The journey that began in my childhood did not remain confined to colors alone, it evolved into a journey of experience, culture, and self-discovery. Coming from a modest financial background, I started by sketching on walls with charcoal, and at times, I brought the dreams in my eyes to life on paper. My love for art transformed every challenge into an opportunity.

I have worked across a range of mediums including pencil, watercolor, acrylics, and oils. As an artist, my work primarily revolves around realism, from expressive portraits to the calm yet eloquent beauty of nature. I mostly create portraits and landscapes, striving to capture the inner emotions of people and places — revealed through light, texture, and color.

I have traveled across many states in India, painting live in natural surroundings and absorbing the local atmosphere, culture, and spirit. Whether I’m working from photographs, within the studio, or painting on-site — each time, I try to capture the “breath” of the place — not just the scene, but the life within it.

For me, painting is a conversation — with the canvas, with the place, with the person… and ultimately, with myself. Through my paintings, I don’t just depict reality — I express lived experience.

I currently live in Pune and continue to pursue a deeper study of painting. Along this journey, I have had the opportunity to work on portraits, murals, temple artwork reconstructions, and several state-level, national, and private projects. What means the most to me is the love I’ve received from society, the encouragement of students, and the recognition I’ve earned as an artist — that is my true success.

Today, I can confidently say: “I live through art — and that’s how life has found me.”

— Omkar Pawar (Artist)