Srinagar: Much like its layered politics, talent often lies waiting to be discovered in Kashmir. Four years ago, this is precisely what many people found about themselves when the world entered the Covid-induced lockdown offering an opportunity to explore hidden skills.
An engineer with Jammu and Kashmir’s Power Development Department, Shazia Basharat was passionate about academics and sports. The last time she had picked up a brush was back in her school days during art competitions without much success.
But her return to art brought a renewed sense of purpose. During the pandemic induced indoors with her children, Shazia rediscovered herself as an artist through the strokes of her brush. This creative ritual has become part of her daily routine now.
"Even if I am tired after a full day of work, I try my best to paint daily. It helps me calm down," she said. "My inspiration lies in my kids and the beauty of Kashmir never ceases to amaze me," she added.
Shazia now exhibits her work alongside other budding artists in the lobby of a prominent mall in Srinagar. She and her counterparts form 'Second Lives Art Guild', a group of seven artists from multiple professional backgrounds. Their gallery of 50 paintings on display includes portraits, landscapes, cityscape and calligraphy works by these amateur artists.
From engineers to doctors and bankers, these artists are keen to build a larger community of like-minded creatives. They plan to host art camps for children, particularly those with potential but limited opportunities to follow their talent.
Set up after the pandemic, the Guild held its third two-day exhibition. The artists share a common passion for painting and sketching, balancing careers and personal lives and creativity under the motto -‘Keep your passion alive.”