Straight from a fairyland

It’s never too late to follow your passion and that’s what Delhi-based Nalini Misra Tyabji’s journey proves. It was at the age of 62 that she began to paint again after 34 years and now she has her fifth solo art exhibition on display in the Capital. In the past six years, she has completely immersed herself into what she loves doing, i.e. painting.

Before this she collaborated in a two-woman show in 1979 at the Shridharani Gallery. But since 2014, she has had a solo show every year —’Nascent’ in 2014, ‘Whimsy Nama’ in 2015, ‘Wonder Nama ‘in 2016, ‘Tell Tales’ in 2017 and the latest being ‘Mojo Nama’. “I was 15 when I started copying the Kangra miniatures and my love for the Krishna form has endured till date, I am also heavily influenced by Chinese masters whom no one can match in the execution of watercolour,” she says. From folk to figurative, from landscape to abstract, from flora to fauna, she has explored it all and her choice of medium has been as eclectic — watercolour, pen and washes, ink, acrylics and mixed media. She is acquainted with it all. “My work is always on the positive side. There is a lot of negativity in this world and I try to focus on the lighter and beautiful side of life. My art is about love, caring, joy and happiness. My art portrays that life is very beautiful. I try not to focus on the dark side of life and hence my art is inclined towards spirituality. Fear, anger and hatred are the most negative feelings and I try not to get involved in them at all. ‘Mojo Nama’, which means magic, is the title of my show,” says Tyabji. This solo exhibition of 64 works, in mixed media on paper and acrylics on canvas, is one which can make someone revisit their childhood and enjoy the whimsical art.

Her canvases are like scenes from fairy tales — providing one escape into a world devoid of spite. The art she does also portrays her inner self which wants to express love and joy. Being a self taught artist she says she feels free and paints till she is content. “Now I have completely dedicated myself to art and there is no looking back. I feel that when I am painting I go into a deep state of calmness and joy,” she says.

“There was no time for art as I had my children to look after. But painting is like meditation for me. I can stand for seven to eight hours at a stretch and just paint,” she explains.

On a light note, she shares that her husband apart from appreciating her work at times, was also her biggest critic. “I do take his advice and make changes in my work as he has a knack for pointing out flaws and has an eye for art. I do listen to him and follow up on his feedback,” she admits.

The exhibition is on at Convention Foyer, India Habitat Centre, till February 14, from 10 am to 8 pm daily.