This is my artistic approach to creating a Punjabi cultural dialogue with 83 pages of photographed and graphically reproduced mixed media illustrations, artworks and digital works, combined with a hand written and a typed collection of "Gallan" (Conversations). These illustrations and conversations about Punjabi culture, poetry, music, art genres and events are inspired by Punjabi Alphabets called "Gurmukhi".
This book is for anyone interested in Punjabi culture, learning basic Punjabi language, vocabulary and grammar. I want this book to offer the audience not only an insight into the culture but ignites curiosity to know and want more.
This book seamlessly targets an audience of varied interests and age groups by including:
-An art lesson
-Complete instructions for an outdoor game of Marbles
-Each artwork, illustrations and graphics are signed or initialized.
-Fully translated folk song and a poem by legendary poet.
-Self portrait of the artist
Author Biography:
Ameet's studio and her retreat is on Vancouver Island in Canada, which she shares with her husband, children and Sayb, her German Shepherd.
She grew up surrounded with a vibrant and lively atmosphere full of books, conversations, ideas, cultural and global exchanges. Her father was a Professor and Head of the Zoology department, a very well read man with a passion for history and culture, her mother, a professor in sitar, an instrumental musical instrument.
Ameet is a graduate of Punjab university, with an undergraduate degree, a major in fine arts and a Masters degree in English literature. During the undergraduate studies program at Guru Gobind Singh College, she honed her skills as an artist and secured many awards for a diverse variety of paintings and securing the best junior artist award in inter college competitions. For example, in 1994, Ameet was awarded the Certificates of merit for "Best Outstanding Student", "First Position in English literature", "Best position in Fine Arts". In 1992, she secured 2nd place in Cartooning and in 1993 Landscape painting at the Punjab university youth festivals. Upon completion of the academic studies, Ameet has been actively engaged in teaching a wide variety of subjects, including art and publishing and graphics at various institutions in China and Canada. In addition, Ameet continues to pursue her passion in art and has exhibited her artwork in galleries in Shanghai and Mexico. One can visit her website, http: www.ameetart.com, for some examples of her novel artwork.
While she was living a globe-trotting life with her husband, raising third culture kids, it not only offered unique challenges for her but everyone in a similar situation, which has inspired her to log her culture in a unique and captivating manner. It led her to reminisce Punjabi culture through Punjabi alphabets. Her artworks, illustrations, doodles, and notes, all flowing onto her sketchpad in almost a stream of consciousness manner, translating into the making of "Gallan".
