At an age when little girls play with dolls, Malik Irtiza opted to pick up a paintbrush, dip it in color and paint away her thoughts, no matter whether it was the walls or doors of her room. Several such ‘colorful strokes’ later, she started leaving her footprints in the world of art. Calling her paintings her ‘diary’, she says they reflect her thoughts and feelings.
Excerpts from an interaction with Rajesh Prothi.
How did you get interested in painting?
I have been painting since my childhood days. I always was attracted to colors & would spend every penny on buying them, as I wanted to satisfy my urge of creating something new and totally different. This has given me many sleepless nights. It was in 2011, when I was in 7th standard I painted my first observation, it was a scenario of Kashmir I had picked up along the streets.
Of all the hobbies why painting? Who was the influence?
Picasso said, “Painting is just another way of keeping a diary”. It isn’t a hobby, rather a routine, a gift Allah has bestowed me with and I am going to make it better. I want my paintings to act outside their frames, I want my paintings to have liveliness. My every expression, observation, and experience is frozen in colors. It clears off the filth of my inside ego and provides a sense of peace. I would say my way of writing a diary.
I become inspired by everyone and everything around me, this has influenced my path of painting a lot. My teacher Qalab Hussain was the foremost one to advance me to practice better, after him K. Asif Iqbal, and Adil Mubeen have been my gurus.
Who has been encouraging you to follow up on this passion of yours?
Luckily I have met more encouragements than discouragements, but sometimes my mother gets furious about me ruining the furniture with colors, which really gets her angry. But I must say I have got an ultimate supporting family. I have never heard a “stop painting” warning. Allah has been merciful to me.
What are your favorite subjects for painting and why?
Whatever I feel is important and worth an opinion, I paint. It’s my way of expressing or making a statement. I love to do calligraphy and in it too I try to experiment. After contemplating verses in the Holy Quran. I transform that understanding into an artwork.
How supportive have been your friends and your school?
My every friend has their own unique talents and they are really good. They have always encouraged me to move higher and have been my best critics. Some of my art teachers are reasons for my progress. I ought to say my school has provided me best art teachers I could ever dream of, they are always there to steer me.
How do you cope with your studies and your passion for painting?
For me handling studies and painting at the same time does not work at all. It kind of creates an imbalance. But it is not possible to give up either of them. So I paint whenever possible. At times when it gets too irresistible to keep the thought in my mind, I paint.
How do people react when they see your artwork and realize you are so young?
I get somewhat mixed reactions, some get delighted, some a bit shocked. They say my expressions are much more mature than me. But honestly, I don’t want my paintings to be judged by my age.