A Peep into Amrit's latest works

Mr. Vijay Mallaya

Thank You All

My heart swells with pride and gratitude and this blog gives me the perfect opportunity to thank everyone who has supported me in my endeavor. Amrit had a very successful exhibit at the India Habitat Centre, all thanks to Merry Barua and her entire team for promoting the cause of autism with such passion and dedication. Heartfelt thanks to all who showed appreciation for Amrit's work and those who went a step ahead to buy her work. All my friends, known and unknown who took the time to visit the venue and shared their thoughts with me. I would like to seize this opportunity to thank two very special people, Anil Goswami, Amrit's tutor and mentor at Pathways School, Noida and Pabitro Pal, who has selflessly guided her at every step. These two gentlemen have hand in hand worked tirelessly with Amrit, guiding her and shaping her creativity which has resulted in loads and heaps:) of appreciation for her work. Thank you all for being so wonderful.

Shri Jatin Das lighting the inaugral lamp at the Open Palm Court Gallery

Amrit with Ms. Merry Barua and Shri Jatin Das

Amrit with her guide and mentor, Mr. Anil Goswami

 

Invite to the Views from Planet Autism

“Art can permeate the very deepest part of us, where no words exist.” ― Eileen Miller, The Girl Who Spoke with Pictures: Autism Through Art

It's been long since I have been able to update this blog. A lot has happened in our lives since the last update. Amrit continues to surprise us with her maturity. She now depicts perfect symptoms of a moody young adult. She loves her own private space. She has become quite tech savvy and on her insistence we got her a tab which has become her constant companion and these days she loves to hear all Mr. Bachhan's songs though Farhan Akhtar's Zindagi na Milegi Dobara remains her all time favourite. I can't recall the number of times we have seen the movie together and each time both Amrit and the movies teaches us something more about life. Yes, we won't get this life again and hence we should be able to live each moment of our life. I am posting some of her latest work. Hope it brings in as many colours in the lives of people who like her work.

Every new day is another chance to change your life

Its been amazing to watch Amrit's transition from a young restless girl to a much mature young lady. She is far more adaptive and open to change now. She has religiously followed her gym routine and has also learned to swim a little. She has wonderfully managed to travel all the way to the Academy of Fine arts and Literature through the summer break to train at the gallery of renowned artist Arpana Caur. She now makes really good tea and is lending a helping hand in so many chores in the house. We cannot but feel proud at her achievements. Here's a look at her latest paintings.

When the days wear long and it seems I can barely hold on, I close my eyes and think of you. And just as the warmth of the sun touches my skin, I recall how you have touched my heart- Amanda Prescott

We have always seen our life with Amrit as a journey and our journey has taken us on many different roads. There have been  turns here and there that have filled our life with all different kinds of challenges, obstacles and changes. But we've always made it through those times because God has always placed someone in our path to bring us some encouragement, strength, kindness, knowledge and hope.

Creating this blog has given me the perfect opportunity to do something that I have always wanted to do.  I would like to thank some wonderful earth angels who have been instrumental in helping Amrit reach where she is today.  These are the people who have somehow touched our life, wonderful people who stepped into our path of life for just a short time. Nevertheless, they have left their footprints on our heart and have  left me with some sort of inspiration.

At one time or another, the people I'm about to mention, have somehow shared their lives with us. A lot of things they've said to me and things they've done for Amrit will always be held close within my heart.  I have many beautiful memories and cherish each and every one of them.  

The first and foremost in the list I wish to thank is Mrs. Meenakshi Dixit, Chairperson, Doon Blossoms School, Dehradun. She is the amazing lady who gave Amrit the first feel of a school. There were days when Amrit would not confine to the so called school rules, but she was never singled out. She would rummage through Mam’s kitchen, mixing up the spices and other rations but was never pointed at. I still remember how she would slip into her house and refuse to move back to the classroom. From play group to grade five, she held on to my daughter’s hand and I will ever be grateful for those formative years.

Amrit was also lucky to have wonderful teachers like Rashmi Verma, Amita Rawat, Poorva and Vibha who held her hand through those difficult years when she was lost in her own world, trying to come to terms with the different world around her. These wonderful ladies taught her phonetics and I still remember the first time Amrit read a newspaper headline, all thanks to Rashmi who taught her letter recognition and Amita mam who grilled her with phonetics, today my daughter loves to read the newspaper.

In grade five, we moved Amrit to yet another wonderful, secure setup of Selaqui World School where she realized her passion in life, her love for Art under the guidance of Mr. Sujit Das. Sujit Sir recognized and nurtured her talent and gave her the confidence to bloom and flourish, to give words to her feelings through the brush. He gave her the exposure to widen her horizons and helped us to understand the direction her life was to take. Much to his credit, Amrit filled the canvas of her life with vibrant colours and hope and love that she will cherish forever.


It was time to move again. After five years at Selaqui, we moved Amrit in the lap of serenity, calm and beautiful location of Kasiga School. Once again she was fortunate to have a mentor in the form of Mr. Bapun Dutta who nurtured her talent further. She would sit at her table by the window, looking out to the beautiful landscape that surrounded the place and paint it on her canvas.

Two years later I once again moved and this time the shift has had a major implication on our lives. I joined Pathways School, Noida and it is here that Amrit has found her calling. It’s here that my girl is exactly who she is, welcomed into a community who viscerally understands what it means to be different – by any degree, by people who respect her enough to meet her exactly where she is and tell her – and show her – that it’s perfect. Thank You Pathways for reaching out to Amrit and for all that you do each and every day. So many wonderful people have filled her Life's canvas and have extended support and showered her with such positivity and love for which I will be eternally grateful. Here she has matured as an artist and painter under the guidance of Mr. Anil Goswami, who has given a direction to her work and a true meaning to her life.

Autism is not something I have. It is integral to who I am.

Autism is not a puzzle, nor a disease. Autism is a challenge .Autism is about having a pure heart and being very sensitive… It is about finding a way to survive in an overwhelming, confusing world… It is about developing differently, in a different pace and with different leaps.

I know many people will disagree with this, but both me and my husband feel that Amrit was given to us for a reason. She is our daughter by design, and we were meant to be together. If one believes in reincarnation, perhaps we are furthering our spiritual development by continuing to work on whatever "stuff" we had in a past life together---it's an interesting idea, isn't it? At any rate, here we are together in this life, and we believe there is a definite purpose involved. I'm not sure what the lesson is for Amrit, but for us it is love, love, LOVE. Learning to love without limits, loving when we are tired, cranky, sad, at the end of our rope, when one feels that there is nothing left to love with---we must still go on loving. And this lesson we learnt by a chance encounter with Dr. Jyoti Sharma, a gyneacologist in Dehradun. She told us that we were the chosen one, one whom God has faith in that they will care for and look after this special child of his, this pure, simply wonderful creation. It touched our souls and that day we became different with our daughter's difference.

Just because I don't speak doesn't mean I have nothing to say



AN INVITE TO MY FIRST EXHIBITION

MY Proud Moments at the School Art Fair

It has been said that art is a tryst, for in the joy of it maker and beholder meet.  ~Kojiro Tomita

Life beats down and crushes the soul and art reminds you that you have one.  ~Stella Adler 

I don't paint things.  I only paint the difference between things.  ~Henri Matisse

To send light into the darkness of men's hearts - such is the duty of the artist. ~Schumann

An artist cannot fail; it is a success to be one. ~Charles Horton Cooley

Louise Nevelson
Art is everywhere, except it has to pass through a creative mind.

“A piece of art is never a finished work. It answers a question which has been asked, and asks a new question.” ~Robert Engman