For most of us, childhood is like a flowing river, and we’re like little tadpoles. We didn’t choose the river but just woke up out of nowhere and found ourselves on some path set for us by our parents, by surroundings and by circumstances. My inclination towards paintings or artworks started when I was 10 and my inspiration was my mother who used to do paintings and embroidery on fabrics, wood and sarees. As time passed by, my learning progressed from simple sketches to imitating from the old Masters, object drawings and creative still life in various mediums. During that period, I got few gold medals in painting with participation in national com-petitions which motivated me a lot. Next big step was getting in JNTU College of Fine Arts for Bachelors and MS Baroda for Masters. This is how I took the turn and moved from a flowing river into the pond.
With all the technical foundation and formal academic learning across the Fine Arts stream be it painting, printmaking and sculpture, I landed with an opportunity to work at the studio of artist Laxma Goud. Learning professionally under the guidance of such a fine printmaker mainly known for his technical expertise was an exhilarating experience and led to a strong foundation. My close bonding with my friends and routine interactions with them always brought them as a subject of my work and helped so much in bringing adoration, appreciation, anger, anxiety, awe, confusion, excitement, fear, joy, nostalgia, sadness and surprise in the work.
I was fortunate to be selected for the printmaking seat at one of the most prestigious Fine Arts University in India. Getting into MS University, Baroda was a turning point of my life and career, where I had an opportunity to further enhance my learning under the guidance of Prof. PD Dhumal and Prof. Vijay Bagodi.
A new phase started when I relocated to Middle East. I got my first private studio where I was back to painting again. The major change in the thought process came up with the feeling of motherhood that brought a pause in my work while it also renewed an appreciation of the world around and provided a fresh perspective. At that time, it was a stimulating experience to explore and experiment with new mediums, wherein the discovery of ‘denim’ was the most invigorating. The subject evolved from various books which I spent reading to my children. The small motifs that I typically use in my works manifested in a rhythmic pattern signify the ‘life’ yet to sprout, while the puppets bring in the visualisation of the future.
As my works exemplify ‘self-interpretation’, there has also been a gradual transition towards both ‘self-interpretation and experience’. The existence of a strong correlation between the two inspires me to look beyond. Seeking the world as a landscape and interpreting the same in the work brings additional possibilities and endless motives. My love for travel took me to new places and inspired me to connect with nature. This way the exposure to the visual experience of ‘circle of life’ added a new language in the works. The stark wilderness of the nature and the experience of looking at the characteristics of the wildlife had been mesmerizing. Although metaphorically depicted as an illusion, the ultimate reality is life and death and back to life again.
Appreciating the power of nature has given me multiple subjects to constantly feed me with both visual and emotional experiences. I learnt to fabricate my work with multiple ideas which can be sometimes nostalgic and sometimes of the present. Some experiences are of today and some are of two decades ago and incorporating them in my works gives me ultimate satisfaction.