‘Painting is like riyaz’

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Painting is a huge part of my life; in fact, it’s the very essence and focus of my being. I look forward to releasing my energies through painting, but it also exhausts me beyond measure.

At the end of the day, I look like a construction worker with paint strokes all over me, and tired beyond belief, but the satisfaction is incomparable. Painting is like riyaz to me; it is what I indulge in to connect with the universe and its cosmic forces. My workplace is my temple, my sacred space; it inspires me to think and paint those thoughts.
Like every human being or creative artiste, I have mood swings and bad days, but I make it a point to not enter the studio with that negative energy. My work is pure and I want to keep the negativity out of it as much as possible. I find serene environments very conducive for creativity. My studio has nothing but whitewashed walls with a huge window overlooking a gigantic tree. The simplicity and minimalist nature of the room inspires my creativity. With my work, I intend to create a happy environment. When one places a piece of my work in their house, I want it to transport them to a happier place. The colours and patterns in my paintings are vibrant, lively and much like most of the things around me, reflect my personality. Depth need not necessarily lie in gloomy pieces of art. When one is happy and thankful about living each day, the feeling of fulfillment is as deep as any other, and that is what I hope to create through my paintings.
Being a literature student, I am a huge fan of writers like and Shakespeare, Rumi. I draw inspiration from these great writers and paint their prose and poetry on canvas. It is by far the most the most satisfying feeling I have, and I hope to get better at it with each passing day.

As told to Sushmita Murthy