By Aditi Manchanda- 2022
This is the story of my journey with one painting over 2 years. When I first started this piece, I was in 7th grade. Once I found out we were doing a still-life concept, I excitedly drew out what I wanted to paint. A big silver jug on a book, some fruit, and a quill in an ink pot. I kept painting every week with the intention of displaying my painting at the next Kalaa Exhibition. Little did I know at the time, the exhibition was not even going to take place. One fateful day in In March 2020, the school closed. At the time, we were told it would only be for a week but the break never ended. A couple of weeks later, art classes were switched online. For the next two years, I sketched watercolor painting and tried a bunch of other fun crafts all through a screen. Eventually, I forgot about my painting that lay in the art studio, incomplete for two entire years.
When I finally returned to the studio in 2022, I was ecstatic. At the time, my interests had shifted from art and painting to fashion design. I wanted to make my own clothes and accessories which is what I ended up doing for a couple of months. Then, my teacher showed
me my painting from when I was in middle school and I was bewildered at my choices. I was not
happy with what my 12-year-old self had picked. I found my selection amusing, my techniques were less refined than now, nevertheless completed a few left-out strokes and finished the work as I always feel the completion of the task is equally important With time, not only had my skills improved but have varied dimensions in the creative arena
I thought completing it as quitting on anything is not the right choice to make. It was a selection right for a 12-year-old me and it was interesting to, let me finish that incomplete task which unfortunately COVID has taken away from all of us.
In the end, I decided to stick with my painting as a reminder of how much growing up changed me.
