Oblivious to the din of festive celebrations outside her studio in Mumbai, Nayanaa Kanodia has just finished putting the final touches to her forthcoming solo show. Titled Distinguished Company, the 30-odd canvases display her familiar wit and whimsy as she parodies classic characters from the theatre of life in contemporary India in her own inimitable style of l’art naïf or naïve art – a genre (based on the strong use of pattern or decoration, jewel-like colours, non-adherence to the formal qualities of painting…like perspective, and simplicity rather than subtlety) that is recognised the world over. Depicting individuals and families precariously balancing their traditional roots against modern leanings, she excels at taking gentle digs at our idiosyncrasies in a manner that is mirthful but not hurtful.

Married early into a conservative joint family that found it unthinkable for a woman to take up a job, she decided to pursue art instead. “When I held my shows, I stepped out into the world from the cocoon I lived in, rubbed shoulders with men and was on par with them,” she recalls, acknowledging the role of her supportive parents and husband. As a child, she was an excellent student…so after completing her homework, she sketched and painted till bedtime. Since art was not considered a subject worthy of studying then, she graduated in Economics with Honours from Lady Shri Ram College, New Delhi, won the National Scholarship from the Government of India…and got married soon after. “At every stage, my mother made sure I had the art materials I required. Later, both my parents gave me the emotional support needed for a struggling artist held back in domesticity,” she recalls.

To make up for her lack of formal education in art, Kanodia read a lot of art books and learnt from the techniques of the old masters. “I believe that to develop one’s own handwriting, one has to learn the alphabets. Similarly, it is very important for an artist to be technically sound in drawing and painting skills,” she explains. The role played by Anjolie Ela Menon on this largely self-taught artist’s career is well known – for Kanodia has always been unreserved in her acknowledgement of the veteran artist’s influence on her. “I apprenticed with Anjolie Ela Menon in the early ’90s for about a year. Once I had reached a certain degree of excellence, she agreed to groom me in the finer nuances of painting. Not only did I hone my skills, but I learnt from her experiences. She inculcated in me the importance of the thought process being as important as one’s painting skill,” she discloses.