Today we’d like to introduce you to Indra Persad Milowe

Indra, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?

When I thought about all the kitchens that I had cooked in, my favorite was my grandmother’s kitchen. She cooked with three chulhas, outdoor earthen stoves that required a lot of skill to manipulate the pieces of wood and keep the flame burning correctly. To become an “eligible bride,” one of the requirements was to be able to puff a paratha (a type of flatbread), with the right texture and consistency. After mastering that skill, you were allowed to place “your handprint” on her kitchen wall. It was like a graduation! That kitchen brought up a lot of memories of different foods that were cooked for different festivals. Hence my first painting was my grandmother’s kitchen. As I began to plan out this painting, I remembered the smell of freshly made laddos (chickpea sweet balls), which were a favorite dessert of ours and of Lord Ganesh. Lord Ganesh is the “Remover of All Obstacles” and the first Hindu deity to be worshiped in all festivals and ceremonies. Therefore, my second painting was Ganesh Chaturthi (birthday of Ganesh).
My agee’s (paternal grandmother) mantra was: “Eat your dahl and roti and surrender to God’s way.” अपनी दाल रोटी खाओ और भगवान रास्ता देगा apanee daal rotee khao aur bhagavaan raasta dega

There is a personal story behind every one of my paintings. I painted every single festival celebrated in Trinidad, West Indies, as well as all the folklore stories that I heard while growing up. This is the reason for the title: “Festivals and Folklore of Trinidad, West Indies.” In retirement, I left general, ophthalmic and psychiatric nursing in April 2019. I had worked in England, Malta, Trinidad, and the United States. Through British Nurses Overseas, I was able to work in different countries. Ultimately, I decided to go back to art during my retirement. I prefer working on canvas with multi-colored and gold acrylic paints.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?

In March 2020, I had my first solo art exhibition at Lynnfield Public Library with 25 paintings and “I was on top of the world!”

Then just one week later the library closed for a year and a half due to Covid 19. So, I had to patiently wait like the rest of the world. My exhibition finally reopened in September 2021. I made good use of my time during the Covid pandemic. I painted a lot and had many online exhibitions, with galleries located both in Trinidad, West Indies and the USA. I also started doing outdoor public art.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?

My painting enhances my creativity both on the canvas and in other aspects of my life! It also has an uplifting effect on my mental and emotional well-being.

Most of my ideas come to me when I am lying in my bed so I keep a sketch book and pen next to it. I sketch my thoughts before putting them onto my canvas. I also do a lot of research before I start sketching. I left Trinidad at age eighteen and am now seventy-two years old. I wanted to focus my artwork on childhood memories and growing up on a unique multicultural island. Weekends and holidays were spent at my grandparent’s house. There was a Hindu temple on their street which was the community hub. There is so much that I thought I had forgotten but the memories streamed back for my series “Festivals and Folklore of Trinidad, West Indies.”

I was an “Artist in Residence” at Mauser Eco House in Parrita, Costa Rica and Air Ubud, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia. I have travelled extensively around the world including Morocco and 60 cities throughout Europe, North and South America and Asia.

In Costa Rica, at Mauser, I started doing public art. I painted a huge mural by their main entranceway. At home, I continued public outdoor art winning two Public Arts Grants from the City of Salem, Massachusetts. My work is on display in historic Derby Square and Artists’ Row.

Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?

I think that museums and online exhibitions will continue to thrive. I think more public venues will see the value and beauty of displaying art. Outdoor art and murals are a trend that will definitely grow!

For example, in London, where Banksy has just put up numerous new murals, locals and tourists alike are flocking there to see them. This makes neighborhoods more attractive, uplifts peoples’ spirits and local businesses thrive as well.

An example from the USA: The Philadelphia Mural Arts Program has created over 4,000 murals across Philadelphia since 1984. Their murals beautify neighborhoods, engage youth, and employ artists. One famous mural is “Peace Wall,” a 1,600-foot mural envisioning peace in the midst of violence.

This trend is ongoing everywhere! In my own city of Salem, Massachusetts, we had virtually no murals ten years ago. Now more of our streets are adorned with art!

Pricing:

• Contact me for pricing on a particular piece of art.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.indrapersadmilowe.com
• Instagram: indra.persad.milowe
• Facebook: Indra Persad-milowe

Image Credits

myself