The Gracious Living Foundation presents a fundraiser exhibition cum sale of paintings

The exhibition cum sale of paintings exhibited were donated by various artists, to The Gracious Living Foundation, by late Surjit Singh and Ketaki Sood (President Modern School), and some other artists, with the intention that the sale proceeds will go towards the welfare of the elders through GLF, and for the welfare of disabled community thorough VSAI.

Late Ms Surjit Singh (1934-2018) was an alumni of the Delhi College of Art and The Bharata Ukil School of Art and trained in painting with Shri Bhabesh Sanyal. She specialised in the UK in textiles and fabric design before proceeding to Indonesia where she worked with Batik masters.She returned to India in 1957 and worked with Smt Kamla Devi Chattopadya in the textile and furniture departments of The Cottage Industries; later she shifted to Jaipur to establish the Arts & Crafts Centre to revive the traditional crafts of Rajasthan such as tie-and-dye, enamel work, jewellery, filigree and etc..In 1968, she took a teaching assignment with the Cleveland (USA) University to teach textiles and popularised Batik; many of her works are exhibited in the museums in USA. The legendary ceramicist, Beatrice Wood, met her during an exhibition and cast a life-long spell on Surjit who devoted all her time to ceramics and pottery and was celebrated as a ceramicist of repute.

The other Art work consisted of water colour, acrylic on canvas, and meticulously made collages, and mix medium.

The exhibition was ceremoniously inaugurated by lighting of the lamp by Mr Ashok Pratap Singh ( ex president Modern School), in esteemed presence of Ms Ketaki Sood ( President Modern School), Mr Vijay Dutta ( Principal Modern School, Barakhamba Road.) and Mr SP Rawal ( President of GLF), amongst other executive committee members of GLF and esteemed guests. 

The Exhibition was supported by Modern School, Barakhamba Road, New Delhi.

Asked about the exhibition Mr Ashok Pratap Singh said “ the paintings are beautiful, and the efforts which GLF is putting into taking care of senior citizens is highly commendable” he further said to thunderous applause of the guests, “ the use of the word Charity is incorrect, this word takes away the dignity of the person who is being helped”. 

Mr Vijay Dutta was appreciative about the work of the artists, he was full of praise for GLF and gave us his full support if the GLF ever require his help.

The purpose of this exhibition was to generate funds as per the wishes of the artists who gave us their art work, for two organisations, GLF and VSAI.

The Gracious Living Foundation is a years old Society started by seven volunteer, retired professionals with a mission of ‘caring for the elderly’, the elderly from the upper-middle class who are financially independent but lack a family or social security net

Very Special Arts India is a non-profit, charitable institute working with the disabled, ‘special’, community. VSAI runs programmes and provides a platform to enrich the lives of the disabled through the medium of the performing and creative arts 

Both these organisations do not levy any charges but meet their expenses by donations from friends and well-wishers.

The fundraiser saw a stream of interested visitors, the school children took special interest in understanding the working of GLF.