ISLAMABAD: An emerging impressionist artist’s work was featured at an exhibition on Monday to rave reviews from art enthusiasts.

Noted painter, poet and playwright Ahmed Habib, who opened the exhibition – titled Scapes – praised artist Saba Adeel’s bold strokes, vibrant palette and original themes.

“The artist seems to be passing through a self-exploratory process and experimenting with different genres,” he observed.

“It takes some time for a budding artist like Saba to establish her identity. Her work shows her maturity and understanding of the combination of colours and images,” he added.

He said that she transfers onto canvas what she feels. Like any sensitive artist, he said, Ms Adeel’s work shows how deeply she observes her surroundings.

As far as technique is concerned, she will hopefully gain perfection with the passage of time as she is a new entrant in the art world, Mr Habib said.

Artist Khalid Khattak and calligrapher Rifat Khattak found Ms Adeel’s work to be very powerful, showcasing the emotions and faces of average citizens.

Dr Nadeem Umar Tarar also praised the depiction of the country’s land and people.

In all, 31 pieces – 20 paintings done in oil on canvas and 11 sketches in pencil and charcoal on paper – are based on impressionism. Ms Adeel takes photographs of her subjects and then depicts them on canvas.

Some of the pieces, such as ‘When Sun Kisses the Sea’, ‘The Reflector’ and ‘The Cloudy Sun’, depict landscapes and seascapes, including the serene mountain regions of Gilgit-Baltistan, Swat and Kaghan.

Ms Adeel has skilfully combined two different moods, warm and cool, balancing out the blue and orange colours, Mr Habib commented.

The Islamabad-based artist graduated from the University of Punjab and completed her masters in fine arts from Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi, with a major in oil painting. She has been participating in solo and groups shows and competitions since 2014.

‘Terrified’, a large painting of a blood-stained young girl in oil on canvas, and the sketch ‘The Famous Violence’, which depicts a man gagging his wife, depict violence against women and girls.

Speaking to Dawn, Ms Adeel said: “Scapes is all about my perception, inspiration, and involvement in nature.”

“I am a nature lover which is reflected in this body of artwork,” she added. She said the rioting colours of leaves, the overlapping of clouds with changing shades of skies always mesmerize her.

“To show seascapes, I use the beauty of the rising sun, colours and reflections of the falling sun on the water and to depict water, boats and ships can also be seen at different places. Whereas huts, trees, flowers enhance the beauty of landscapes,” she added.

The exhibition will continue until Sept 12.

Published in Dawn, September 4th, 2019