It is not easy to find a large, spacious, well lit space with tons of parking, free flow of people walking in and out - And I found that in Greenburgh Library. When I broached Cory Deitchman, who manages the bookings for art exhibition in the Library’s Howard and Ruth Jacobs Family Gallery, about an exhibition in Sept, 2022, I was informed that the space had a waiting list for 2-3 years. I came back tad disheartened but then with a stroke of good luck, there was a cancellation and when Cory called me about it, I agreed on the show, in a heartbeat without overthinking it. Fast forward to summer of 2023, I finally had the exhibition starting 2nd August and successful opening on 16th August.
Art Therapy during the pandemic
Starting the process
By March 2020, the media was relaying nerve wrecking news about the uncertainty, wrath and destruction that Covid-19 was unfurling in every corner of the world. Needless to say, it was paralyzing us with fear, anxiety, restlessness and stress. To cope with our changing routine, lockdowns, rising disorientation I turned towards art which has been my anchor. I launched on a 💯 days project to create art every day for 100 days. I chose to work with water colors and turned to nature for inspiration. It felt daunting in the beginning, but dove into it, promising myself to “just enjoy the process”.
This activity paired with nature exploration worked like magic. While enjoying walks outdoor, I noticed every change with the arrival of spring and started documenting this transition of “the melting of winter into the warmth of spring”. A miraculous transformation of bare branches, hard ground sprouting promise of crocus, daffodils, snowdrops, pansies, tulips and magnolias. All peeping out from mother Earth after a long, restful sleep. Fills one with humility and hope. We could easily miss these moments if we were not paying attention.
Gradually, I noticed my energy shift, feeling lighter, purposeful and more deliberate as I went about doing each day’s artwork. Seeing the colors poured, splashed, dribbled on paper, I felt healed in letting go of the anxiousness and rigidity. I invited more of these positive feelings and created a consistent routine as the artwork grew into more than 100 pieces of artwork.
This project has reaffirmed my confidence in art-making as a process in healing and dealing with many stressors in our lives. In the near future, I hope to work with others in distress and use art therapy to address the rising stresses in their lives. I am aware of these challenges in the community and hope to collaborate with community centers and institutions that share a commitment to art therapy. My recent launch into NYU’s Art Therapy program has been a step towards this dream. I created a book as a mobile project to consolidate all my artwork. This book may bring joy to others and inspire others to try something new. I also want to be able to multiply the effect of art as a therapy! This is an invitation to everyone to grow and regenerate by harnessing the power of creativity that is within each of us.
You can click here for a glimpse of the 100 paintings :)
https://plus.smilebox.com/play?g=5fec3688-342b-409e-8763-937c3f5bd3fb
Exhibition at Greenburgh Town Hall
I was honored to be given the opportunity to host my art exhibition at the Greenburgh Town Hall in Westchester, NY. The artworks were curated by Sarah White for the Arts and Culture Committee of Greenburgh. Called “Garden of Colors”, this exhibition featured artworks inspired by the boundless beauty I have found in my neighborhood, including Untermyer Park, Wave Hill, and the Bronx River Parkway. These impressions blended with my past work exploring similar natural beauty in many locations in Asia.
My entry in IIMA's alumni Magazine....Harvard Steps
The Harvard Steps at IIMA are integral to our lives from the moment we step foot there. To me, they seem to spell the meaning of life. They whisper, “take life one step at a time”.
As life slowly evolves at IIMA, stories begin, friendships are nurtured, ambitions sore high and memories get formed. Nobody stays the same, once you have crossed the hallowed portals of Louis Khan Plaza, Vikram Sarabhai Library and the Harvard steps. You become one with the tribe!
When I came to IIMA, I saw “dream big” written on the top of the steps. It was my gateway to a new future. I belong to a humble family from a small industrial town, Durgapur. Here was my chance to take the big leap of faith into the future with every potential I had. I was always trying hard to be at my best self, but alas, no effort here seemed enough!
“One step at a time”, said the Harvard steps.
I remember walking above and below the steps to go and open a bank account on my first day at campus. It seemed like a jantar mantar, a maze. I was gripped with excitement and anxiety what was in store for me here.
There was “fun” splattered on the steps when it was Ramp Party, Talent Night and dunking at Hoax Night. On the hoax night, my heart almost failed as the depths of doom were spelled out by Prof. Korwar. However, next morning was a new beginning, a special initiation and incorporation of the batch to become the new facchas or facchis. For me it was like finding my my breath back!
The Harvard Steps had “love” inscribed on them when I met Bhavtosh. He was included as my team mate for the case study on the Hoax night. We have been a team for the last 23 years.
And more importantly I saw the words “humility” – how did I miss seeing that?
I finally saw it – only after several years of ups and downs on the steps of life itself. We had our 15 year reunion, it was momentous to have 90 of us sitting on the Harvard Steps to fit into our picture – some years older, not sure if wiser but surely more relaxed about concepts of success and money! We were able to enjoy just being in the company of each other – friendships blooming!
