Painting against time

As the music reaches its crescendo, so do the brush strokes and before you can blink, there’s a canvas of colours before your eyes. That’s Vilas Nayak, who has been painting the town, well, literally. So what sets him apart? It’s his incredible ability to paint a portrait five or six feet high in a matter of a few minutes.

Vilas, who has never gone to an art school is a self-taught painter. His tryst with colours began from childhood and though he never got the chance to train himself formally, he kept at his art through the years. He was soon drawn towards the art of live painting in front of an audience, taking inspiration from artists like BKS Varma and American speed painter, Denny Dent. A regular on talent-based reality shows and rock concerts, he now regales people with his art, winning accolades too.

Among all his performances, the 27-year old remembers the one in front of the armed forces on Independence Day. “It was great to be able to pay tribute to their bravery — painting with Aye Mere Watan Ke Logo playing in the background,” he recollects.