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ARTIST Asha Srinivas hopes to capture the hearts of Bahrainis with the golden touch of ancient India.
She first stumbled upon the Tanjore art form in Banglore 15 years ago and was determined to master the craft. It is a traditional form of painting that originated in the South Indian native town of Thanjavur during the reign of the Marathas in the 16th Century.
For the past four years Asha, 46, of Juffair, has been working on her painting project hoping someday to hold an exhibition.
"My sole intention was to allow the local community the opportunity to explore Indian traditions," she explained. "This exhibition is a form of bringing an awareness of the hidden artistic wonders of India that few people in Bahrain will have been exposed to."
Now, 40 paintings on, she is all set to exhibit her work at the Al Bareh Art Gallery in Adliya on December 7 from 10.30am to 10pm.
Asha will be the first Indian to hold an exhibition at the gallery after impressing the directors with the quality of her work.
She undertook classes in Tanjore paintings in Banglore to master the intricacies of the art form. "One needs to be very careful and patient while making these paintings," she said.
It is also expensive because the raw materials used include gold foils as well as semi-precious stones.
Her husband, K Srinivas, general manager at the BFCC Foundation Construction Company, had been the backbone in creating the pieces of art by funding her generously whenever she needed to buy the gems or the 24-carat gold foil. Her son, Anirudh, 15, a student of the Indian School Bahrain has been a valued supporter and critic.
Asha has also completed two paintings on Egyptian figures - a different subject than the typical deities - to appeal to the Arab community.
