Deborah Dias: Where art is Passion and Profession

................

sidebar:

There is business for art in the market now and people have a separate budget reserved for serious art and fun art too. There is appreciation for the work of an artist, which is a very positive sign for the growth of art business

.............

Photo Caption:

Artist Deborah Dias exhibiting her painting skills on a windowpane on the 18th June Road in Panaji signing a welcome wish for the coming Christmas season. Narayan Pissurlenkar

A Christmas artwork done by Deborah Dias on a shop window in the city.

...............

Heading:

Deborah Dias: Where art is Passion and Profession

..................

Intro:

Deborah Dias lends her creative touch to whatever art she learns or teaches in schools across Goa and at her hobby classes ‘Creative Touch’ where age is no bar to be a part of the learning. BHARATI PAWASKAR in a chit-chat with Deborah learns more of this multi-faceted artist

................

Christmas is around the corner and homes, churches and shops are wearing the season’s best look to welcome this favourite festival. Whitewashing, painting, decorating along with other preparations on all fronts - shopping for gifts, greeting cards, clothes, food and others items are being carried out with much fervour. This is the busiest time for shopkeepers and service providers “ tailors, caterers, bakeries and gift shops are flooding with orders and customers.

Wearing the festive mood and smiling her way to paint the window panes of shops and gift stores for her clients is Deborah Dias, whose day is spent in rushing from shops to malls. Beginning from the end of November till Christmas eve, she is neck deep in work. To paint a glass Deborah charges around Rs 1000 and may go up depending upon the picture design and its size. This time of the year leaves her with no time to breathe as she has to cater to a multiple set of clients as this Fine Art Bachelor wears many hats at a time.

Ask her about her skills. Deborah is good at drawing and painting, origami, recycling art, clay modelling, embroidery, cold ceramics, quilling, paper craft, M-seal art, tie-and-dye, flower making, thermocol carving, designer wall and window glass painting, tattoo and nail art, mehendi motifs and tailoring. She did fashion designing too at CGDM (Commercial Garment Designing & Making) at State Institute of Vocational Education too while she was in the higher secondary. “I also did a course in thermocol carving at Silver Lining Counseling, Danielson,” adds Deborah who has mastered the unique form of art originated in Odisha “ sand art.

Learning is expensive and how did Deborah manage to enroll for so many courses, one wonders. “I spent around a lakh a year on learning different skills which included college fees, material, travelling and hostel expenses. This amount was raised by freelancing in the skills I already mastered,” discloses this hard-working and enthusiastic entrepreneur. Investing to learn more skills is for her like sowing a seed which will grow into a tree giving flowers and fruits “ and the much needed shade. “Art is soothing,” she admits.

She graduated as Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in 2012 from Goa College of Art; however, Deborah’s journey into the world of art began much before that “ when she was a little kid watching her homemaker mother cut and tailor clothes before doing fine embroidery on it with difficult but beautiful designs, all with ease. “Our family lives an artful life. In other words looking at the bigger picture, one can put it “ our life is artful and all of us must find pleasure in living and loving every moment of it,” pronounces Deborah who has embraced art as a passion and profession, both.

Though it’s her very recent endeavour of opening her art-hobby Sunday classes at home on August 7, 2016, Deborah has been associated with teaching art to school students. “I have taught in schools under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) for two years and for the past two years I have been teaching art at Vidya Vikas Academy in Margao. I am also associated with Bal Bhavan for the past four years,” shares this teacher-turned-entrepreneur who also tutors Bloomz International School kids twice a week at Margao.

Deborah’s students come from all ages “ there is no restriction of age. “Art is ageless and all ages must have access to it,” she expresses philosophically. It was while she was still a student at the art college that Deborah learnt nail painting art and tattoo making skill. Having mastered these forms of art, she began to experiment it on her friends and that earned her some pocket money too. “I even paint faces at parties. It’s so much fun,” quips this 26-year-old who also loves to paint mehendi on the hands of a Hindu bride or on Eid occasions.

There has been a lot of competition lately, she mentions. For her, publicity is through word of mouth. One satisfied client refers her work to another and so the list of the clients and repeat orders get scaling. She also shows her previous work to the new clients. Currently learning to make candles and flowers, she has plans to learn hairstyling and make-up too in the coming years. “My budget does not allow me to learn too many things at a time,” smiles this enthusiastic learner who has exhibited her talent of acting and singing too. Her teaching jobs were on contract basis and since it’s difficult to find a permanent job, Deborah decided to open her own art-hobby class at home earlier this year. “People are reluctant to pay unless they see quality in your work. However there is business for art in the market now and people do have a separate budget reserved for serious art (and fun art). There is appreciation for our work as an artist, which is a very positive sign for the growth of art business,” elaborates the artist in her who wants to educate people in appreciating art.

“I love art in all forms and am desperate to master whatever I find interesting,” admits Deborah who dreams to have her own art school someday where different forms of art can be taught under a single roof.