Exclusive: Vizag artist selected for Asia’s top Art contest shares her journey

Dolly Dhillon, an artist from Vizag, was exhilarated with extreme joy on hearing that her artwork got selected at Asia’s top art contest. The International Artist Grand Prize Competition (IAGPC), is organised by the Taiwan International Art Competition and Art Revolution Taipei. One of the most prominent art platforms in Taiwan, it promotes individual artists on an international level. Her artwork is all set to be displayed at the 2021 International Artist Grand Prize Competition. Among 4,342 artworks submitted by artists from across 82 countries, Mrs. Dhillon’s pieces got selected. Her artwork will compete with the other 388 pieces that got finalised. The final winner will be announced on 31 August 2021. 

Mrs. Dolly Dhillon lives a normal life as your neighbor next door. She resides in Vizag and this Vizag artist owns her art gallery in Seethammadhara.  A self-taught artist, her childhood dream was to fill a canvas with gorgeous colours. “After my kids graduated, I had thought of pursuing my study in arts. I have been painting all my life, but I wanted to learn more about arts, sculpting, etc,” said Mrs. Dhillon. She enrolled herself in the Fine Arts course at the Andhra University, Vizag, and finished her Bachelors and Masters.

Initially, Mrs. Dolly Dhillon had no intention of participating in the competition. With the household responsibilities and chores, she had to balance time between her children and her hobby. “My pace was a little on the slower side,” she confessed. IAGPC is the first competition that she participated in. It was due to her talent and dedicated hard work that her art got selected in her very first competition itself, that too, Asia’s top international competition for art. Today this Vizag artist is well recognised and her artwork has been featured at various public places, including the East Point Golf Course in Vizag. Her work has decorated the walls of hotel giants like Marriott and Novotel across the city of Vizag. 

Dolly Dhillon shares an avid interest in various art forms. She had her first exhibition held at Hawa Mahal, Vizag. What was once a hobby is now the reason for her recognition, not only in Vizag but also internationally. Her artwork carries a constant theme of women and nature.“Nature and Women are two parallel lines, with the same qualities. A society that respects women and nature is bound to prosper,” she adds. It is her powerful message that interested the jury that inspected her artwork. 

Mrs. Dhillon is now a celebrated Vizag artist and lives with her joint family in the city. When asked about her core support, she replied, “Definitely my family. They have been supportive at each and every step in my journey of art.” Mrs. Dhillon currently continues to complete her series of artwork that got selected at the IGPAC art competition. Dhillon plans for an exhibition in either Delhi or Hyderabad when the pandemic settles down.