As I painted the Harvard Steps today in ink and water colors, my mind exploded with memory of the journey I began 23 years ago. I had dreamt of just becoming a management graduate from IIMA but morphed into so many other roles – a mother, wife, banker, entrepreneur, coach, artist ….and the journey still continues. One step at a time.
IIMA’s Harvard steps in water colour
In 2017 in front of the Harvard Steps!
An explorer artist
I get a lot of inspirations for my art is when I travel, when I am alone I walk for hours observing everyone, being amidst nature, exploring strange places, tasting new food, meeting new friends. I am an avid photographer. I come back and recreate them on my canvases with that nostalgia and happy memories. I have traveled a lot in Asia and a little in Europe and North America – and you will see many of my paintings of footprint series is about these unchartered territories, the untold stories, a glimpse into different cultures and mysteries of the world.
Growing up I didn’t have budget to travel. But now that I have resources to travel, finding time to travel, is a challenge. When I choose a place to visit, there is no strict itinerary. I have a broad idea of what all I would like to do and see. The itinerary evolves throughout the journey and I am able to let things flow.
A wanderer’s life is often envied – how can she experience so much? Be so free? Does she not have any bonding? Family? Responsibility? I am often quizzed by friends and strangers alike. It is almost like an unacceptable practice. But I have plunged into it – taken the risk, sometimes a lot more than I can be comfortable with! I decided to move beyond my comfort zone, pushed my limits, said to myself – I am afraid but let’s go on anyways. That established a lot of trust in my inner strength and equanimity with the unknown, expands the comfort level with “the different”. Knocking on doors, to find out more, curiosity became a habit – it was my seed for growth, beginning of new paths. That was my gain. A glimpse into a whole new world. I was ready to tell the stories through my paintings.
I see immense beauty in the heritage buildings. These are a recurring theme in my paintings. I strongly believe we must preserve it for our future generation!
Transitions and inspirations for artwork
Last year we made a transition from Hong Kong to New York – I am thankful I am getting an opportunity to live and imbibe another culture.
I just completed this triptych of my walking trails in HK and NY for my living room. In the paintings I have tried to capture the McLehose trail in HK and the Bronx River Pathway in NY.
I love nature and so as a part of my creative and exercise routine – I go for hikes and treks almost everyday, be amongst nature. We are so lucky that Westchester has preserved so much of its greenery and walking trails.
Various transitions in my life have been anchored in explorations of nature around me and I am grateful for such abundant inspiration. When I stare at this painting – I always feel the vibrancy of the different places and memories intermingled in one frame.
The boundaries of our lives melt away with time leaving a hint of breathlessness, a sweet taste of adventure and a gentle smile of familiarity.
I express a lot of adventure of being an explorer through my footprints series.
I reflect my heart and inner peace in my life’s journey through my pathway series of paintings.
My love of nature and celebration of my many roles in life through my bliss series.
I find my inspiration and energy from my full life, the multiple roles as a mother, wife, daughter, daughter in law, coach, entrepreneur, artist and get energy from this reality of my life…. I feel blessed to find time and space away from all this, just to paint. I often escape to the basement of my house, a beautiful studio where I find exactly a peaceful environment to paint and express!
In this fleeting world that we live in, hope my paintings spread the message of joy of being.
The triptych on my wall
The trails in Hong Kong
Bronx River Parkway in NY
The first exhibition in Hong Kong
I have always done art classes since childhood –but it didn’t ignite my creativity nor passion for me to follow the path of an artist after school. I did Accounting and commerce at college, went on to do business management, banking job and then life just took over, never had a chance to focus on art till it emerged from utter chaos of motherhood. I was going through a lot of turmoil during 2009 – quit a banking job at the nadir of banking slowdown, moved to Hong Kong, managing young kids and coping with a constantly traveling husband…….I started painting. It became my anchor, I took to art to just express my myriad feelings and blessings. But since I was enjoying art so much, I religiously made space for it in my hectic life and I started painting with oils and the more I did there was a style that emerged out of me. I felt peace and at ease. It was my inner creativity…...I was really not forcing anything on it. The few exhibitions I have had on the way, are hugely encouraging to me as an artist, to see my paintings find new homes. Practically it clears up space for me to paint more!!
It was my dream to do an exhibition but it seemed too distant at one point in life. I had started working on oils on canvas for sometime and had my exhibition in 2011 in the “function room” of the condo I was living in Hong Kong. It was called Bamboo Grove in Wan Chai. A few close friends helped me with the planning and execution of my first exhibition. The club house was transformed beautifully into an art gallery and it also combined as a farewell to our friends in HK as we were moving back to Mumbai in the following month. It was beautiful and a happy space to “meet and greet” old and new friends and a successful FIRST exhibition (thankfully for many more to follow!).
