When Aditya & Pushpa named their little son as ‘SHORYA’ in the year 2006, they didn’t know this kid will prove that he has all the characteristics that mean ‘Shorya’! Shorya Mahanot, India’s child Picasso, also recognized as World Youngest Signature Style Abstract Artist stands true to his name. At barely an age of 11, Shorya has gained fame, pride and has shown his true bravery by keeping behind the conventional behavior and intellect of kids of this age. There is no looking back for Shorya who has got international acclaim with his art that leaves viewers surprised each time!

Team imd1 was curious to know his story from him & his proud parents. Read on as we share the pocket-sized powerhouse inspiration!

We are really keen to know, how did your journey begin?

It all began when I sneaked into my sister’s room one day when no one was watching. When I was a child the most interesting spaces in the home for me were my 2 elder sister’s rooms. Both are artists. Their rooms were always full of paintings, colors, brushes, canvasses and other things I loved. They would never share these things with me. They gave me crayons and paper sheets but I wanted more. I never missed a chance to enter their rooms secretly. I was lucky that day as they were having dinner and I sneaked into my favorite space and to my delight I found a blank canvass and colors waiting just for me. I had my fun on the canvass with the colors. When I came out of their room I had become a “colorful personality”, I remember my sister and mom rushing towards me with frightened faces. Immediately I ran to my room and waited for my punishment. But to my pleasant surprise and delight my mom and sisters hugged me. They had seen the fun I had expressed on the canvas. They were amazed by what had emerged. Since then they have only encouraged me to do what I love.

Beyond Painting

We were simply amazed to see his taste for colors with his first ever art work. Above all we observed that he enjoyed what he was doing. After that we allowed him to work at art room where previously he was prohibited to enter in.

What’s your success mantra?

As such I have never thought of success. I love my work tremendously. I enjoy myself when I paint. Success is merely a by-product.

We never encouraged Shorya to think in terms of success. We simply want him to enjoy and express himself through his paintings.

What were the hardships / hurdles you encountered and the way you overcame in your journey?

Only hardship I came across is balancing my school along with the academic commitments and pursuing my love for paintings.

Yes, apart from balancing his academic and artistic pursuits, it was a big challenge for us to reach his work to art lovers & connoisseurs of India and beyond.

Success is incomplete without its share of failures. How should one overcome them to move on?

Never think about failures. Think about doing next task better.

Being successful is an anxiety that the world painfully and proudly bears in its heads and hearts. Thank God Shorya is still untouched by this anxiety. One should overcome their failures with their confidence, vision and hard work.

Do you think Painting and its learning’s can be helpful in life even if one does not want to consider it as a career goal?

For me painting is more than a career. It is my medium of communication and a way to create a beautiful world. When I paint, I feel I am honestly expressing myself and having a lot of fun doing that. Even if it is not a career, art can be a source of joy.

Our attitudes to our children’s careers are different. We want all our children to find their true calling. We want them to find out one gift that they have been blessed with and with which they can be of service to others. If in Shorya’s case it is painting then so be it. Even if painting is not a career for any one it can be a really uplifting source of entertainment and pleasure. It can also be a very lucrative long-term investment.

Who has been your influencer in this journey & how?

Apart from my sisters and parents whom I love and adore, I rely on my own imagination and the nature for inspiration

We believe that art as a medium has chosen Shorya. Beyond that we do not analyze it. We believe it is the medium itself that will continue to evolve along with and through Shorya.

Who has been your influencer in this journey & how?

Apart from my sisters and parents whom I love and adore, I rely on my own imagination and the nature for inspiration

We believe that art as a medium has chosen Shorya. Beyond that we do not analyze it. We believe it is the medium itself that will continue to evolve along with and through Shorya.

Which was “that” moment when you considered yourself as “I am the 1”?

I want to submit it most humbly that the best of my works is yet to be created. But when my paintings were appreciated by others, ‘I felt I am the 1’

When we saw his initial paintings, we realized it.

