SALIGAO: Sáligão is a beautiful village situated in Bardez, Goa, known for its 19th Century Neo-gothic church dedicated to Madre de Deus. The village of Saligao is rich in terms of agricultural land and does not have a single saltwater river or tributary flowing through; hence, it is free of salinity and may be referred to as a saltless village. However, it is not bland in any aspect. Rather, it is blessed with numerous talents and, most of all, lovely people. Clarice Vaz is one of the creative minds bestowed upon Sáligão.
Clarice says that the love for art in her had existed since childhood but she was not able to pursue it professionally back then, since academics was considered more appropriate during her younger days in the 70s. She became a nurse, only to take up art as a full-time career much later in life, in memory of her dear son Craig, who passed away suddenly from a rare, undiagnosed heart ailment at the young age of 20.
When asked if her family was supportive of her decision to become a full-time artist, she responded with a big “No!” For her parents, an artist would never succeed in life. At the age of 47, when she became an artist by choice, she was pleasantly surprised with success and appreciation as her marital family was being very supportive toward her unique talent. Within four years of her starting to paint, Clarice held her first solo exhibition at the Kala Academy in Panjim.
“I have no formal education in art, and I’m solely a self-taught artist creating art in accordance with my heart,” says Clarice. Further, she mentions that she once began studying art and colour proportions, perspective, art forms, and more. It was a challenging ordeal. So that is when she decided to be herself. “I cannot follow any art rules and could not even understand them,” she says as she believes it was easier for her to paint following her intuitive spirit.
Clarice paints solely for the purpose of experiencing joy. She has, in a short span of 12 years, had many solo exhibitions and also authored two books related to Goan heritage.
Being in the art world is not cheap. Clarice had to save up a lot to start, and along the way, she says, she has climbed on the shoulders of many. They supported her, and now, she has reached a stage where God has allowed her to repay them.
Over the years, Clarice has been painting only on canvas, but has now moved on to painting on terracotta pots. Her paintings are generally based on Goan landscape scenes, wayside crosses, churches, houses, and so on. She has recently begun creating an innovative Kunbi design on pots, solely with intentions to preserve Goan heritage and to create something unique at the same time. “I am nearing my sixth decade in life and feel the need to do a lot more than just painting,” she adds.
“I will be showcasing my work on ‘Kunbi sarees’ on canvas in a few weeks. It took me seven years to do these paintings with a syringe, ‘thread by thread’, to look almost woven. The paintings are done using acrylic paste and are highly textured. It is my life’s work on my precolonial heritage,’ says Clarice with a sense of pride.
Clarice asserts that one can definitely make a living by following one’s passion, and parents should allow their children to do what
they enjoy doing and are passionate about. She believes that it is important to be confident and self-assured. These are the most important
qualities for an artist because if you can’t back yourself, no one else will, says Clarice.
