The drawing of the Banyan tree currently showing in Sangeeta Gupta Prithvi fine art and cultural centre was drawn by Kate Bowen in response to the daily struggle of the Trees of Delhi to absorb the CO2 . There were many more drawings which were on display at the Gallery and all her work can be seen on the following link:

www.katebowen.co.uk.

Kate’s work is highly intricate with painstakingly drawn details of branches and leaves of each type of tree. While discussing her work with her, I confessed to her that, when I was posted in Khadakwasla, I had developed a relationship with a tree, and used to talk to it. She was in totally synergy with that idea. “Yes they are like living beings with feelings and emotions.” She said. A resident of Great Britain, she’s in India because of her husband’s posting. “How do you know so much about the local trees?” One asked

“Inspired by the immense varieties of trees and with The Trees of Delhi by Pradip Krishen as my guide, I have started a series of Tree studies drawn with squirrel brush in Indian Ink on Banana leaf paper”, explains Kate. The Banyan Tree is at Sanskriti Museums The Ficus Virens at Italian Institute of Culture and the Peelu and Firangipani are in the Sundar Nursery “I plan to develop some of the tree studies using the miniature painting technique with stone pigments. I am also now studying miniature painting with Banwari Lal Rajput. A very huge privilege and feel blessed to learn about this incredible tradition,” she adds.