Muscat: Connoisseurs will get coffee, tea and classy paintings to savour from December 1-3 at the Mani’s Cafe at Jawahar Shatti in Muscat as self-taught Indian artist Aparna Shere holds her first solo exhibition in Oman.
Shere, who has held exhibitions in UAE, Qatar and Germany in the past, has called her Muscat exhibition, ‘Chaiwalas’ (tea vendors) and has painted tea vendors from Oman, India, Pakistan, Italian, and other European countries.
“Omani tea vendors in Muttrah souq and other areas in Ruwi inspired me to go for the theme and it also suited the venue, which serves both coffee and tea,” she said.
Shere said that the little corners with traditional tents at various places in Oman also fascinated her. “I have painted these kahwa corners also,” she told Gulf News. “I am also displaying coffee mugs with portraits of famous personalities on it as part of my theme,” she said, adding that well-known Oman edifices, mountains and other scenic places will also be on display as paintings on ceramic plates.
“I have always believed that my paintings should represent positive values of nature that is soothing,” said the soft-spoken painter, who also teaches young children to pass on her art.
Born and brought up in India’s western state, Maharashtra, Shere picked up a brush at an early age in school and continued painting without any formal training. Talking about her passion in painting, she said: “I specialise in historical structures and natural scenery using acrylic paints.” She uses soft pastels, charcoals and acrylic colours on paper.
Shere said that she had started an art institute in Qatar called Brush & Canvas, through which she held several exhibitions in Doha. “Some of my paintings have been collected privately by individual art lovers and a few corporate establishments in Qatar such as the Ministry of Arts, Culture and Heritage, Qatara village, Doha Bank and International Islamic Bank,” she revealed.
Having moved to Oman, Shere is awestruck by the scope the topography of Oman offers to artists. “The places in Oman as well as people can be very interesting subjects to paint,” she said.
