Jajpur: Ability is nothing without opportunity, a famous quote by Napoleon Bonaparte, holds good at least in the case of Anil Dhir, an expert hand in canvas painting.
A resident of Sorai in Madhusudanpur panchayat of Dharmasala block in this district, Anil has a flair for painting nature. He translates various landscapes into canvases in a manner that very few can match up to, said a villager. Despite being a gifted artist, he is yet to get the recognition that he deserves, the villager added. Even though Anil is just a Class X pass out, he is a known face in the artist circle of the district. He does magic on canvas with colour and paintbrush in his hand, said another villager.
Anil’s passion and weakness for painting were evident in his school days. When the teachers used to advise the students to concentrate on skills like dance, music, other forms of art and social activities, Anil focused on painting. At that time, he used to borrow brush and colour from his friends and paint everything he observed on canvas. Though he didn’t get much encouragement from the family due to poor financial condition, it failed to deter him and he continued to hone his skills.
In the last 10 years, he has managed to transform the beauty of nature on over a hundred canvases in adverse conditions.
“Even as most of my creations are bought by customers instantly, I don’t get the worth of my talent. I continue to struggle with my poor economic condition,” Anil said.
He certainly deserves bigger stage to showcase his talent, a buyer stated.
PNN