Painting is my religion, says budding artist

He is 22, but his paintings talk of an experience of over a 1000 years. He stands proudly in front of one of his paintings, “The Aura of Life” and says, “It has seven phases of my life and I want people to look at it as not just a painting, but also derive emotions that I am trying to bring across.” Meet Azaan Shareef, a second year B.Com students, whose first-ever painting exhibition is on at Josephiesta-2011, St Joseph’s Degree College’s festival.Azaan says that he never thought of becoming an artist and that he found his love for painting accidentally. “It was never planned. I started painting about thirteen years ago, when I once accidentally bought water colours. When I wanted to return them, the shopkeeper refused to take them. So, I brought them home and my mother taught me how to paint a tree. And from then all I have ever loved is painting.” He says it is his outlet of expressing feelings. “Whenever I am angry, happy, sad or frustrated, I paint. I keep myself in situations and I try to bring it on my canvas. I have to feel what I am to be able to even paint a stroke. There is a lot of history behind every painting of mine, all drawn from my personal experiences.” Azaan has spent six years of his life in Oman and a lot of his paintings also have experiences from the country.  A majority of his paintings depict nature in its various forms — one being a snow covered pathway in the woods, one a very lonely, deserted island, a naturally lit forest and a double frame night scene, among others. “Ray of Hope”, as the phrase describes is one of his paintings, which shows a dark staircase leading to light. This is probably one of his paintings, which catches most attention in the room, for its subtle yet profound use of black and white. His another painting “Aura of Life” took him eight months to finish. He even failed his accounts exam in both the terms for it. “I don’t know how to write those answers,” he laughs and then explains, “These kind of paintings are method-based paintings. I brought it here for people to see and understand it. But, there is so much detail in the painting that people find it very difficult to relate to it. One needs to feel the painting. I can’t explain it.” He then goes on, “Its not amateur and simple. All my paintings have a greater depth. They signify burden, pride, arrogance, love, shelter and everything.” He was hospitalised during the course of this painting. “I was shut all day in my room, which was very small and dingy. There were days when I didn’t sleep.” He also adds, “Every colour on the canvas has a meaning. It took me a lot of money to paint this and my parents were generous to pay for me.”Azaan says that he is a very typical type of a guy. He is not like other people his age, who are social and out-going. “I am a very reserved guy and find it very uncomfortable socialising with people. I like spending time with my paints and brushes as they don’t expect things back from me. But, at the same time, I don’t want anybody to treat me as an ordinary person. I have dedicated all my life to painting already and I just want to concentrate on it.” He signs off, “For me, painting is my religion.”