Bandipora: A 22-year-old Nayeema pursuing M.Sc in IT is sketching her imagination with a pencil in hand. She is not giving up on her childhood dream inspired by her father despite meager means to chisel her skills further so as to give wings to her imagination adorned by all those who come across her drawings–mainly portraits.
The 22-year-old Nayeema Jan lives in Brar village of north Kashmir’s Bandipora district and is the daughter of a consolidated labourer–Jan Mohammad Sofi–in CA&PD department.
Jan–who earns hardly enough to make ends meet for his 6 member family has toiled hard for his 4 children to receive quality education–also an artist.
Nayeema, who has been a shining student from childhood is now in University but with limited sources she couldn’t chisel her skills of art which she aimed from the very childhood taking inspiration from her father an artist too– painting sketches.
“Although I belong to a poor family, I want to be an artist as I was always inspired by the works of my father who is trying his best to make good sketches and paintings. We are 06 members in family”, Nayeema said.
Nayeema says she has been doing sketches and paintings since her childhood in order to take forward the legacy of her father—an artist, but the limited sources is becoming huge hurdle in her dream chase.
While she pursues MSC IT at Islamic University Awantipora (IUST), she hasn’t lost her grip on doing art.
In Government read High School in Nadihal village, she topped in both the 10th and 12th exams and went on to Degree College Bandipora for her further studies, now currently in University.
According to Nayeema, she learnt Art designing during her school days when she was in 10th standard after she first drew a painting of old man, since then ‘it became her hobby,’ she said.
“In class 11, I drew a sketch of Sana Khan, a famous actress, and after being inspired by this portrait I used to spend much time drawing paintings”. Since then she has not looked back.
She said that her family has always supported and encouraged her in every field and in painting as well.
Nayeema said, “due to non-availability of art academy I faced a problems in getting my work recognized or chiseled as I worked very hard to brush up my drawing skills and now by the grace of almighty, “I can draw”. She attributes her little success to his father who she says is his best teacher, who boosted and motivated her.
Nayeem says she can draw paintings on paper mache, Chinar Leaves, Stones and many more things also.
With a desire to become a good artist, Nayeema avers that locals have to come forward to support the local art and that, she believes, is the only option of making the local art gain some more ground.