MEET REKHA
Born in Bombay in a lower middle class brahmin family, a conventional treadmill was set in place. Brought up until 8 by my aunt, childhood memories are of exploring looking for treasures, drawing on walls with pencil, paper boats in the gutter, fierce marble wars and good food from the kitchen.
Displaced at 8 and back in the dysfunctional family of my parents started a decade of feeling lost, untethered confusion and lack of love. Always eager to draw and paint, yet being forced into a job secure course, I majored in Political Science. I taught undergraduates and it sparked my love for teaching.
I managed to dodge the usual arranged marriage pattern and met my wonderful husband on a trek that I had sneaked out to! We got married despite the disapproval from both our families. We moved to Singapore to bring up our 2 children, and I decided to stay home to take care of my kids. I worked as a market researcher, IT and English teacher during our stay there.
The Reset
We moved to England in 2000. With Sameer's support, I enrolled into a foundation art course and worked part time to fund my course. The fire was stoked, and over the next few years, I juggled 2 children while pursuing an undergraduate and Masters degree in Fine Arts from Central St Martins, London. I finally could confidently say 'I am an Artist!'
The Now
The last 2 decades have been a lifetime of progress, evolution and meaning. I have explored the different facets of being an artist using many different mediums and subject matters. I have expanded into curating my own exhibitions and hosting art residencies all over the world. I have taught art to undergraduates and secondary school students and mentored artists on my residencies. I have tried pushing the boundaries of my comfort zone and use writing as another medium of art. I truly feel that the world is my oyster and that there are so many more challenges, experiences and skills for me to encounter and learn.