The email “Call for artists” for an upcoming exhibition titled “Spring Renewal” entered my mailbox when I was exhausted and  desperate for a me-time break so that I can use the restroom and have my lunch. It was almost 2pm and my super energitic toddler had no sign to go for a nap. She demanded for a story and promised me to keep her eyes closed if I tell her a ‘very beautiful’ story. My ‘head office’ was empty as my achy bones and tummy were protesting hard. I had to calm down my little girl and my not-so-cooperating body parts. My mind took control of the situation and started to handle all of them by creating a ‘beautiful’ heavenly place in my imaginative world which is triggered by the title of that exhibition “Spring Renewal”.

I began to tell my daughter the story :

Somewhere in this beautiful universe there is a happy place where all of the loving creations of mother nature belong happily and peacefully.

Daughter: Who are they mom?

I started creating the background of the story: The bright sky, fluffy baby clouds, morning cosy smiley sun, the mountain range who is waking up uncovering herself from the snowy blanket, cool breeze, joyful and unstoppable streams of waterfall, trees, bushes, flower gardens, a happy little mountain lake,

Daughter: Can I go there?

Me: Yes. keep your eyes closed and we are going there.

Daughter: Do I have friend there?

Me: We have lots of friends there. Some are already playing, some are busy, some are relaxing, some are having happy time with friends, some are waiting for us,

Daughter: Who are they mom?

Me: They are: mummy bird feeding chicks, baby lambs jumping over the flower field, moose waiting for you, horses making friendship, naughty squirrels are distributing acorns among them, frog enjoying a free ride, playful bear cubs, fawns taking a morning walk with parent, jumping-bumping fishes, bunnies playing hide and seek, ducklings enjoying the cold clear blue water (except the one who was throwing tantrums and mom has to take that baby on her back), tiny turtles on a morning stroll, cute and curious otter babies cuddling each other, busy buzzing honey bees and happy little butterflies flying everywhere to tell everyone that, it is happy spring day renew you heart and mind and fill them with eternal bliss.

I realized that she has fallen asleep. I put her on bed gently and came downstair, entered into my studio, listed down everything on my notebook. I wish I could take a photograph of that scenario. But alas! that picture exist in my imagination only.

That time I was already working on a custom painting. In order to keep that picture alive in my mental space, I decide to tell the same story to her everyday with little twist so that she doesn’t feel bore.

Giving a real shape to my imagination by connecting all the small details in one 2D space was a bit challenging for me. I decided to keep all of them in one big canvas and will give them little little own comfort zones.

The animal figures were smaller in my initial sketch. But that sketch didn’t match with my dream. After couple of more revisions, I realized that, the existence of the animals played a very prominent part in the story that appeared on my mental canvas. All the background characters (like, mountains, trees, rocks, waterfall, flowers, logs) have given their best as supporting roles. So I tried my best to balance the size ratio between each main characters while not scaling them much down in respect to the background.

I had to choose colors very cautiously maintaining a balance between warm and cool hues It has to look organic, but one should not dominate the other. Every color, every tree/bush, flowers, every members of the happy family are co-existing and contributing to the mind-soothing view in my canvas.

I really had to brainstorm to keep coordination among them, dedicated field for everyone, maintain their size ratios and balance the colors and painting the organic look of the whole entire scenario.

The entire 40×30 inch painting took total 114 working hours.

One of my artist friends who visited my place recently, her comment after seeing the painting was “when I stand in front of this painting, I can really establish a connection with the place that you have created here. This painting holds the power to talk to me and make me fall in love.”

My daughter’s comment after seeing the final painting : ” Mom this is the happy place from your story. How can we go there?”

I am very honored to say that my painting has been selected by the juror Matthew Seigal for the exhibition titled “Spring Renewal”. Lex Art art gallery at Lexington, MA is organizing the exhibition which will run from 31st March – 27th May, 2023 at Brook Haven, Lexington, MA. My humble thanks to Lex Art for charing this exhibition and accepting my work.

Acrylic on 40X30 inch gallery wrap canvas.

Photography of the final work has been done by Mr. Ashish Kirtania, a photographer by passion. Please visit his gallery (https://www.instagram.com/kirtaniaphotography/) to see his mind-blowing photography.

Though I get weary easily and keep rotating paintings on my walls, similar theme, similar paint medium paintings make me incredibly dull, this one has elements to keep one engaged for days and days.

Thanks for your time and for reading the story behind my painting titled “Spring Renewal”. Wish you a very pleasant and joyful spring.