SEEMA....with no boundaries.

Seema unlike her name is limitless; her talents know no boundaries and her gurgles of laughter cannot be contained.  Some, seven years back at a lounge in Pune, the only thing that could be heard above  loud “house” music was Seema’s gurgling laugh. I couldn’t help exclaim “That is loud! Who is that?!” and I was introduced to Seema who was still laughing with her friends over some drinks. That was not the last time we met. Over the days and months that went by in Pune we met regularly for short trips, outings and parties and gradually Seema, the person was revealed.  Seema turned out to be a gift hidden under layers and layers of beautiful wrapping papers. What a storehouse of talent?!

Just like our chance meeting , I was shocked when I entered her house and found myself surrounded by a platoon of murals and Ganeshas and his tiny mice. “Whoa!” I declared…still a little confused as to what these things were doing in her house. Then in one quiet corner was Pankaj religiously at work trying to get the shape of the mouse right. I quickly jumped over and congratulated him on his special talent and looked at Seema respectfully thinking what a lady to have let this dear man work in her apartment. He sheepishy smiled and credited Seema for honing his talents. I gasped unbelievingly! Seema?! My friend Seema, good ol’ Seema? Then out came the truth from behind the gurgles of laughter. She modestly whispered that she was a muralist, a painter and a sculptor and runs her business from home. That was some news! After that I started launching questions at her…how? When? Where?.... What else?. That is when I learnt that she was self taught. She never took any formal training. It is only after she was married and like most Indian brides, a homemaker that she decided to utilize her time effectively. She started observing artists in Nagpur and there on, she cultivated an interest in art. She requested permission from painters and muralists to sit beside them and just observe. Later she would go home and paint and express herself and bring it back to those artists for approval. That is how she honed her skills. Wait a minute! Did she just mention “married”? And I thought I was a good friend! I searched the house for pictures and expected those usual signs of a family to suddenly appear on walls or tables or shelves…some pictures perhaps, but they didn’t. Seema guessed what I was thinking and she said that she is a single mother and she is estranged from her husband for over 20 years. This was a lot of information and I was lost. I couldn’t believe what she was saying …she still looked so fit and young and beautiful. She then said she had a daughter a few years younger to me and that she had been raising her daughter on her own and trying to eke out a living with Pankaj’s help through these years. She walked out on her marriage for very painful reasons and has never looked back and has never taken her husband’s help. With a gulp, I digested this information and my respect for Seema grew tenfold. Never could I imagine that a spirit like hers existed beyond all that loud gurgles of laughter and smiling eyes.

Some two or three years back when I spoke to Seema she was on a crossroad. She wanted to quit art because she couldn’t keep up with the rising expenses and take up some desk job. With the art market down due to depression and high inflation rates, her business had taken a serious hit. It tore her to pieces to leave something she loved the most. In her darkest hours she had her talents to see her through…like a family like someone she was connected to from an unknown past…it had been with her. But now she was driven to the point where she was left with no options. At 50 she didn’t have anyone to look after her. 

But I would like to tell everyone who is reading this post that Seema and her art and her expressions are still with her as she is with them. She surpassed the time once again. Her devotional love for her expressions and her resilience is almost spiritual as is evident in her works. What is spirituality if not devotion, harmony and love and that undying single minded connection that one has with nature or with oneself?!

 So, we decided to do our bit for Seema, a great friend and an exceedingly talented individual. Here, we are with her products on display and for sale.

http://kriyakalash.blogspot.in/2012/01/3d-buddha.html
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http://kriyakalash.blogspot.in/2012/01/meditate.html
http://kriyakalash.blogspot.in/2012/01/ganesha-clocks.html
http://kriyakalash.blogspot.in/2012/01/ganesha.html