I feel painting professionally has given me the push to reach new limits – as when you start doing more of what you love, the momentum and excitement brings out the best in you – and for me , I hope it reaches new heights every year. The persistence has not only enriched my art, but being deeply immersed in my long-lost passion now, I have emerged happier, stronger and a rejuvenated person – Sushma Jain
Sushma Jain has been passionate about art from her childhood and has pursued it with ardent fervour over the years. Essentially a self-taught artist, she has completed several formal art courses to build upon her natural talent and skills. She completed the Foundation course at the Indian Art Institute, the Art Teacher’s Diploma at JJ School of Art, and took courses at the Central Saint Martin School of Art and Design in London.
On this artistic journey, Sushma has been staunchly supported by her family, especially by her father in her childhood years and her husband after marriage. This has enabled her to grow from strength to strength and experiment with her artmaking.
Despite taking breaks from her art for various family reasons, Sushma always returned to her passion with renewed commitment and spirit. This persistence has enriched her art and she has emerged happier, stronger and inspired from life’s multifarious twists and turns. Her art is a reflection of her personality, her warmth and sensitivity, and is fuelled by her deep love for her family and close friends.
Sushma finds inspiration in nature and renders her subjects realistically, and has come to specialise in portraiture, human forms, landscapes and wildlife. Apart from oils on canvas, she has extensively experimented with various media such as charcoal, crayons and watercolours.
For Sushma, exhibiting her paintings has been a dream come true! Her first solo art exhibition at Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai, 2018 marked the beginning of a new and exciting phase in her artistic journey. A gift to herself on her 60th birthday, the show was a celebration of a milestone. Inn a short span of time, she has gotten opportunities to be a part of many exhibitions in India as well as abroad.
Her passion for animals and photography, led her across the world to several national parks and forests to shoot animals in the wild. She has taken numerous photographs that capture wild life in their natural habitat. All the big untamed ones can live in faraway lands, but it cannot be denied that they are an inseparable part of the beauty of nature, and life. Through her paintings, she expresses her love for them. Her portrayals of wild animals in their natural habitat are realistic, raw and alluring.
Jain’s artwork also gives her an opportunity to sensitize people to the importance of wildlife protection and conservation. People should love animals, not hurt or kill them
Sushma has two children and three grandchildren and lives in Mumbai with her family. She is an ardent singer and remains passionate about her four canine friends at her farmhouse.