Radeshna Goundar, a 31-year old artist born in Ba and currently living in Suva, has been bringing her artistic talents to life since a young age. Being engaged in creative activities from an early age, she first honed her skills in school under her art teacher, Mr Fatiaki. Throughout her academic life, she continued to focus on the arts.
Despite her interest, Goundar for a time had trouble motivating herself to start using her accumulated art supplies. That was until her husband, Nilesh Rishi Nair, encouraged her to pick up her paintbrush and explore her artistic talents.
From there, she started to create art that garnered praises from friends and family. Despite everyone’s positive feedback, Goundar realized she needed to believe in herself to make serious progress. She finally pushed through her uncertainty and submitted her works to the Fiji Arts Council.
To her surprise, the Council took interest in her art and showcased three of her pieces at the FAC gallery. Goundar’s work often surprises people who cannot believe that an Indian woman could create art they initially think was created by a male iTaukei person.
Goundar credits her husband’s financial support as a driving force behind her artistic journey. She encourages budding artists to keep pursuing their passion in the world of art, believing that in art, there’s no such thing as retirement age or a need for perfection.
Her artwork can be viewed on her Facebook page, Brilliant Brushes.