KOCHI: Shehana Fathima loves colours. The myriad of hues on a cloudy sky, different shades of the night, picturesque outdoors - she studies everything closely through her paintings. “There is a multitude of colours in the sky every day. They are never the same the next day. Each sky is different, so are the clouds. I love studying the sky each evening and recreating them,” the 22-year-old says.
Shehana started painting while she was an engineering student. Much like most students in Kerala, she wasn’t really aware of the scope of academics beyond professional courses. But a few months into the course, she knew engineering wasn’t her cup of tea. “I decided to take my art a little seriously. I always loved painting but I didn’t know much about fine arts courses or colleges or anything. Though I continued my studies, I began painting with new vigour, “ she says.
The self-taught artist created her own style with practice. She started with portraits and watercolour studies of sunsets. With each painting, with each new mistake she made, she learned more about mixing colours, adding water, and other applied knick-knacks. She is now experimenting with gauche, her favourite medium.
“I got my first commissioned work soon after I started. Since then I have learned a lot by practising” she says.A glimpse at her Instagram page will take you to Shehana’s vivid imagination. “There is nothing to be sad about when you are painting a beautiful landscape, “ she quips.It was during the pandemic outbreak that Shehana’s art went viral.
“During the first lockdown, on a Spanish street, two musicians played their instruments from their balconies to cheer up people who were locked in their homes. The sketch I drew as a tribute to them caught the eyes of many people online,” she says.
In a short period of time, Shehana’s artistry underwent plenty of growth. The artist now juggles commissioned works alongside her gallery in Aluva. “I wanted to start my own gallery. This January I started a small store, Blooms, that sells my paintings, decorative items, and plants,” says Shehana. She wants to start an online art supply store soon too.
Instagram: @shehana_fathima