Peace through passion

Her mind was always in books  but her heart in colours and pictures. CTM Suguna is a bureaucrat, a painter and a photographer, all rolled into one and she has been successfully balancing the three. She recently showcased her paintings and photographs in an exhibition titled ‘Shadows of Silence’ at Jaydev Bhawan.

The show included 30 photographs and 25 paintings mostly inspired by nature.

While, a majority of her paintings were beautiful sketches in rich tones and varied subjects, photographs revolved around landscapes.

A beautiful red poinsettia flower, an eagle in flight, a Sadhu from Joranda, a kid playing with puppies, a little child with tears rolling down his cheeks and lovely dandelions - these were some of the paintings done in vibrant blues, yellows, greens and reds. In most of her works, the painter drew inspiration from flora and fauna. One interesting work was a medium-sized sketch of Sai Baba done on a dry maple leaf. Even as none of the paintings had any particular idea or motif, they exuded warmth. There was also a series of abstracts done in excellent colours.

Her photography collection, both in colour and black and white, were a delight for nature lovers. Be it, vast golden beaches, serene lakes or snow-capped mountains, she captured them all. These were mostly pictures that she clicked during vacations to various places throughout the country.

A self-taught painter, Suguna has always been experimenting with mediums. She works on water colours, ink and acrylic. 

In spite of being an administrator, she finds satisfaction  handling the easel, brush and paint with equal ease. And despite having no formal training in art, she has produced a number of works in different art forms and styles. Her work vividly reflected  her clarity on issues like environment. “I also draw inspiration from my administrative experience and my observation of people in every nook and corner of the country,” she said, adding that she could not do away with her passion for painting amid work pressure as it is art that helps her maintain peace with herself.

The four-day exhibition was organised by Odisha Modern Art Gallery and it was coordinated by founder of the gallery, Tarakanta Parida.

Suguna, a 1989 batch officer, is presently the Labour Commissioner, Government of Odisha.

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