Did you get any formal training and how was that journey?

Living in our family it’s really tough not to become an artist. I consider my parents and my sisters as very accomplished artists. The dining room of our house is best training institute.

We share our thoughts and opinions honestly and constructively whenever he asks for it.

Could you reflect on the importance of systematic training in Painting?

I am not exposed to systematic training anywhere. So, I can’t comment on it.

Systematic training in art is immensely helpful. However, we would like Shorya to carve his own path.

What are the pre-coaching essentials e.g. Right age, mindset or any other?

Desire and love for art are bare essentials.

We refer to a proverb “Jump in the pond and you will learn to swim.” You can spend years after years learning swimming theoretically, but you can’t learn swimming. The moment you learn to distinguish balance in water you learn swimming. To us artistic pursuit is something similar.

How can one select an ideal ‘Guru’ for getting formal training for Painting?

Only an ideal student can find an ideal Guru. Important is to become an Ideal student first.

We believe anything that inspires the mind is a guru. We have not limited the concept of a guru to a person. It could be an idea, or a story. We believe nature is the best guru one can find if one is a good student.

What according to you, can be a scope for improvement in training for Painting in India?

As far as art is concerned, there are no limits. But art should be a full-fledged subject in schools and colleges.

During my travels across the country I came across several immensely talented people, some of them in remote countryside of country. I met folk singers musicians, dancers, sculptor & accomplished artists from many other streams. But I felt their creativity is getting blunt or dying due to a lack of patronage. Awareness about art is important.

What do you suggest for better accessibility of Painting in remote parts of India?

Art festivals and exhibitions.

Exposure. Each town should have art galleries.

In your opinion, what are the basic key traits apart from formal training that make “imd1”?

Passionate love for the chosen medium

Constant practice & hard work.

Your piece of advice to parents and new generation especially when some people are skeptical about career in extra curriculum.

Do what you love to do. It is important that you have fun doing what you do.

We do not blame the parents. There is a lack of patronage for art in our country. But if the parents find some extraordinary skill in their children, they should definitely encourage them to pursue it.

One thing which you feel you want to change from the past while you walk down memory lane…

Around 2 -3 years ago I watched news of students who were killed by terrorists while they were studying at their school somewhere in Pakistan. I was extremely shocked and disturbed. I could not paint for several weeks. I was scared to go to school, and felt like weeping quite occasionally. If I get an opportunity to change anything that matters, I want to replace the gun in the hands of terrorists by with a painting brush. I remember we observed silence for 2 minutes to pay our homage to our Pakistani friends.

How can one identify & encourage talent in the family?

Talent can’t remain hidden.

Any other thoughts you want to share?

I want to explain what do I actually do when I paint… To understand that, let us understand my tools first. The canvas space is really my mind space. My thoughts and emotions become alive in this space. My brushes are no different from my fingers, in fact, they are my fingers. To me, colors have no names. I know them by how they feel to me and what I am creating. So, when I am in front of the canvas, I let go of myself. I become a different person. I step into a different world. I know exactly what I am feeling and what I want to express. When I am feeling like this, I give up the need to understand anything or give a meaning or label to anything. I really become an artist. I just watch as the artist that I have become is simply communicating what I am thinking and feeling on the canvas. And let me tell you both of us are having unbelievable fun. What emerges on the canvas when we are exhausted is the real magic. People adore my paintings and say that I have a ‘signature style’. But for me, it’s just a beautiful feeling.

Once sitar maestro Ravi Shankar shared his experience in an interview. Host of that interview enquired about the intricacies of his art and his practice i.e. ‘Riyaz’. Ravi Shankar gave a beautiful answer which is worth sharing. He said that if I miss my Riyaz for a day, I myself feel something missing in my recital, if I miss my Riyaz for a week the connoisseurs feel something the missing in recital, and I miss my Riyaz for a month even general audience feels something is missing in my recital.

Hence practice is must for every artist. Practice creates a desire within artist to achieve higher levels, and push their limits regularly.