connecticut, I have seen a lot of beautiful artwork that is classical and captures many landscapes and animals,” Saranda Kalaveshi said. “How you feel is how you paint, and so much of my collection exhibits nudity in what some would call risqué, but there is a story within these pieces that might just catch your eye.”
In Saranda Kalaveshi’s “Healing,” composed of two self-portraits in the middle of the desert, her future-self uses the thin needle from the cactus and her own hair to stitch the heart of her past-self. “We are the only ones truly capable of repairing and improving ourselves,” she said.
With the desire to bring a new perspective to Connecticut, the trio are now looking forward to seeing new faces stop by and learn something new.
“Each of our works is not commonly found here and offers something different that everyone can learn from,” Kalaveshi said. “There is something for everyone, give us a try.”
Source : Hartford Coarant
