“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up,” goes the famous quote attributed to acclaimed artist Pablo Picasso. For Saheel Subodh Lotlikar, the whole and soul of Masterstroke Art Classes, the artist in him has continued to thrive well into adulthood. What began as a childhood love for drawing has now grown into a passion for teaching and inspiring others. His reels offer a glimpse into this colourful world, filled with laughter, playful jokes, all the young artists experimenting with colours, and paintings that often leave viewers in awe.
Art as a passion
Conducting his art classes at home, he says, “My house feels unusually empty when my students are not around. In fact, Sunday feels like a working day for me, and my class days feel like holidays.” He adds that he doesn’t like having the ego of being their teacher during class. “I make fun of them, and they make fun of me too! I feel fortunate that they are so comfortable with me that they treat me like a friend,” he mentions.
From student to teacher
Initially, Saheel was looking out for adults and students above sixth standard since he wanted to work with more mature learners. “I started the classes with the thought that there must be many people in Goa who wanted to learn art but never had the opportunity to do so,” he shares. As he started promoting his classes with just 7 students, gradually the numbers grew, and there has been no looking back ever since. “At one point I realised that when you genuinely love what you do, even God seems to help you along the way and your work no longer feels like work!”
Personally, for Saheel, art has always been a form of meditation. “First, we think about what we want to create. Then we prepare our equipment and begin working. Initially, we are conscious of every little thing, but after a few minutes, the mind gradually enters a meditative state,” he says. His journey began in primary school at G S Amonkar Vidya Mandir, where drawing examinations gave him his first taste of appreciation. Inspired by his elder sister, who was also good at art, he once tried replicating one of her drawings and was surprised when it turned out well. That moment made him realise he had an ability for art. “From that day onwards, I never stopped drawing and painting,” he says.
Imagination is key
Saheel believes that artists are born with certain qualities. In addition to natural talent, he explains, consistency is what makes someone an artist. “Even something as simple as making one sketch every day, using whatever object is in front of you, can transform a naturally talented person into a highly skilled artist,” he says. He has seen wonders happen in his class where some of the weakest artists have eventually grown into professionals due to their consistency.
According to him, simply having artistic ability does not make someone an artist; rather, discovering that ability and consistently working on it is what truly makes a person an artist. However, he points out that the imagination of many emerging artists is being gradually affected by easy access to the internet. “Whenever they want to work on a particular subject, they immediately search for references online,” he says. While he acknowledges that references are useful, he adds that having to use them constantly stops the brain from using its biggest superpower. “Our imagination is our superpower! What we can imagine and create ourselves is far more powerful and original than what we can simply find on the internet,” he says.
Beyond the reels
As they say, the artist’s mind is always at work. Saheel always had a constant list of ideas and plans running through his mind. “The reels I am making now were one of those ideas,” he explains. Initially, he used to feel very happy if a video received around 2,000 views. But when the numbers suddenly crossed 3 lakh views, he admits he was both fascinated and a little overwhelmed. “It was far beyond what I had ever expected! But I also feel bad that I can’t reply to everybody and would like to apologise for that,” he remarks, adding that the reels are just a glimpse of what happens in his classes. “In reality, it is much more fun actually being there,” he says.
For Saheel, the joy ultimately lies not just in creating art, but in watching others discover their own ability to create. From the child who picks up a pencil for the first time to the student who eventually turns professional, he believes every artist needs only the right space, patience and encouragement to grow. His reels may capture the fun and colour of his classes, but beyond the screen is where every sketch, painting and experiment gives a young artist the confidence to keep creating.
