Finger painting art has been a fun form of art that has created a stir. The Pioneer presents Neha Jain, an artist from Hyderabad, who has dedicated herself to promoting and creating awareness about this art form.
Rashmi Bhumireddy
Remember of the first time you painted with your tiny fingers to create an adorable picture? Yet at that time, we were unaware of our skill in finger painting. Are you amazed, just like we are?
Well, we had come across how this art that we did back then has been gaining immense popularity and is indeed such a meditative therapy!
Neha Jain, a finger painting artist, has perfected this skill and has created numerous intricate paintings using only her fingers, without using any brushes. Her artistic pieces resonated with the members of the Hyderabad Arts Society and her works were chosen and exhibited at the Salarjung Museum and State Gallery of Arts.
After experimenting with numerous fine art forms such as Tanjore, Oil and acrylic, Folk and tribal arts, Neha discovered her true passion for developing intricacy in a contemporary setting. She amalgamates abstract, textured backgrounds against tribal elements—a unique style for which she is being recognised. Without any further ado, The Pioneer connects with the artist to learn more about her art.
Inspired by Mother Nature, she has always loved to explore art since childhood. “Life becomes much simpler by enjoying the simple pleasures of nature,” shares the self-taught artist, who finds this thought to be her driving force. “I began my journey by experimenting with numerous fine art forms. Doing art is like meditation for me and I practice it almost every day to excel in my craft.”
Nature, she says, has undeniably been her biggest guru. Basically, when she started taking workshops with T-Works, she got to explore the art of finger painting.
Discovering her true passion for developing intricacy in a contemporary setting, she enjoys amalgamating abstract, textured backgrounds against tribal elements. In regards to finger painting, “I have learned how colours work and how we can mix different colours. This art aids in sensory integration, improving fine motor development by strengthening finger and hand muscles.” This art not only helps the kids but also people of different age groups, strengthening their senses and motor skills.
It was certainly a challenge for her to create a niche here, coming from a different background. She recalls, “It was very difficult for me to connect with galleries to conduct workshops. But with my dedication, hard work, and courage, I am now able to pursue my art career. Throughout my journey, my family has been my biggest support and has always pushed me forward so I could achieve my goals. Doing art is like meditation for me, and I practice almost every day to excel in my craft.”
With this skill, she has taken part in various competitions and group shows at the national level and received several accolades for her work. It was in 2019 that she conducted her first solo exhibition at the Alliance Française of Hyderabad, followed by IconArt Gallery in 2022.
But what sets finger art apart? “I love finger painting because it allows me to express myself in unique and creative ways,” she gleefully shares, adding that it helps her create unimaginable art using this technique.
As we head towards the end of this chat, she goes on to enunciate, “I want people to know the value of art in our daily lives and how art is important for mental well-being. In the future,I will be conducting more such creative workshops and keep working on developing my art and style so that anyone can paint with me irrespective of their age.”
