If God lives in the details, He certainly has taken up residence in G Subramanian's studio.u00a0 The graphic designer-turned-artist has earned a formidable reputation for his miniature paintings and his collages on mixed media and canvas.

"I lived and worked in Saudi Arabia for 18 years, where I spent my free time painting. As a painter, you have the freedom to give shape to your imagination. Before I knew it, painting became my full-time profession. I exhibited my work at art galleries and won a few awards too.u00a0 I travelled tou00a0 Italy and the US to exhibit my work," he says.

The Gulf War forced him to rethink his career plans as he began to feel stifled as an artist. "When I returned to India, the sense of freedom here was exhilarating," he says. Subramanian's paintings are mostly figurative works. He paints the pantheon of Hindu Gods and Goddesses in vivid colours, but his favourite remains Ganesha, the elephant-headed God.

"I hail from a small town in Tamil Nadu. My father was a stage actor and I was fascinated by how costumes and make-up transform the way a person looks and behaves. Even to this day, theatre is my main source of inspiration. Every time I sit down to paint I recall images from the stage," he explains.

Particularly striking are hisu00a0 portraits of children with cheerful faces. "Children inspire me. I strive to convey their innocence and their energy in my paintings," he says with a smile.

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