Interview with Aamir Khatri

Hi readers Today we are going to meet a great painter , who paints with a thought of Peace ,his paintings are a message for the humanity ,a message of peace and respect for this world. He is a textile designer professionally but he is painting since childhood and has created a great collection of meaningful paintings .His project of painting is "thirst of Peace" and "Women feelings".Here is the conversation with the inspiring painter Aamir Khatri I hope you will keen to learn from his life ,experiences and his peaceful thoughts Here we go:

ME: “Painting is the greatest inspiration of your life "do you think this line describes your life best or not?

Aamir:

Yes, my art is experience of my life…

ME: How much important painting and designing is in your life?

Aamir:

I am a God gifted artist, so I can’t live without doing art. I create new artworks daily. As we know that in Pakistan artists can’t choose paintings as a profession, so I am doing designs for earning bread and butter. I love to do Painting for my inner satisfaction and sharing my views easily with human beings. So, painting and designing is as important for me as respiratory system is important in everyone's life.

Me: Childhood of every one imposes a great effect on one’s life, personality and character, how you feel about your childhood?

Aamir:

Yes I believe on it, whatever I am today is a result of human behavior. I have much more things to share, the question is this that why I decide to paint? What were my feelings which force me to do something new? How I feel that I have this talent? Why I use this God gifted ability for attention peoples towards me? Definitely I have some feelings of ignorance. I must say that my feelings of ignorance push me to do art. I can say my childhood was not very good but not very bad. When I move towards my childhood I see only my mother. She did a lot for us like all mothers but I think she did little bit more than her abilities……

I always remember autograph message of my teacher Miss Seema Ghazi,

“Social to all, familiar to some,

Friendship to one, enemy to none”

Me: Did you believe in fantasies when you were a child and do you think childhood fantasies are important for one or not?

Aamir:

Yes, I believed in fantasies in childhood and fantasies are important for children because fantasies are the demand of childhood. Fantasies are the most interesting things in childhood.

Me: What you really wish to become; a painter, designer or something else you wished to do?

Aamir:

I had always wished to become a painter but as we know that we (Pakistanis) can't choose only art as our profession that's why I also choose designing to earn bread and butter but if I will be able to afford my expenses through my art I will definitely do paintings

Because I like a timeless life with no boundaries of time.

ME: Do you think parents play an important role in one’s life and did they promote and encourage your talent in childhood?
Aamir:

Yes parents play an important role in everyone's life. They're first who encourage child's talent. My parents also promote and encourage my talent. my parent want me to be a engineer as I show my interest towards mechanical toys but later on when they saw my drawings and sketches then they promote me with my artworks.. So, yeah its true that parents play a very big role in one's life and they promote and encourage my talent a lot in childhood.

Me: How your relationship with siblings is, do they like and respect your art work too?

Aamir:

I have three sisters and one brother; they all love and appreciate my artworks.

Me: How many best friends you have? Do you think all your friends are honest to you? Do you give importance to honesty in friendship?

Aamir:

The friends about whom you are asking are very few in my life because friendship need much more time, friendship is the name of give and take, and it needs sacrifices and proofs of pure love. Unfortunately, I have no time to arrange these proofs. All human beings are my friends and all human beings are my best friends. Honesty is not only important for friendship but a human being should be honest in all aspects of life.

ME:One advice of your parents you never forget and still follow that advice, is?

Aamir:

My parents always give us a message of love and peace.. I follow this advice until today and will follow this advice forever..

Me:If you couldn't be a painter or designer than what else you wished to be in your life?

Aamir:

As I said that in childhood I wished to become an engineer. But now I like myself as I am; with a little bit of more experience..

Me: have you been conscious of people that what they think about you and how they feel about you, the kind of opinion others have for you , actually affects your life or not?

Aamir:

I am not conscious about people, everyone have own mind and they can think and feel anything about anyone, so what do they think about me is their personal matter, if they think positive about me I appreciate and if they have negative feelings I can't do anything except praying for them. Sometimes, the circumstances are very critical; in such conditions, their thoughts may affect my life.

Me: “Thirst of peace” what were the stimuli for this idea? How it started in your mind?

     Aamir:

     It was year 2000 when I talked to people about "THIRST OF PEACE" and pigeons, I remember one  thing that I always thought about those orphan children whose parents were being killed in the wars, that what   will be the feelings and thinking of those innocent children? I have no idea that were there any wars or not on  the map of the world except of Kashmir.

    I think this was the start of my thirst of peace.

Me: What is the biggest dream of your life that you never ever being able to fulfill?

Aamir:

I always wanted to do something for orphans and widows but I have never being able to fulfill this dream of mine. But I hope that I will be able to fulfill this dream very soon.

Me: Painting is an art but I feel its more like an “act” how you actually feel while doing this act, acts of painting?

Aamir:

Painting is my passion. I feel very nice and proud while doing this act of peace in my paintings. Like nowadays I m working on "THIRST OF PEACE" and this is a motive of mine and I feel so happy and proud that I m working for peace.

Me: You are working with the motive of peace, how you will describe the sense of peace in your words?

Aamir:

A place where no hates, no jealousies, no clashes, no wars, no weapons, no snatchings, no kidnapping, no bribes, no bad ideas, no wrong feelings, no murders, no killings, where no one is hungry, every one is dressed cleanly, where every one follow the laws, no crimes, where every one is happy, where human beings live with love, where human beings have equal rights to live, where every child can get education and where every one thinks positive for every one.

Me: Do you think human beings are quite peaceful creation?

Aamir:

Unfortunately, leaderships make people involve in anti peace activities otherwise all human beings are peaceful, they have daily routine works and they have no time for such activities. Most of them are quite peaceful creation.

Me: If I ask you to describe your achievements till now in life what you will say about that?

Aamir:

As far as the paintings are concerned the biggest achievement till now is that people know me for peace and humanity. Secondly I have my own style to make artworks and now it has become my identity. So, it is also a big achievement for me..

Me: Do you think your efforts for peace and humanity will change the world some how?

Aamir:

Yes, I think so.

Me:How important is family for you and how your family describes your work?

Aamir:

My family is my life, my family like my artworks and helps me in executing new artworks.

Me:Which is your favorite most painting of yours?

Aamir:

There are many paintings.

Me: You paint the “women feelings” what is the core idea behind that? Do you believe that women are under rated in our society?

Aamir:

We all know that where a women of Pakistan is standing? Truly we all know the reality and our society’s behavior towards women? Girls before and after marriage not every girl but a majority of girls are suffering problems and we can’t say it a peace. A woman is living around us in our society as a mother, as a sister, as a daughter and as a wife……..we should have to give respect.

The basic idea behind art series "WOMEN FEELINGS” is to highlight and trying to change this human behavior I need peace in every aspects of life and I would give my views through my art where ever I think it is necessary.

Me: fill in the blank “I keep on thinking about _____________”

    Aamir:

    I keep on thinking about "ORPHAN CHILDREN"

Me:Your message for all the readers of yours?

Aamir:

Be strong enough to forgive every one...

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