BENGALURU: Milind Nayak first took to painting at the age of 14. His first painting act was triggered by GS Shenoy’s exhibition in 1968.
Years later, Milind, today is recognised as one of the veteran artists in the country.
In his current collection ‘Eternal Spring’, Milind captures the season in spirit.
“For anyone else, spring is a season. For an artist, however, the season plays and replays itself in the mind. I can see the season playing in my mind’s eye while I paint the scene over and over again. This was the inspiration behind the title,” he says.
In this collection, Milind totally disregards whatever he has been doing and attempts to cross over paths he had not traversed before. He uses wood as a substrate, and paints with oils and acrylics. Along the way, he changes mediums and techniques.
“Besides the love of Nature, my frequent trekking trips in the Western Ghats turned my interests to painting rich, Nature-filled landscapes,” says the 63-year-old.
Spring is Milind’s favourite season. Most of his paintings are inspired by the memories of him standing under the trees and soaking up the beauty and colour associated with the season.
He confesses to learning that stylistic consistency is a myth, after he finished painting his current series.
“Playing within the same visual space for forty years is not ‘stylistic consistency’, it’s boredom and stagnation. This was one of the biggest learnings,” he says.
Milind feels that if an artist isn’t emotionally connected with a painting, the whole exercise would be worthless.
“I personally believe that when an artist strikes a chord of empathy with the viewer, a connection is established; this eventually leads to other aspects like selling a painting and making a living through art,” he adds.
Originally from Udupi, Milind has been painting since 1973 and residing in Bengaluru from 1987.
So, how does he handle mistakes while painting? “It is difficult,” he says and adds that it can sometimes cause humiliation.
“But it also helps you realise that you’re not God. It’s impossible to achieve 100% perfection anywhere. In these situations, I admit defeat and attempt to finish it another day,” he says.
“One of the most joyful experiences is turning a defeated work into a success,” Milind adds.
He holds a Bachelors degree in botany and zoology, which might explain his fascination with foliage.
He says that an artist’s life is not easy and there needs to be a fine balance.
In 1983, he stopped painting and embraced photography. This was a time when he wanted to pursue paths that would enable him to learn and grow, while also continuing to make a living.
“My wife, Suma and my children Shibani and Phalguni were my pillars of support during this period. I re-learnt the joy of paintings from my kids. I made sure to spend quality time with my family,” he says.
In 1999, Milind returned to painting by “strange quirks” in circumstances. “I restarted my life as a painter at the age of 45 and have been painting for the past seventeen years,” he adds.
Check out the exhibition “Eternal Spring” at Sublime Galleria, UB City until April 1 (Monday - Saturday, 11 am - 8 pm).