Easel does it

Award-winning child artists display their work at the ongoing Bal Disha exhibitionu00a0-- now in its seventeenth year - at the Nehru art gallery Sana Khanyari says she hopes to become an artist, fashion designer or an interior designer when she grows upSana Khanyari (10) is visibly thrilled. 14 of her paintings are being displayed at the Nehru Art Gallery's annual exhibition, Bal Disha. This is a first for the 2009 Lalit Kala Akademi award-winner, who admits to feeling a little, but not much pressure post the award.Sana will have her work displayed alongside fellow award-winning child artists, including Vedika Kanchan (9), Priyanshu Thakur (11), and Jash Solanki (8). Vedika Kanchan, who has had her artwork selected for an exhibition at the recent Commonwealth Games, will also display a 3-D craft model of a jungle, apart from her paintings. The student of Arya Vidya Mandir says that the environment forms the central theme in most of her paintings.Art is a stress-buster for Sana, claims proud mom Nandini Khanyari, adding that her daughter is likely to have inherited her talent from dad Waheed. I am not artistic at all, says Nandini, a view that gets endorsed very quickly by Sana. You should see my mom's handwriting, giggles the student of Maneckji Cooper Education Trust School.Artistic flairSana, her mother says, showed an affinity for painting from a very young age. She was around two or three years old when I enrolled her in an art class. It was one of the mothers at the class who encouraged me to get Sana to attend individual sessions as she felt she was gifted, shares Nandini.The ex-Hannah Montana fan, who claims to have no taste for real-life Hannah Montana, Miley Cyrus' brand of music, made 30 bookmarks for her teachers as gifts on Teachers' Day. I didn't want to gift them flowers, which they eventually throw away, she says.Nine year-old Vedika Kanchan says that she finds her inspiration from the world around herNandini, who teaches Mathematics and English, says that she is very clear that Sana not neglect her studies. I had no clue that she took part in the Lalit Kala, says Nandini about the award given by India's National Academy of Art to support fine arts in the country. Waheed feels this is her passion and that she should be encouraged.Jeweller Waheed Khanyari, whose life's philosophy can possibly be summarised from a quote that hangs in his office, which reads: 'Born to fish. Forced to work' says, She is lucky. After all, how many of us are able to pursue what we love. At Nehru Centre Art Gallery, Dr Annie Besant Road, Worli. Call 24963426. Open from 11 am to 7 pmTill November 15 Artworks by Sana Khanyari, Priyanshu Thakur and Jash Solanki will be on sale at the exhibition. Prices range between Rs 1,500 and Rs 2,000.