The best of Brinda

Art isn't just about splashing a few colours together and it's only the artists who know how they've had to slog it out to make it big in the industry.

And now as artist Brinda Chudasama Miller looks back, she can't help but feel a sense of nostalgia.

Currently occupied with hosting the Artists' Centre's 11th annual exhibition, the chairperson of the Centre talks to CS about encouraging new artists to join the art club:



Centre of attention
I want to make Artists' Centre an interactive space for artists and art lovers. The best part is that it is located in Kala Ghoda, Mumbai's art district. I want to keep the Centre alive, being able to run exhibitions all year round. People should feel the desire to visit this gallery, sit down for a cup of chai and discuss art. The art committee of this gallery is a very close knit one. As a chairperson, I want to bring them closer and motivate them to bring this centre to the forefront.

A bright future
When I started out, the competition in the art circuit wasn't as fierce as it is now. The youngsters today have to face more challenges. On the flip side, there are also more galleries, more money and a higher number of art lovers (read buyers) in the city. Today, becoming an artist is a good career option. Even the press shows a lot of interest in art exhibitions and atrists. I feel that we have some really talented young artists in the country and it's up to the older ones to encourage them.

Then and now...
When I was starting out, I could never imagine that art would become such a craze in Mumbai. For us, it was a lot of struggle. I remember working really hard in my early days. But, the young artists today are very different from us - they are more confident about art, and so tend to take things in a laidback manner. I think they need to push themselves a little.

Making it big
Well, you need to have the talent to become a famous artist. Period. And you need to have the perseverance to survive tough times. While it's easy for a celebrity to get his paintings noticed, it's a different ball game for normal artists. I belong to a famous family (Brinda's dad is Nana Chudasama and she's Shaina NC's sister), it was ultimately my work that helped me sustain and survive in this field.