“Who is an artist ? Are you one ?” The question I had asked my father when I was a toddler. Well perhaps the question has shaped my life.
To begin with I was a child who saw his father devoted to paintings nights and days. My mother recalls I used to crawl as an infant and stop near his chair. If fortunately I found some pieces of colours on floor I would gave the brightest smile and start painting with it whatever I could. Colours have shaped my life from then. My father noticing the eagerness of his mine for paintings took me to the district level art competition when I was two years old. I was meant to see how my father’s students were painting. But I was always very adamant of what I wanted. I started crying to let me paint. They finally had to. When the results came out, I was holding the top prize as district champion. They gave me a red Tiffin box that day. I heard the word “ ARTIST “ for the first time. I asked my father holding the red Tiffin box as if it was the heaven’s gift, “ Baba, Who is an artist ? Are You one ? I want be like you when I grow up “. May be that evening shaped my life. Till today wherever I go, I carry that Tiffin box with me. But till today after painting regularly for eighteen years of my life, I still don’t know the answer of the question I asked my father that day…
I am a dreamer. My colours are my life. I make love with my paintings each day. Or I get console in their lap each night. I write poems. I do photography sometimes. But wherever I go I carry a sketchbook to ink down whatever I love. For me art has always been a journey of knowing myself. After travelling for eighteen years I still find I have traveled a little. The road is still far far faaaaar ahead. I still dream. I dream each night.
I work on almost each media. From crayons to pencil sketches. From watercraft to acrylics and oils to mixed media. I also do carvings on soap and wax. I also paint with inks. Although acrylics has always been my love. My subjects include from mythology to love to abstracts to neo surrealism. Whatever my heart wants I paint. I am not bounded in shackles of technicilatity and give the desire of heart more preference. Recently I am doing a lot of works in digital media too.
I have exhibited my paintings in twelve annual group exhibitions organized by Ramakrishna Mission, Tripura from 2002 to 2014. Apart from this I have achieved numerous national and international honors some of which are mentioned. I had my first solo exhibition at state art gallery in 2012. My second exhibition is coming in July. I have also worked for free lance illustrations for books and magazines. As a member of National geographic society, I have also sent freelance illustrations to them. My paintings are highly praised in international galleries and are under consideration for public display. I have been featured in International magazines. I also work as an illustrationist and designer for Karma Art Factory. And I have been awarded the National Child Award for Exceptional Achievement 2007 by Govt of India ( which is one of India’s top 7 civilian awards )
It has been a journey of hope, love, science, discovery, love, anger and emotions. It has been a journey of dreams. Dreams that shape the path ahead. But the question still lurks in my mind:
