Sharada Chitrakar

Sharada Chitrakar (born 1941) is a notable Nepali woman artist who has made significant contributions to the art scene in Nepal, particularly in a male-dominated field. Her artistic journey is characterized by persistence, self-education, and a focus on cultural and folk motifs.
Artistic Focus and Style
Specializes in water color paintings
Incorporates still life, landscape, and cultural motifs, especially Newar folk art
Known for her work on punjya, a form of Newar folk art
Notable Achievements
Organized the first solo Mithila artwork exhibition in Nepal in 1991
Published a book titled "Pauranik Newar lok-kalaa" (2013), documenting Newar folk art
Photographed and published images of Newar women's folk art, which was previously undocumented
Career and Impact
Served as an active member of the Arts Academy
Contributed to the preservation and promotion of Newar folk art
Challenged traditional gender roles in the Chitrakar family by pursuing art education and practice
Artistic Journey
Initially trained by her father to copy eyes of deities
Self-taught in many aspects of art, as she was not sent for formal art education like her male counterparts
Developed her own artistic style, focusing on realist objects and human life as motifs
Sharada Chitrakar's work represents an important contribution to Nepal's artistic heritage, particularly in documenting and preserving Newar folk art traditions.