Liesl has always believed in creativity.
She was an accomplished violinist and a good seamstress
during her childhood. “I always wanted to do something
different and through the medium of painting in thread,
I have realised my dream”, says Liesl.
In fact, she started painting in thread from the time
she completed her BFA in painting. “The very first
painting that I undertook took me a good four months
to complete, and during that period I was apprehensive
as to where I was heading. But once done, I gained in
confidence and put my whole heart and soul into this
medium.” So good are Liesl’s paintings that
for a common man it appears as if she has simply used
crayons on the painting. So when questioned as to how
she does her work this is what she had to say, ‘I
first do a sketch of what I wish to paint, and then
with coloured embroidery threads I do the stitches and
accomplish the painting.’
Liesl’s paintings are usually figurative and
whenever she has a show, she invariably has a theme
wherein all the paintings are done based on the theme.
Yet painting in her style is very tedious and time consuming
and only a person with a deep passion for art can do
what she does. The stitches, the mood she creates, and
the colours – all harmoniously blend in her typical
style which is fascinating to observe.
Liesl has had four solo exhibitions till date apart
from group exhibitions in Goa and the rest of India.
Her husband, Querozito De Souza is also a well know
artist, and they often jointly exhibit their works.
Querozito works with oil paints, acrylics, and lithographs
among others and his themes are based on human beings
their human nature and relationships. Liesl too works
at times with different media such as acrylics, watercolours
and mixed media which is basically painting in thread
and cloth.
Four years ago she had an exhibition in the US which
was well accepted and admired by the organisers and
the public at large. As such her paintings are not easy
to accomplish, but it is her inborn talent which does
the magic. She simply uses coloured threads instead
of colours and the results are there for all to see.
In fact her form of art which is usually dismissed as
‘women’s work’ only demonstrates the
punishing labour involved to attain the grace of the
image. Her paintings are on display at Boa Arte, Panaji
and at Casa Goa at Baga.
Sums up Liesl, ‘It may well be 14 years since
I started painting in thread, but with each passing
day I am still a student, learning more and more of
the medium.’
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