From a childhood sketch to speed painting, Shabari makes her mark

Mangaluru

A drawing Of a National flag in Lower Kinder-garten (LKG) won Shabari Ganiga her first prize and the appreciation Of her teachers. 

Little did she know that this early recognition would mark the beginning of a journey that would take her from school art activities to live painting performances, large-scale portraits and the establishment of her own art training institute.

With 17 years of experience in the field, Shabari has developed a distinctive identity through speed painting and live artistic performances.

Having participated in more than 2,000 shows and events and received several honours, she is now focused on sharing her skills with aspiring artists through Siddhishri School of Art and Music.

Early recognition and training

Shabari's artistic abilities came to light during her school years, when teachers recognised her interest and encouraged her to develop it.

She subsequently received training under soveral artists, including Srinivas, Veena Bhandary, Anuradha, Chandradkar and Shameer Ali, further strengthening her skills and understanding of different artistic techniques.

An important early opportunity came when she represented her school at a seven day camp organised by the Women and Child Development Department in Bengaluru.

The programme included drawing. craft and clay modelling. with two hours dedicated to these activities each day. Her talent earned her rec-ognition on Children's Day. when she was honoured by the then Karnataka Governor, H. R. Bharadwaj.

The experience gave her further encouragement to pursue art with dedication.

From live performances to large portraits

Shabari's joumey took a new direction when she began performing live painting at public events. She was associated with a children's singing team and would draw while dance perfor-mances were taking place.

This experience helped her explore the possibilities of combining visual art with live entertainment.With encouragement from those around her, she progressed from smaller drawings to large portraits.

She developed the ability to create portraits measuring six by four feet in approximately five to eight minutes, making speed painting a distinctive feature of her performances.

Among the personalities whose portraits she has created are legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar and Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa

She created the portrait of the Bahraini monarch during a visit to Bahrain, and the work is said to remain there.

Shabari has also been associated with TEDx programmes, including TEDx-GIM in Goa.

Her live performances have enabled audiences to witness the concentration, coordination and practice involved in creating a portrait within a short period. Rather than simply displaying a finished painting, she makes the process itself an engaging part of the performance.

Awards and recognition

Her artistic work has earned her several awards and recognitions. Among the honours associated with her journey are the Suvarna Mahila Sadaki Award, presented by environmentalist and Padma Shri awardee Saalumarada Thimmakka, and the state-level Kalashree recognition. She has around nine awards to her credit. 

For Shabari, these recognitions represent encouragement to continue developing her skills and taking her art to wider audiences.

Her journey also illustrates how consistont practice and opportunities to perform can help an artist build confidence and establish a professional identity.

Nurturing the next generation

Alongside her performances, Shabari has taken up the role of an art trainer.

She conducts classes for students interested in learning painting as a hobby and has established Siddhishri School of Art and Music to provide a platform for artistic learning.

Her focus is now on reaching more students, including those living abroad, exploring opportunities to perform in different countries and encouraging greater participation in the field of art.

Through training, she hopes to help young learners discover their creative abilities and develop them through regular practice.

"Art has been an important part of my journey since childhood. Every opportunity to paint and every recognition have encouraged me to keep learning and improving.

Through Siddhishri School of Art and Music, I want to share what I have learnt help students discover their creativity and inspire more people to appreciate the value of art, Shabari says.

Shabari credits her parents, Yogish Kumar and Shasikala, as well as her teachers, for their encouragement and support throughout her journey.

From winning her first prize for a simple drawing in LKG to creating large portraits before live audiences, Shabari Ganiga has steadily developed her talent into a professional pursuit.

With Sidishree School of Arts, she is now extending that journey beyond her own performances, working to help a new generation discover the possibilities of artistic expression.