An artist must be true, sincere and humble, says veteran painter

After devoting 22 years to teaching students the nuances of painting, Bably S Singh now immerses herself in colouring the canvas—expressing her feelings, thoughts and life’s messages through her art.

Her journey with colours began early; she was just 10 when she started painting and by the age of 14, she had already put up her first exhibition. Since then, she has consistently held exhibitions of her artwork—though never for sale. If someone appreciates a piece, she’s happy to gift it, but refuses to sell it.

“For me, an artist must be true, sincere and humble,” she says. “Every creative work requires humility. And one can perceive the truth through humility only. I’ve tried to convey this through my paintings as well.”

Her paintings carry deep messages, often reflected in the captions. One such work titled Balihari Kudrat Vaseya beautifully expresses the wonder of nature with its myriad colours. Other notable titles in her collection include Pinks in Bloom, Desires, Amaltas, Glamour, Bliss, Dream, Sab Teri Kudrat, Fire of Five Evils and Memories—each echoing a unique message.

Speaking about her passion, Bably Singh shares that her work has been appreciated by several leading personalities over the years. “Surjit Patar, Janmeja Singh Johal and many others have always supported me. They were instrumental in organising many exhibitions. Sometimes, it is really beautiful to flow like colours—just to flow with our thoughts and emotions,” she reflects.

Though she has taken a step back from the spotlight recently due to personal reasons, Bably Singh is optimistic about returning with a fresh exhibition in a few months featuring her latest creations. “If a thought strikes me at 1:30 am, I just pick up the brush and start pouring everything out onto the canvas. Painting is my soul,” she says with quiet conviction. Born in Madras, Bably holds an MA in English and Music. She was also selected as a member of the Punjab Lalit Kala Akademi by the renowned Dr MS Randhawa.

Punjab