One is never too old to learn. This was amply proved by artist Polly Kaur of Assam. For, though she had an inborn talent, she took formal training as an artist only at the age of 36 – a rarity.

Recently back from Jaipur after successfully holding her solo painting exhibition billed Search for Self at Sukriti Art Gallery of Jawahar Kala Kendra in the Pink City from November 11 to 17, Polly is destined to go places for her devotion, dedication and discipline in the art. Small wonder that she has been contacted for ‘exciting’ shows in Canada and star hotels, after her creations caught the eye of connoisseurs at Jaipur.

Her paintings depict the varied aspects of women. While reflecting the inherent soft and tender nature of women, her paintings also show women as strong and bold, revealing that, despite their structure and feelings that seem to portray them as relatively weak compared to men, women have the ability to survive and flourish even in adverse situations.

Of the 41 of her selected paintings exhibited at Jaipur, 16 were in water colour on paper, and 25 in acrylic on canvas. Encouraging reviews about the exhibition and her paintings were carried in the local and national newspapers, and one critic wrote – ‘The soft and tender nature, coupled with a bold and strong resolve no matter what, reflect vividly in the moods and postures of the paintings’.

Having held several solo and group exhibitions, besides workshops countrywide including New Delhi, Kolkata, Baroda, Nagpur, Ghaziabad and Jaipur, Polly’s paintings adorn different institutions and homes in India and abroad.

Born at Diphu in 1963, Polly did not have any formal training in painting or as an artist until 1998, when her daughter, Maggie Deka, now manager of a global bank at Bangalore, after realising her mother’s gift and passion for painting pressed her to undergo some formal training as a artist. It was then that Polly enrolled herself at Gauhati Artists’ Guild (GAG) that very year, before holding her maiden solo and group exhibitions two years later in Guwahati and New Delhi.

Recalling her childhood, Polly said: “My Ma even had beaten and scolded me, as I drew portraits of Ma and Papa from photographs while studying.” Her mother added, “She was also very good in music and dance.” Polly further informed that “I played the sitar and also sang, and have penned a good collection of poetry, too”.

It is heartening that her versatile talents did not go in vain altogether, for which Polly is indebted to her daughter, as it was for her that Polly’s proficiency as an artist got adequately honed up at the GAG, without which her artistic talents would never have found expression.

For all those who think themselves to old to pursue formal training in the fields they show promise, it’s never too late to learn.

Simanta Bhagawati