Nature gives such peace, says artist Mangal Gogte

They say things happen when you least expect them to. Such is the case of Mangal Gogte who used to paint during her college days, took a long gap from doing that only to find her favourite passion resurface after her marriage. “It was during a winter vacation to Ooty, I went to the famous Botanical Gardens there.

The sight filled me with joy, I wanted to capture it in a painting, so I got started,” she says.

Ever since, Mangal carries her papers, brushes and paints with her wherever she goes and her work has found appreciation in India and abroad. “I haven’t had any formal education in art,” she admits. “I just learned as I went along.” Her profession as a writer,  a member of Road Safety Advisory Committee, Mumbai Traffic Police for about 20 years and an Economics lecturer — all of which take her travelling — add to her work and her paintings are inspired by her trips to Finland, Switzerland and in India — Ooty, Alibag, Kashmir and Gangtok.

The subject is after her own heart. “My paintings are mainly landscapes, I’m drawn to nature as it gives such peace. I also love water colours as there are limitless possibilities of using shades with them, something which you cannot achieve with oils,” she ends.