In this exhibition hall in Bhopal Indira Gandhi National Museum of Mankind, more than 22 paintings are hung on the wall.
They’re all belong to Sheela Sharma… a painter that reflects various aspects of women’s life and a glimpse of nature in her paintings.
It’s not the only thing that makes this exhibition special…
When Sheela was four, she lost both her arms and toes of her right foot in a train accident.
“Earlier, it was really difficult for me to do any work. But slowly and surely I managed to do my own thing. Practice is something through which you can achieve anything. Now I am no way different from others.”
All Sheela’s paintings were done with her foot only...
“If a person is not having hands then they uses foot. And if the foot is not there, then people can use their mouth to work. What’s more important is to have faith in yourslf. I was interested with paintings and drawings... so here I’m now, a professional and succesful painter.”
In 1998, she held her first exhibition in New Delhi...
Until now, she has held some 19 painting exhibitions both inside and outside the country.
She loves to paint the nature, children and women.
Thirty-nine year old Ashish Sharma is documentary film maker. He has been a big fan of Sheela’s paintings.
“She’s full of colours. I believe her painting is a combination of colors and human emotions. She has shown women in different shades and colors.”
This is the first time for a computer programmer Shweta Shrivasta to come to a painting exhibition like this.
“We can’t imagine how to work without our hands. But I think her paintings are very beautiful. I’m very much impressed by her work and personality.”
Sheela has organised her other exhibitions in almost all major towns of India’s leading art galleries.
After her paintings exhibition now in Bhopal, she’s ready for her next exhibition in another part of the country.
“It all depends on practice. If you want to achieve something you can achieve it. Otherwise even at home if you don’t want to do anything than who can force you. It took a long time for me to learn the art through foot.”
