I dontI know where to start !

      I was born in 1945 before we got Independence in a small place in Karnataka, Udupi. Udupi is a cultural and educational centre.

      I loved all the forms of art in my childhood I think It is because of my mother. She was very good at needle work and crosha. She was very enthusiastic in learning new designs. Her encouragement helped me to try my hands in many things. I was making beautiful shell dolls too. I was also very good at embroidery! I was painting watercolors in  my school days. That is 5 decades back!  Jack of all but master of none!

       My dream was to become a doctor.

       Dreams are dreams they can not become reality, most of the time they are destroyed!

       I graduated with History, Economics and English literature. I did my Masters in Sociology after my elder son was born.

      Mariage, children, house work, office work every thing together kept me very busy.  I served in the bank for 25 years and took voluntary retirement in 1999! 

      There was another facet to me. I was a vorascious reader from my childhood. My father was a journalist and a writer. He was a stirct desplinarian. His personality influenced me a lot.  I had a flair for writing from my schooldays. I used to win prizes in the school compititions. In collage  my articals in English were published in college magazines. But I never dreampt of becoming a writer. Somehow, I started writing poems, essays, short stories and novels. Slowly  my writings were accepted for publishing in all the leading magazines and papers in Kannada. Femina has published my English articals.That made me a writer! I have published 20 books so far. Out of this 8 are novels. 20 books include collections of poems, essays and short stories. As a writer I was connected with various literary organisations. In 2000 I became the president of Karnataka Women Writers association which is a very reputed and well organised organiation with more than 1000 members. This face of my life enriched me with lot of new experiences and brought me name and fame. I was also associated with many social service organisations.

      Everything was going fine. My 2 boys are well settled. I have one grandson who is the source of happiness. My husband was also retired and we were leading our life peacefully. But God had different plans. He is very good at destroying our plans! In 2005 we met with a serious, almost fatal road accident. We, my husband and me were confined to bed for almost 6 months. This issolation from the outside world opened some unknown world to me. My artist friend Mrs Nimmi Ravindranath pursuaded me to try with oilpaints and brushes. With her guidance I restarted  painting after almost 45 years, i.e.when I was 60! My sons were very supportive. This helped me to overcome the trauma of the accident and pain. Painting enabled me to come out of the trauma and now i am enjoying my second life with colours!

      Within 2 years I had a solo exihibition and received lot of appreciation.

       I have recovered well mentally though physically I cant run arround much. There is lot of difference in me and my husband in coming out of the trauma. I am a winner. But my husband has not yet come out of the trauma. He went into deppression.

       Thanks to this art and that almighty who took something out of me but blessed me with something interesting!  This has given me mental strength to go on with life. Now my motto is Be happy and Live for today since we dont know what is in store for us tomorrow.

        Because of this I am there with you all -the proffessional artists! Thanks to Artslant!

    If you visit My website- http//:www.usharai.com. and My blog www.usharai.blogspot.com.  you can know about me more. 

      My paintings are with www. yessy.com and www.neokala.com. ; www. finesrtamerica.com and with a very active interactive group of www.idrawandpaint.com.

        I have sold some paintings. 20% out of the sale proceeds of the paintings is going to social service organisations mainly for educating the poor.

June Showcase Entry

Golden cage

This painting tells the story of women in India. 

Women are glorified and kept inside the golden cages- since ages!

They aspire to see the outside world and communicate

But the restrictions by the family and the attrocities from the outside world

Keep them there. They are fighting to get their rights in a right way.

They know sky is the limit  and they can break the window easily.

They waiting for the proper time!!

The rays of sunlight peeping through the golden window

Rays of hope kindles in them confidence;

Hope of liberation, and hope offreedom !

They are waiting to break the golden cage!

September showcase entry

 We live in the world of fantasy where colourful dreams hypnotise us

We forget Life is different from our dreams!

Suddenly black clouds surround us and all the colours dissappear.

But we try to drive the black clouds away and like to go back to the fantasy world!

Life is exactly like this!