So, for the curiouser and curiouser, here's a little more about me. 

I am a retired banker and an untiring homemaker living in Chennai, a metropolis in South India. My overriding passion in life is drawing and painting. What started as doodling and sketching in my spare times and on any scrap of paper in my schooldays, grew into drawing and painting as a hobby. Originally I started with watercolours but now I love all mediums, especially oils and acrylics.  Oils are truly masterpiece mediums but the vibrancy and brilliance of acrylics is another thing and can really compete with what Nature crafts for us.

There is no better way to escape from the chaos of today’s life than to draw or paint to my heart’s content, oblivious to the world. Nature has so much to offer in terms of colour and content and, with a little bit of imagination, colours can run riot on the canvas and cheer up any space, be it the mind or a room.  

For the most part of my art journey, I am self taught. For specialised art works such as Thanjavur paintings and true-to-life reproduction of images, I attended private lessons. My work consists of realistic images of nature and people. My mediums include oils, acrylics, water colours and pencils.

While I mostly paint for pleasure, I have created a few artworks for clients based on their specific requirements. As well, friends who have seen my paintings have bought some of my original works. I do not sell prints. If you like any of my works you see in this website, and would like to acquire them, please write to me at the email address provided below.

Besides painting, I dabble in other crafts too. Embroidery is one of them and I will shortly post photographs of some of my embroidery creations.

Lately I have become interested in philosophy and religion as well. I am a practising Srivaishnavite  (Srivaishnavism is a Vedic religion worshipping Vishnu, along with Sri, His Consort, as the Supreme), and have confined my studies and learning to this subdivision and its corresponding philosophy Visishtadvaita. I have tried my hand at writing on this too, and have posted such scribblings here.

My other pastimes include listening to Indian music and reading books, ranging from Archie’s comics through other fiction up to self-development books. Human interest stories and articles are my pet subjects now, though.

Feel free to write your comments and thoughts to me at msshalini26@yahoo.com.