As a serious self-taught artist, a creative background in Commercial Dress Designing, Textile Print-techniques and advanced Ikebana give me the necessary creative background. As an experienced Homeopath I am trained (like in all Art forms) to analyze, sift and execute. It also gives me the essential grasp of anatomy.
Drawing and colour-sense come naturally to me and an extensive personal library, on Art, helps me in my quest for beauty, balance, and permanence in my work.
Visually impaired (not blind) - with a serious retinal problem (Macula Degeneration since 1988) - most works are executed with the help of a magnifying glass. The eye disorder creates visual distortion - disturbances in colour form, depth, light, distance, field of vision, thus creating large time-gaps in my work. It also keeps me completely house-bound, yet I continue to paint and write diligently.
Homeopathic treatment by Delhi based Dr. Kalyan Banerjee has kept me going these past 15 years. In spite of Allopathic prognosis that I would lose my vision in a few years, 20 years down the line I can still paint and write.
Inspirations
I believe books are the greatest teachers. One just has to learn the ability to learn from them.
In my creative work great encouragement came from Mr. Khushwant Singh (Author, senior-most journalist and columnist) for writing, and Mr. Ebrahim Alkazi (a living legend - a gallerist, a collector, a patron of the arts), for painting.
And from Mrs. Ajit Kaur (Writer), Arpana Caur (Painter), Ms Masooma Ali & Ms. Angela Keroth (Lecturers, Miranda House College, Delhi).
Emotionally, the memory of my son, Samir, eggs me on.
And my daughter Seema and son-in-law, Sudhir, always help and encourage me.
