Nida started her artistic journey in 2012 as a hobby when she was expecting her second child. Little did she know that what started as a casual hobby to utilize her free time would turn into a full-time professional engagement. She started with acrylic paintings and clay modelling but later delved into watercolors. Nida’s inspiration comes from nature – change in the seasons, the bloom of spring and the colors of autumn; she has captured them all beautifully in her artworks.
She paints bold and vibrant flowers and splendid landscapes in watercolors. She says, “the spontaneity and vulnerability of this medium (watercolors) have always intrigued and fascinated me”. The focus of her work is to capture the mood along with the visual beauty of nature. Through her art, she aims to provide a moment of pause, stillness and reflection to enable a deep experience of nature’s beauty and tranquility. She believes that art is a wonderful means to nurture, soothe and rejuvenate our souls.
Born in Lucknow, Nida’s real name is Hajira but was called Nida by her beloved aunt and she chose this name for her artistic venture. She got married in 2007 soon after completing her B.Sc from College, Lucknow. Her husband’s job required him to travel frequently. So, during the initial years of her marriage, she tried exploring teaching as a profession to keep her engaged but couldn’t pursue it further after her first pregnancy. In 2012, her husband’s professional commitments required him to shift to Delhi NCR which became her home for the next 6 years. Interestingly, this migration (hijrat), brought out the artist in her.
Picking up a brush and colors was easy for her as she always enjoyed painting and sketching during her school years. It was during her stay in Delhi NCR that she started painting and clay modelling. A friend suggested her to display her artworks in society exhibitions. That was quite a learning experience and the appreciation of her art at these exhibitions gave her the much-required fillip.
Taking time out for her painting was a challenge when she started. Being a full-time homemaker and a mother of two young kids, it was difficult for her to focus on painting initially. But she realized that apart from being a wife, a mother and a homemaker, she is also an individual. And that she needs to give time and nourish her soul too. She realized that she can be good at all of these roles that she has to perform as a woman; it’s just that she needs to fit in the role without affecting other roles in a way that each role complements every other role that she undertakes.
She started utilizing the mornings and afternoons during weekdays for her painting when her elder son was in school and husband at work. Weekends were days of break from painting and were meant for family and outings only. Soon the dull and lonely daytime turned into the most sought-after time for her and it was during this period, she painted one of her best work that received special mention and appreciation during an exhibition in Chandigarh in the year 2017.
Apart from Chandigarh, Nida has conducted several workshops and displayed her artworks in Delhi and Lucknow at various exhibitions. She is also associated with an NGO, which works on Mental Health Awareness and has conducted workshops on art therapy.