Imagine one day, you just got up from bed and found that the world was all grayscale, everything around you, the trees, the sky, the house you dwell in, your favorite dress, oh wait, even you are solely black and white. How will that feel? Today we bring the story of Gauri Bharadwaj, a married woman from Gurgaon, loves to keep her home tidy and decorate it as beautifully as possible.
Well, you see, colors have an essential role in our lives. To make it lively, they bestow that specific something necessary for us to survive in this monotonous life: variance, that is! Life is a roller coaster ride, and ups and downs are a part of it. We sure are fond of the ups, but we don’t do well with the downs, do we? Some downs are just like a hurdle in our path. All you got to do is jump over it and proceed. While some obstacles are massive walls, you can’t just leap over them, and so you might think that breaking them is the only option.
Well, yes, smashing through the walls in your way is a good idea but indeed, not the only idea. As the saying goes, when life gives you lemons, make lemonade of it instead of throwing them away. So, when life throws a wall at you, color it!; instead of smashing through it. The story we bring you today is about a person who did it!
Home, typically defined as a place where we shelter, provides us a roof, where we can rest, reside, etc. But home is not just a place, which is documented in our name. It is a place where we live our lives, it is a place where we can always return to even after the longest of the days, and it is there to relieve us! And so, keeping up the home in its top-notch condition is what falls upon us.
One such incident has changed the life of Gauri. So, what was the incident that changed Gauri’s life? Let’s hear it in her own words.
Gauri Bharadwaj – Her Story
I live with my husband and my five months old daughter lives in Gurgaon in a rented apartment. Things were going well, and everything was fine initially, but then I noticed that the wall of our house had started catching some dirty moisture one day. This moisture had resulted in hideous patches all over the wall, and it got me worried. I have been practicing painting for some time, and in fact, I love painting.
So, I thought hanging some paintings would cover it up, but it was no help. Even though the apartment we live in is a rented one, we have been living in this apartment for quite a long time, and so I feel it is my responsibility to keep it clean and beautiful since we live here. So, I was dying to do a makeover to the wall. And thus, we called our landlord and asked for permission, and he too agreed.
Hence, I decided to paint the two walls with those dirty patches. It was not easy to manage since I am a mother of a five-month-old daughter. I need to be there for her all the time. So I used to paint the walls at night while my husband took care of her. It took me a while, but the results were worth it! I was so pleased after I completed the work. Even our landlord was super happy with the work.
A hobby like a painting made her do this next-level thing, but how did this idea bloom in her mind when she took up this hobby?
Well, painting is not something I have been doing since childhood. In fact, until my marriage, I never even knew that I could paint. After my marriage, I thought of trying something new, and that is when I tried painting for the first time. My initial trials were disasters, but then I looked up some YouTube videos that could help me explore and learn about painting.
It helped me a lot as I practiced, and day by day, it got better. Soon, my family and friends started appreciating my work, which fueled my passion for doing better and better. Today, when I look at my artworks, I get captivated and wonder if these are my creations!
Since my paintings got better and better every day, I thought of starting a social media handle to showcase my work. Soon, I got some queries about my artworks if I am selling them or doing some interior decor, which made me think about it.
Deciding to paint is an easy job, but deciding on what to paint is the most challenging thing to do! So what is it that inspires Gauri to paint?
Exploring different styles and painting different things is what I prefer, but what inspires my core when it comes to painting is Nature. I mean, what’s better than painting the canvas with the most beautiful creator itself. Painting nature is what I love the most! If someone sends me a picture, for instance, there was a picture captured by my brother which was of an empty road with an end number of trees draping the road from both sides. It was love at first sight for me. I painted it right away.
There was one more incident when my friend who had visited Portugal captured an elegant sight of a window, the moment I saw that one, I was confident that I’d paint it. Whatever seems beautiful to me is destined to be on my canvas or sheets.
Upon asking how she manages to paint such beautiful creations and buy time from the daily chores, she says that her husband has been her biggest supporter. He helps her with all the possible work. There is a stereotype that only women are supposed to look after the house and the household chores, but I haven’t felt it that way. I have a husband who always helps me.
My brother cooks for his family because that is what he loves to do. I’ve always seen my father helping my mother with her work, etc. I feel work is not something that is to be labeled by gender. If one loves to do it, s/he should. It’s all about if you love to do it because doing what you love is the key to a fulfilling and content life!
There’s always a woman behind a man’s success, which is how the saying goes. But in Gauri’s case, it’s more like behind her success is her whole family and friends.
‘Maybe, the saying should be like, behind a person’s success are the people who love and support him/her.’ says Gauri. ‘In my case, I’m blessed with many people from my family and my friends. Not only do they appreciate my art, but they also point out the flaws in it. Even my father has an artistic hand, so I get many valuable lessons along the way. At the same time, my friends love to buy my creations and decorate their houses with them. I’m so lucky that I have them by my side.’
With a creative mind and her love when decorating her home, what is Gauri’s idea of a beautiful home?
‘A happy family makes a beautiful home. It is what I believe as a person. A beautiful home means one which is lavishly decorated and presented extravagantly, but that’s not it! From the viewpoint of a decor enthusiast, a beautiful home represents you, your hobbies, and your passion.
It should reflect you as a person. For instance, my husband and I love plants, so we’ve planted many in our living room since greenery is always eye-pleasing and plants are the best air purifiers. My artwork is all around the house, over the walls, vases, etc. All of this represents my interests and my passion. A beautiful home is the one that represents you!’
Apart from painting, Gauri has a keen interest in books which you can feel through her words. She is also fond of 3D artworks and tattoos. Upon asking when she developed a liking for the 3D artwork and tattoos, she says, ‘I was randomly going through my social media feed when I came across some posts where people had done such 3D works on paper and even on their hands. So that is when I thought, if they can they what is stopping you from doing it, go for it!’ We can get inspired by various things around us. All we need to have is a keen eye and an open mind.
She has also participated in some painting exhibitions and had a wonderful experience in those exhibitions. But Gauri does not intend to settle with just what she is at right now!
‘I have a dream of starting up an art gallery of my own someday! This gallery is where I would love to invite the self-taught and self-made artists who have found their way right from scratch independently! This dream gives me goosebumps every time I think about it, and someday I will make it true!’ proclaims Gauri.
A word of wisdom:
Gauri, a house decor enthusiast, often came across conversations where people say, ‘The day we’ll own a house, then we will decorate it.’ So what are her views on this?
”I understand that a rented apartment comes with limitations to what one can do, but since that is the place you live and belong, you should do something or the other to make it feel beautiful. Besides, ‘the day when we will owe a house,’ we often plan many things for the future but then do all the things come to fruition in the future? Why can’t we live in the present more? Doing it now is much more gratifying than planning for later, as you never know, ‘Kal Ho Na Ho!’
In today’s world, following dreams is not feasible for everyone since we are bound to the clock’s hands. However, stealing some time for self is equally essential. Besides, hobbies are stressbusters and help a lot in relaxing. So find a hobby you can live with and never give up on your passion and dreams because,
The most important journey of your life may not involve climbing the highest peak or trekking worldwide. The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams!
–Oprah Winfrey
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