Handcrafted Tree and Elephant Marble Wall Art from India 'Wondrous Harmony' Item ID: 2671786641

“Hi friends! I am Neelima Gupta from Delhi, the capital city of India. I am passionate about art and compassionate by nature.

“I have always been interested in arts and crafts, right from my early school days, and this became an obsession as I graduated in home science. After my initial few years as a successful homemaker, I again got back to my hobby/obsession, encouraged by my father-in-law. I am attracted to the possibilities of expressing my ideas through my creations, and especially the final step of using colors in various shades and hues to bring the paintings before my clients.

“As I was always passionate about arts and crafts, I came across this method of relief painting on a YouTube presentation. I tried my hand and then contacted one of the YouTube presenters, who guided me into the intricacies of this medium. I took a few classes, and finally ventured out on my own. I kept on working with this medium of art by using my vision and experimentation to create different art pieces.

“I use marble powder and mix it with adhesive to create dough, and I prepare a surface on wood or glass. I use the diluted version of the same dough for outlining the painting, by putting it in a cone-shaped plastic wrapper. The tip of the cone is cut and meticulously pressed to create the painting with shape and forms. After the painting is done, I use colors to give life to the painting as per my imagination. The work is very painstaking, and it takes about 7 to 10 days to complete one painting.

“My inspiration comes from nature (flowers, birds, and animals), mythology and daily use items. It gives me a chance to bring my inner feelings on board and share with the world my feelings of freedom. I find that the visualization of new ideas and themes that can be expressed through my art is most challenging.

“I have been teaching women (usually housewives) who are interested and come to me to learn this art. My home is the workplace and teaching place, as I can work in my available time. Initially, it was the fulfillment of my hobby, then gradually I realized the possibility of sharing my vision and earning from the same. I feel happy at being able to impart hands-on training to a few women, and to see the joy of a new-found hobby in their works.

“A few women to whom I have taught this art over the years understand my vision, and we all are at the same stage now, working together. I hope that I am able to have steady income from my hobby, and I also hope to provide work for fellow artists.

“My family has been involved with my work from the very beginning. My father-in-law pushed me to pursue my hobby when he came to know about my keen interest. My husband helped me and gave me financial, physical and moral support. My daughter is artistic by nature, and is my best critic. My son has been helping out by spreading word about my creations among friends and on social media.

“I participate in the Diwali Melas (festivals) and local exhibitions. I plan to actively pursue various marketing avenues for my products as well as explore fresh topics/areas to be subjects of my future creations. My dream is to be recognized as a woman entrepreneur and an artist of repute. I also dream that, with my income, I can provide financial stability and freedom to my family members.

“I am thankful to NOVICA for providing me a platform to showcase my art to the entire world. I hope that I shall grow with NOVICA with each passing day.”