I am passionate about happiness. For me, Happiness is art, writing, reading, chocolates, love, appreciation, nature, children, parents, siblings, besties, exploring and many more. Both art and writing are aesthetic pleasures for me. Art, an escape from sadness and writing, an expression of happiness. Arshid Sauleh is a person who doesn’t need an introduction. A sweet, humble, and joyous artist. He is not only artistic by profession but at heart as well. Arshid Sir used to say, “Farah, you’re a born artist, it’s not everyone’s cup of tea,” which makes me happy.
I recall the day when my mother was calling me while I was delivering a lecture in an online class and she whispered, come quickly, someone has come to meet you. I ended the class quickly and went downstairs. What I saw was a gentleman, who greeted me so beautifully and blessed me with loads of blessings for the act I’m doing i.e. enlightening at home. The way he introduced himself as “Arshid Sauleh” a veteran international artist, Oh my God, am I daydreaming or it’s reality? A renowned Artist is at my happy place to please me to supervise his son. I was shivering, I couldn’t believe my eyes and ears and he said that he had heard very good things about me and how well I supervise students. I was pleased to hear him. So the deal was accomplished that I will supervise his son after Maghrib’s prayer.
When Arshid sir came to take his son on the very first day, I asked him with trembling hands and a shaky voice when I could come to you to learn the art. He replied, “Do you have a pen and paper so that I can instruct you how to do art and what to buy from the market.” So at my happy place, he instructed me on how to start the art. His reply and humbleness amused me a lot. Thank goodness for this blessing. Learning art was one of the things on my dream list and I was thinking it won’t come true now as time was passing by. But God is great, he sent an angel to my happy place just to make me learn the art and be in my comfort zone. Once I’m done mentoring his son every day, he used to come to take his son and give art classes to me at the same time.
The art class is for 10 minutes to more than one hour. Whenever he met or spoke to me he used to give loads of blessings to me which is a privilege nowadays. He gave me drawing pencils and a drawing book as well. For me, it is the best gift I have received till date from my teachers. Whenever sir teaches me I used to tremble but my all senses are active during art class including my sixth sense. He invited me to his home to get inspired by his art.
It was Sunday and I went to his home to see the collection of his art in his gallery with my dearest baba. So he welcomed us so warmly that words can’t explain it. When he showed his art, it was amazing. I went on an adventurous trip through his paintings. I just entered through the canvas of woods and I felt so good to go through the woods. I was lost in the woods and there I saw a brook. The trickling sound of the brook was like the music evoked on a fiddle. I found tulips full of tints on the banks of the brook. Then I moved on and I reached a place in the woods where there was no way to walk through as the plantation was denser but I made my way and moved on with amusement. On my way, I also found a lake in which the lotus was growing happily. When I looked forward towards them they greeted me merrily. Now it was time to leave the woods and when I tried to step out what I saw was a remarkable, garland of green leaves decorated on the pillars. The exit from the woods looks so fascinating. I didn’t feel bad about leaving. It will be the most cherished trip of my life.
Deep in the woods
With a bag of drawing books
I decided to stay
So that I can play
With leaves
And dreams
But I have a vow
I will be back to see the snow. (Farah Deeba)
I would like to thank Arshid sir for this wonderful trip to the woods through his art. It’s all because of his art classes that now seasons come and go in my life as per my choice. Learning art is fun when a mentor is courteous and obliging. At last, I want to say learning has no age bar, you can learn whenever you want to, and it needs courage and consciousness. So, keep learning.
(Writer is M.Sc. Biotechnology from Kashmir University. Presently an Academic Lead – Biology at Edtech Company. Email: [email protected])
