KOCHI: To paint something is a way to capture that moment forever. A fine work of art can have the power to silence the chatter in the mind and lift us to another place. This is the feeling that one gets after seeing the paintings of Rejeena Niaz. “She never had any training. It is sheer talent and dedication,” says Niaz Ommer, Rejeena’s husband. The Riyadh-based family are in Kochi for a short visit.
In the past five years, Rejeena has completed over a hundred paintings. “I mostly use oil, sometimes acrylic, and pencil work for portraits. Each work takes about 20-30 hours of work,” says Rejeena. Her work has been appreciated by many, and her exquisite portrait of former President APJ Abdul Kalam was presented to him in Bahrain during his visit in early 21015. She has also done portraits of the Indian Ambassadors in Riyadh, the Saudi King and the Bahrain King. “ Her paintings take time as they are quite large in size, but she has also done a live painting, in 12 minutes, on stage of [the late Mollywood actor] Kalabhavan Mani at Riyadh,” Rejeena has also held three exhibitions in Riyadh and hopes to have exhibitions in Kerala next year.