Shree Aaimutta Muni : Jain Chronicles Print

Swati Parikh – by Esther David It is said, dreams are realized from unknown sources. For Swati Parikh, when her desire of becoming a painter had not yet surfaced on the horizon of her life, she had heard a spiritual discourse and felt enlightened, as each word transformed into a precious jewel, which she wanted to preserve forever. At that very moment, subconsciously these words changed the course of her life. Miraculously; a transformation took place within her, as an orb of light seemed to envelope her being. Swati sensed she was reaching unknown heights of self-realization, as her creative instincts were charged and by the end of the sermon, she was inspired to express her feelings through the medium of painting. Swati had always wanted to learn painting, but did not know the techniques, which would take her closer to her destination. But, when one is determined to achieve knowledge about an unknown area, a path appears from the inner consciousness of memory. She remembered, as a young girl, she had always been in awe of her aunt, the well known artist Sharda Patel and decided to learn painting from her. As a software engineer, Swati had lived in England for a few years and seen art exhibitions, yet it was an area, she had never explored. During this period there were other challenges, as she had the responsibility of running a family. But, undetered, Swati organized her time in such a way that she could spend a few hours every morning at her aunt’s studio, where she learnt to paint. With practice and hard work, she started using the canvas as a landscape of life, where she expressed her innermost thoughts. After, experimenting with various techniques of painting on canvas, Swati started her journey into the world of art. Transformation is part of Swati’s artistic growth, as she paints in a unique style of her own. The paintings are often vertical, similar to the concept of the ‘Kalpavriksha,’ the source of life. Her main figures have calm and compassionate expressions, as their eyes rivet the onlooker, along with their soft gestures, which speak volumes. In fact, these paintings are like narratives, which connect one episode to another. Swati has created her own style of colour compositions and brushwork, as their vitality draws the viewer into the inner confines of her paintings. With soft feather-like brush strokes, her colours merge into a single hue and stimulate the eye.