Original Art Piece

For eight years until his death in 1666, Shah Jahan gazed at the Taj Mahal from his balcony in Agra Fort, where he was kept under house arrest by his son Aurangzeb. Shah Jahan built the Taj in memory of, and as a symbol of his love for, his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal. Her death caused him to lose interest in his empire, and allowed Aurangzeb, in his thirst for power, to declare his father incompetent, and imprison him. From this vantage point all Shah Jahan could do was gaze at the Taj and long to be next to his Empress.

I grew up in New Delhi, and by today’s standards we would be considered poor – there was no refrigerator, no television, and no radio. It never occurred to me that art could be an option. I had no voice, or strength of my own. That would come years later. But first I had to experience the challenges as a new immigrant – leaving family…walking into the unknown in Canada. Life required a focus on raising a family and career, with little time for art.

When my children became teenagers, I started taking painting classes. But a few months into it, a debilitating accident derailed me. I lost the dexterity of my hands. It was a setback, but I never gave up.

While in rehab, I would exercise my nerve-damaged fingers and arms by attempting to draw, following the lessons in the book “Drawing from the Right Side of the Brain” by Betty Edwards which I had bought just before the accident. I knew I had to keep at it, I had to keep moving my fingers and arms. Drawing became part of my physio.

Moving forward. Juggling a full time job. Managing life crises and daily challenges. I studied under some well-known artists that I admired. They guided me in honing my skills and ability to express myself. In the last few years I have experimented with and developed my own style, which varies according to subject matter and medium.

Today, I am a prolific painter and also undertake commissions for portraits (both human and pets), landscapes, and abstracts, which I find both challenging and rewarding.

I have exhibited my work in many group shows, a three-person show, and won several awards.. I’m currently a member of the following art organizations:
- The Art Guild of Scarborough (TAGS), on the Executive as Exhibition Chair
- East Central Ontario Art Association (ECOAA)
- Central Ontario Art Association (COAA)
- Arts on the Credit (AOTC), Mississauga

ARTIST’S STATEMENT

Time flies when I paint, whether I’m holding a brush or a palette knife. The freshness and transparency of watercolours, the vibrancy of acrylics, and the buttery feel of oils transport me into a different frame of mind.

I see beauty and inspiration wherever I am, whether it be southern France, Italy, India, or right here in Ontario, Canada. In translating them on to canvas, I revisit these places in my paintings, and I am reminded of the sounds, the smell, the joy and excitement I experienced.

I want to take you along to experience my adventures with me.
I hope my art brings out that spark of light and joy in you, that breathless awe, the wonder…