The exhibition of paintings being held at the Museum Auditorium has the unique distinction of being a family affair. The artists include Satheesh Gopalakrishnan, a software engineer, his wife Deepa Satheesh, and daughter Shikha. The sheer joy of watching a whole family pursuing the same interest with equal dedication and passion is reason enough to make the show special. Another budding painter, 13-year-old Bharath Menon who is the son of Satheesh’s colleague, has also showcased his works along with 7-year-old Shikha.
Satheesh, who had a passion for painting right from his childhood, took it seriously when he found a teacher in Chandran Manacaud. “In most of my major works, like ‘Entrapped in her Quest for Life,’ The Pangs of Parenthood’ and ‘The Curse of Addiction’, I have addressed issues that I see in society and the thoughts that disturb me.,” says Satheesh. He adds that being an IT professional for 8 years, grind of routine work and unlimited deadlines is draining and the canvas is where he reinvent himself.
When he married Deepa, the couple found they shared the love for painting. Deepa picked up her themes from the life around and the family outings. The intricate patterns brushed on canvas stands a testimony to her observations and its imprints which are always in the process of evolving.
Sketching has not been new to Shikha Satheesh, who has been drawing ever since she could pick up a brush. Watching her dad paint was her greatest inspiration. A student of Alan Feldman Public School, she creates on canvas the various images that she gets to see in her daily life. Ask her what are her favourites and she would reel off a list. ‘The Flute Seller’, ‘The Crying Girl’ and ‘Let’s be Friends’ are some of them. And they certainly stand testimony for her talent. ‘The Violin’, a very defined piece, came into being after she saw the violin which her Dad had practiced on. Together, her paintings unravel a beautiful story from the life of a little girl.
Colours have always fascinated Bharath, a multi-talented eighth grader of Alan Feldman Public School. “I do painting as a response to the various emotions I feel towards the happenings around me. Some themes that I have worked on are alcoholism, fast-paced life, etc,” says Bharath. He has also the indulged the child in him by painting a beautiful landscape, dinosaurs etc.
The exhibition has also showcased a few paintings by Chandran Manacaud. The show ill conclude on October 24.
