My Bff.. my art

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A fleeting moment translated  on to a canvas, a thought that germinated in my mind and blossomed into words, a bead that caught my attention and made me entwine it into a necklace… ART for me is a piece of myself, my thoughts and ideas getting concrete shape and attaining eternity.
     As a young mother to be, I found myself quite alone, when I first entered UAE, the land of myriad hues and cultures. To combat loneliness I used to doodle on the Paint brush tool on my desktop computer. Slowly I explored around and found the little stores selling art and craft materials. It opened whole new vistas of glass painting, emboss painting etc. which I had not found back home in India.
As years slipped by, the ups and downs of life and the enforced responsibilities of a mother and wife often had me pining for the much needed ME time which were huge consolations emotionally. The stolen moments from the mundanities were dedicated to drawing and painting. My ART was my savior in those days though I hadn’t realized it.  I used to write little songs which never saw the light of the day.
And one day a dear friend asked me if I could do fabric painting on cushions and pillow covers for her. The immense pleasure I got when she gifted it to a friend in US and got me a picture of it adorning her living room, was unequivocal. That’s when the realization dawned on me that ART is not only a necessity for my wellbeing, but it could be a source of joy for many others. Since then , my gifts have always been my own creations, be it homemade candles, oil paintings, portraits in charcoal or a jewelry piece, all created with great diligence. There definitely is a twinge of pride to see my creations being nurtured in another home, but more than that, it imparts a sense of accomplishment and confidence to do more. My art slowly became a source of pocket money. It gave me independence and wings to explore more. I found a teacher to learn about the nuances of oil painting. Life again seemed brighter when I could display my paintings at some local exhibitions. I gained more confidence in writing and had a few articles published in newspapers and magazines. Till this day, each second I can spare is devoted to creating beautiful images of life. I fail to understand why people puff and sip to attain a high when you can attain it with something you are passionate about, your art.
At the end of the day, when I turn out the lights, I can positively say I did something worthwhile today because of these creations. And it helps me sail to a new dawn and a new creation. My only prayer now is that I continue to live on with the moments of exultation I get when I create something new.


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