Bringing alive scenic beauty of Kashmir on canvas, for a cause

The scenic beauty of Kashmir Valley was encapsulated in 125 oil and acrylic paintings displayed at the "Art for a cause" exhibition here, proceeds of which were given for the welfare of kin of slain police personnel from Jammu and Kashmir and Telangana.

Forty-six-year-old Sireesha Srinivas has beautifully expressed the natural landscape of the valley and its rural life -- daily chores of women, shepherds herding their sheep. The exhibition also had portraits of sufi shrines and temples from south India.

The exhibition, which ended on Tuesday, generated enough funds to issue cheques of Rs 6 lakh each to the police forces of the two states in the presence of Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan.

A cheque of Rs 6 lakh was received by Telangana Director General of Police M Mahendar Reddy and another cheque of similar amount was received on behalf of Jammu and Kashmir Police chief Dilbagh Singh.

The artist also presented the Telangana governor with a portrait of her.

"What I saw all these years, I always wanted to put it on canvass," says Sireesha, who is married to B Srinivas, an IPS officer of the Jammu and Kashmir cadre.

She had spent more than two decades in Kashmir and has been witness to the tumultuous changes that the valley has passed through all these years.

Not having received a formal training on painting, Sireesha believes one needs to have a passion for reflecting the thoughts on canvass. "The brush starts following my brain and the eyes start invigilating my thoughts. Not an easy task, but I have managed to execute it to my satisfaction," she said.

For Sireesha, the best moments came when well-established artists appreciated her work. "That comes definitely as a morale booster," she said.

The exhibition is a "reflection of memorable times that I have spent in the magnificent mountain and plains of the valley".