Painting is her outlet of creativity, her way to express her feelings, and her perceptions. Things that touch her heart come to life in colors. In the words of Bijal Ghelani, “Painting for me is like meditation; calming and finding inner peace. I enjoy the process of fulfilling my thoughts and perception of a particular subject through the medium of paints on an empty canvas.” Our guest contributor Noopur Shrivastav writes.
The art exhibition titled ‘Creativity and the art of seeing’ at Galerie Kunst Zürich Süd showcased the works of 10 fabulous women artists. Each artist has a distinct way of looking at the things in nature and they interpret the happenings in our society in their unique style.
One of the artists who exhibited her work is an Indian Origin artist, Bijal Ghelani. Her work was on display in Adliswil from 4th to 27th March 2021. Bijal is an architect, however, painting has always been her passion, a way to express her creativity. Born and raised in India, Bijal lived in The Netherlands and The United Kingdom, before moving to Switzerland. In her journey to several places, her colors and brushes have been her companions. And she has been portraying her experiences through her work on canvas.
She enjoys sharing her journey and telling her travel stories on canvas. She shares her thoughts on her painting of Lake Windermere on an English summer day.
She says, “During my brief but exciting stay in the UK for 3 years, I had opportunities to visit some beautiful parts of the country and feed my senses with some breath-taking landscapes and waterscapes. I visited the Lake District region and the Scottish Highlands over the seasons of spring and summer, which brought with them a touch of color and warmth.
I could not get enough of the beautiful sites that I visited – be it the lovely shades of the mountains of the Highlands or the abundance of blue water lakes of Lake District. One is spoilt for choices! Being an artist, it was an opportunity of a lifetime for me to soak in the scape that sowed the seeds of various inspirations that I was eventually able to translate on canvas.”
“Through my creativity, I am able to translate my outlook and mood into a particular subject through colors”, says Bijal.
She tells us about the inspiration behind her painting of the magnificent Urquhart Castle while on a cruise on Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands.“Although it was a cold afternoon with the breeze messing up my hair, the breathtaking view of the castle made me forget everything about it. I admired the ruins for a long time and made a decision to capture the way it was standing out among the lush green mountains and the reflection it created in the water, while the sun and clouds played hide and seek. No wonder it is one of the most visited sites in Scotland!”
Bijal finds no dearth of inspiration for her work. To her, inspiration is available everywhere. However, her biggest inspiration is nature and its vast color spectrum.
She deeply admires the works of artists Claude Monet and J W Turner. She feels Claude Monet is “a brilliant impressionist. I love the depth he created in his paintings by simple brushwork”. She especially likes his paintings titled “The Water Lilies.” She loves the element of mystery in the paintings of J W Turner. It has a story to tell, and how it comes across with colorization is worth learning.
Moving further, Bijal wants to expand her portfolio, she wishes to continue reading and updating herself with new techniques and ways to improve her work. She is also exploring the art world in Switzerland. She wants to understand the system better here, which will help her in understanding and exhibiting her work in the future.
She is really thankful to her peers, who have encouraged and appreciated her efforts and work. Their feedback has helped Bijal grow as an artist and improvise her work and techniques.
Bijal has exhibited her art before in Art exhibitions in Switzerland and The Netherlands and this gives her immense joy. These exhibitions have become a learning experience for artists. She fondly recounts her latest experience, at the ‘Creativity and the art of seeing’ exhibition, “It has made me push my boundaries, gave me an opportunity to display my work and I got to meet such talented female artists. This exhibition has taught me to showcase my work with confidence. And to grab an opportunity when it comes knocking on your door.”
She fondly shares that her family, especially her husband, has been her biggest support. “They are my most important critics and my biggest fans too.” When asked about her mantra for life, she says, “Keep painting and stay creative.”
You can see more of Bijal Ghelani’s work on Instagram and on her website:- www.bijalghelani.com.
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Wa wa interesting
Thanks Ajoy