Kamal Koria
Artist, painter and poet
I was paid 20 rupees for my first piece of art at the age of 12. That is when I realized art can really pay.
A Bit About Me
I grew up in the coastal village of Chorwad in the peninsula state of Gujarat, India. Here, I was surrounded by a large family. Being the youngest of five children, I was often left to play on my own, on the beach or around my fathers wood storage facilities. I remember playing in the sea, watching foreign ships roll by in the distance and making swords and toy guns from the debris that washed onto the beach.
I watched my father work tirelessly managing his wood business whilst my mother cared for the family. Months were peppered with events, weddings, diwali and harvest and we had plenty of family visitors. My work reflects that social and slow pace of life surrounded by colours of nature and life all around.
My home in India
After a short time in both Chorwad and Mangrol we moved to Keshod. My family home has been Keshod and it's here I met with my love, the art of painting. Kathiawar is the region that has inspired me along the way. The strong bold colours and patterns of the rural community that surrounded me when I was growing up. I grew up in a large family with several siblings and my uncles and aunts. My mother passed away hen I was only a toddler but I was surrounded women that heavily influence my ongoing work.
My home in Ieicester
I moved to the UK in 1976. Leicester was where I settled and started a family. Belgrave road in the 80's was full of energy, with Leicester in particular bustling melting pot of Africans, Indians and Irish. I learnt the language and picked up the culture quite quickly. I made my local connections with fellow entrepreneurial business owners all trying to make their mark whilst holding onto their culture. Here I started my commercial journey starting with coloring black and photos.
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