In love with colours

At first glance, works of Prof BN Neelima, working as Professor of Journalism at Sri Padmavathi Mahila Visvavidyalayam (SPMVV), appears to be amazing wildlife photograph. Only upon close inspection, it reveals itself as an intricate painting of animals.

Not only wildlife, Neelima paints pictures of varying themes of everyday lives and has a huge collection of about 150 paintings on display during an art show. All these paintings showcase her innate talent and passion. An artistic depiction of love between lion and cub surprises everyone and she opined that an artist can only imagine such things which cannot be found in real photographs.

Similarly, a group of elephants coming together in a forest, colour changing chameleon, beautiful butterflies and a host of other animals and birds in her canvases mesmerise the visitors.

Though she was not a painter by profession, her passion for the art from her school days continues as a hobby. With age, her love towards paintings too has grown simultaneously.

The choice of colours and shades gives the impression that the painter might be a professional and had a formal training in the art form. But, surprisingly, she has no ‘guru’. “With observation and common sense, I learnt many things which were further sharpened by the teachings in internet,” she revealed. 

She kept her collection of wildlife paintings in an exhibition at SPMVV on the occasion of the ongoing Eco Film Festival in the campus. Underlining the importance of wildlife, she observed, “Wildlife photographs can be available, but wildlife paintings are rare. Unless an artist has a passion for it and really love it, he will not draw such paintings. As one should enjoy wildlife so too the paintings. We share the same planet after all. 

Giving advice to young students on painting, she said artists should have visualisation regarding the usage of colours. For instance, a chameleon gets its colour from where ever it sits.  Apart from wildlife, she painted several landscapes, nature and the portraits of Gods. “Whenever I get mood, I begin to paint or draw. When a painting is completed, I feel very satisfied emotionally and work better after that,” she revealed happily.