Painting a grainy picture

BENGALURU: Over the last 15 days, Nisha Jain Doshi has spent many afternoons – when she might have otherwise taken a siesta – and several late nights creating art. Struck by the current outbreak and its consequences, Doshi has done some intricate sand art, which depicts the scenario. While the first slide depicts a happy family, the second portrays foreign travel, depicted through iconic monuments like the Eiffel Tower in Paris and the London Eye.

Hospital beds and worried faces mark the next work and so on. “I first came up with a story line – of a family affected by the virus COVID-19, which toppled their lives just like the lives of millions of people across the globe – and then started working on the drawings,” says Doshi, emphasising that every detail in the 11 slides has been done by hand.

The self-taught artist runs Creatistique – Connected by Colours, which among other activities, conducts paint parties and workshops across age groups. She realised her potential when she participated in a competition among members of her community where she went on to win the all-India level competition. “Every time there’s been a situation, I’ve expressed my thoughts and emotions through art, particularly sand art. For instance, when the Nirbhaya case happened, I took to this medium to depict the situation. I’ve also done this for issues like alcohol, drugs or saving water,” she says, adding that in this case, the idea was also to pay tribute to those doctors, security personnel and other essential service providers who are fighting at the frontline.

Every day, Doshi took out two-and-a-half hours away from family and her young children to work on this DIY project. Creating minute details on a 2-feet by 3-feet light table (translucent glass) has been quite a task for the artist who admits that aching eyes, hands, legs and back are a part of the process. “You need slender fingers for the fine drawings, including that of drawing the hospital scenario. So much has to be packed into a small space, and it can be quite a challenge. More so since my work was being recorded live by my family. This requires 200 per cent concentration,” she says, adding, “You cannot allow any sand to splutter. Even a grain here and there is caught in a live recording.”