Sumedha Shah’s ongoing show presents her childhood memories. She tells Karan Bhardwaj about time spent in Nainital
As you walk into the Café Turtle, GK, paintings inspired by hills and greenery greet you. The café is holding an exhibition which shows 40 artworks of Sumedha Shah. The paintings are on display with a noble cause. Ten per cent of the sales of these exhibits would go to the victims of recent Uttarakhand disaster.
Since the artist was born and brought up in Nanital, she understands the fury of nature. “I am shocked. This is our small way to help those victims,” said the 26-year-old artist. She is studying Masters in Sustainable Architecture from Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology. Sumedha added, “Almost all of my art is a fast work done on a small notebook that I carry with me everyday, mostly done in watercolour and ink. My works are inspired by my daily experiences and thoughts. Having no formal training in art, I am inspired by many artists. I don’t have a particular style because I am learning everyday. As a child, I would sit for hours and observe things around me — a butterfly, bird or bee. This early exposure to natural surroundings made a huge impact on me.”
The artist draws everyday. “I sketch religiously as a hobby and maintain a blog. This showcase of my works includes portraits, cartoon characters, architectural drawings, still life and others. Each illustration comes with stories about why I choose to draw them. Doodling is a passion and a desired break from reality, and I believe it to be a great way to self-discovery. Sometimes unknowingly scribbling on a paper reveals a hidden truth. It is the creative expression of the unconscious mind, and by doing so, one nurtures the creative genius within. As the American author Ursula K le Guin puts it, ‘the creative adult is the child who survived.’”
The exhibition ends today.