ART NEWS
Coimbatore-based artist Simran Wahan has launched a 2021 calendar with her paintings
“Frida Kahlo and Vincent van Gogh are my favourite artists. They did not follow any rules in their art and created a unique style for themselves. Their works are also bold and colourful. I relate to that style,” says city-based artist Simran Wahan. The 37-year-old recently launched Soulful Journey, a calendar for the year 2021 with 12 of her paintings. “This is part of the 10th anniversary celebration of The Amaya Store, my hand-crafts store in the city. With people working from home, I hope these calendars can add a pop of colour to their desk, creating a warm and lively feel,” she says. Simran has conducted more than 400 art workshops across the country. She diversified into art therapy while doing her Masters in Psychology five years ago. “A lot of us are stressed with our work and life now. We need a release and art is the perfect medium to do so. It helps reduce stress and anxiety.”
Simran got the idea for the calendar in April when a friend suggested it to her. “I started working on my paintings from then. I painted every day from 5 pm to 2 am,” she says. Her inspiration came from people around her. “Once I get to know a person, I portray my understanding of them onto my canvas. These include my friends, family and people I meet during my travels or through social media.” She completed around 50 paintings in the process and selecting twelve from them was quite a task. “As I could not bring all my favourites in, I ended up creating new works by combining a few of my older paintings,” she explains. Simran wishes that people do not try and derive meaning from her abstract art. “It is to be enjoyed. Similarly, I ask everyone to stop trying to find meaning in everything, and just savour the experiences in their lives. I include a lot of elements in my paintings so that a person can find a new detail every time they look at it,” she says.The calendar comes in 300 GSM paper with canvas finish. “At the end of the year people can upcycle the calendar by framing the paintings,” she says. It also has a sheet with journalling prompts with 60 ideas to help one start the hobby. “I have allotted the backside of each page for writing. It is something I enjoy doing and I hope this will introduce people into the habit. It is relaxing. I enjoyed creating this calendar and plan to do this every year,” she says. The tabletop calendar is available for ₹499 at The Amaya Store, Race Course. Visit https://www.instamojo.com/simranwahan to buy it online.
A letter from the Editor
Dear subscriber,Thank you!Your support for our journalism is invaluable. It’s a support for truth and fairness in journalism. It has helped us keep apace with events and happenings.The Hindu has always stood for journalism that is in the public interest. At this difficult time, it becomes even more important that we have access to information that has a bearing on our health and well-being, our lives, and livelihoods. As a subscriber, you are not only a beneficiary of our work but also its enabler.We also reiterate here the promise that our team of reporters, copy editors, fact-checkers, designers, and photographers will deliver quality journalism that stays away from vested interest and political propaganda.Suresh Nambath
