The painting was displayed during the State exhibition and garnered appreciation from all quarters..Ask her about the rare feat of creating 51 paintings, she politely says, “I never thought it would happen and didn’t want to publicise it. A widely appreciated work, it features a body that is half male and half female.”Once she completed the course, she got an offer to assist Onyx Paulose through her friend. Like any other child, her books too were covered with drawings. I liked it — the strokes and colours — and started practising it. “I have never been to Kamathipura. “Recently, I did one in Panvel for the inmates of an ashram, who were brought from the streets. Now that has become her signature style. I had a fascination towards figures and loved those drawings that appeared in Malayalam publications. I thought I would do a few paintings. “When I reached Class VII, I started drawing for my peers. The hotel where he stayed had my works and thus it happened. And Mother Teresa has always been her inspiration. She is also a good singer,” smiles Sara, native of Arookutty. I met and befriended a few of them when the Akademi organised a camp for them.”Besides the Mattancherry series, she has painted the streets of Kamathipura and a series of Mother Teresa. “She too has a connection with the street.She says she derives the strokes in her works from nature.
We sit near the window that offers a beautiful view of the street, one of Sara’s muses for 14 years.” Sara also organises workshops. I did a live painting of their background for them,” says Sara, who dreams of doing more exhibitions and travelling across the globe exploring more streets. “They too are linked to the streets. And, gradually, she narrates her journey.As her family liked art, Sara never faced any opposition from them to pursue it. “Also, I try to make the streets look colourful though life there may not be so. But nothing could tarnish her spirit. As I couldn’t afford art studies, I joined pre-degree at Mannam Islamiya College for Orphans. I don’t know from where she got that image, and it was neatly drawn,” says Sara about her mother Sajitha. “My father passed away when I was 12. “I like the oldness of this street — those slanted electric posts, nests of sparrows and all,” says Sara. “I grew up watching her drawing figures. “During that time the office was at Panampilly Nagar. I would borrow magazines from neighbouring houses, trace those pictures and give them to my friends. They look beautiful at certain times, especially during evenings when light falls at a particular angle and the streets are deserted. “Sachin saw my works when he came to Kochi for Kerala Blasters launch. Initially, it was not yielding any result. “In the beginning, I used to work in monochromes or two shades. “Whatever I have achieved now, I am grateful to Onyx sir, my parents, siblings and Sneha, who is like family. Most of the works were commissioned ones done using oil for churches. I have seen pictures and added my imagination,” she says. “Wherever I go, I visit the old streets that are on the verge of ruin. I still remember one of her drawings that had the side view of a Christian mother wearing chattayum mundum.Although she wanted to study art after Class X, her family was not financially sound to let her do that. “I took it up as a job, but sir encouraged me to draw more and experiment with mediums and styles, perhaps because he realised I could do it,” says Sara. Arif sir purchased the 51st painting, it became news,” says Sara, whose works were purchased by the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Rishiraj Singh and Nita Ambani. When the canvases are joined, the whole painting takes the shape of a cross. That was the turning point in her life. When our MLA A.During that period, the brush was her medium. It fetched her money and fame. It was sir who encouraged me to study BFA and BSc Multimedia later and gave me space to experiment,” says Sara, who took up a job at Onyx’s place 18 years ago.G.”In her words, she gives a new face to spaces. “It was then my mother and her sister came across a notice about Geetha School of Arts, Cherthala, where a diploma course in art was offered to those who completed Class X. She worked for those who wandered on the street,” says Sara, who recently did a painting depicting the life of transgender persons. Gradually, I realised its potential. Old streets are narrow and have got a charm. But I couldn’t complete studies as I developed an ear infection and had to undergo surgery. Sara, who recently made a record by painting 51 pieces during the camp organised by the Lalit Kala Akademi to raise funds for the flood affected, walks in with a smile. Their lives have been sacrificed on the streets.”Later, she Litz Wire tried at RLV College but couldn’t get through as pre-degree was the benchmark there. Mattancherry is one of them. Those conversations inspired me to come up with this. “She never learnt art and has not been exposed much to the outside world. Now I use more of grey tone that gives a nocturnal effect. Working with the knife is different.
The streets are her inspiration.It is a busy Saturday morning at Jew Street in Mattancherry. The large Last Supper picture you see in the Cathedral Church, Ernakulam, was painted by me,” Sara beams.”Sara says her choice of colours too has changed with time. Gopakumar sir, my first teacher. The morning light that filters through the skylight of the studio, where artist Sara Hussain and her mentor artist Onyx Paulose work, brightens up the paintings on the walls. I joined and learnt the basics of art under the tutelage of P. After a point, I started using all those bright shades. The first painting got sold, then second and it went on. Soon, Sara found her soul in knife painting. They liked it too,” Sara continues and confesses that she was not so studious. The anatomy of those figures was not intact but she had that sense of where to place what. Sir had a knife painting and he showed it to me once.“My mother inspired me to become an artist,” she begins.