Dr Pushpa Dravid is one of the very few people who has dared to take up fine arts as a career in a stereotypical society that runs towards medicine and engineering. Her inclination towards fine arts can be traced back to when she was in standard seven or eight. Dr Dravid ,then, took up a seven-year diploma course, highest in the country at that time, and simultaneously finished her post graduation in fine arts. Later, she even pursued her Phd in the subject.

Dr Pushpa has taught in Indore and Bangalore universities and all along has exhibited her paintings at various places in USA and UK. Exhibition of her paintings will be held in Welcome Art Gallery, The Windsor between October 27 to November 4. The exhibition will showcase her latest paintings, “Prakruti - Aakruti”, Prakruti means nature and aakruti is form and these are the central themes in her collection. “I have concentrated on nature and human figures,” says Dr Pushpa. She further adds that she has tried to capture the innocence that can be seen in rural areas.

Dr Dravid has also painted murals for the cricket club in Karnataka. Her aim was to “show how various famous cricket players looked like in the peak of their career”. And she smiles at the reward, “When I was getting the painting fixed, children would come and recognise the players.” That made her feel that “her job was done”, and with this her dream to do some thing for this sport came true.

Although the lady does not need any validation, but her work has been appreciated by one and all. “The creations of Pushpa Dravid looks like epics in colour being dramatised on stage. Each frame appears embedded in its own colours, leaving its everlasting impact. Her creations rise offstage, find enactment on canvas and exist offstage once again” comments Prof Ramrajesh Mishra, Vice-Chancellor, Vikram University, Ujjain.

Pushpa uses her brush like a magic wand with a clear continuity of strokes across her entire series. It is easy to see her work and immediately recognise her signature strokes.

The straight long strokes for nature, the minute and intricate dabs that provide depth and texture and finally the long necks of nearly all the female protagonists are there to be seen across her work. The village and rural theme remains central to her work and makes a statement for simpler and calmer times while still narrating emotions that are immensely relevant.