Farmington Artist Takes Remarkable Journey En Route To Avon Exhibit

AVON/FARMINGTON, CT — A Farmington artist's work depicting the colorful images of Hindu culture will be on display at the Avon Free Public Library through Friday, June 28.

What started as a hobby to pass the time during the COVID-19 pandemic four years ago evolved into a true labor of love for Farmington resident Sandhya Paladugu, who hails from India.

Her exhibit, called "Annapurna Creations," is dedicated to her maternal grandmother and is named after the Hindu goddess Annapurna, she writes in her biography on the Avon Library website.

Paladugu told Patch her exhibit is a diverse blend of images showcasing her native country's culture.

And her work is on various surfaces and mediums, from traditional canvas to eggs to bottles and, even, seeds.

As for the content itself, Paladugu said her exhibit runs the gamut of Asian Indian culture.

"It has multiple art styles, including Indian mythology, Indian culture, world landscapes, miniature art with different themes," she said.

According to Paladugu, the images feature birds, flowers, inspirations from her travels around the U.S., and even the classic movie "Gone With The Wind."

In all, the exhibit comprises more than 80 works of art, she said.

But as interesting as her art exhibit is, her journey to creating it may just be more noteworthy.

Like many people cooped up indoors during the tense, COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Paladugu tried new things while waiting for the coronovirus' impact to fade.

Of course, she had faced adversity before, namely the type of obstacles one faces when moving halfway around the world as a student and staying there.

In 1992, she immigrated to the U.S. from India and became a civil engineer with a degree from the University of Connecticut.

Now a 20-year Farmington resident, Paladugu took up all forms of painting during the pandemic while working as a software engineer for Aetna.

Turning the proverbial lemons into lemonade, Paladugu took up painting during that time and discovered it to be a true passion project.

A year ago, her work was on display at the Lucy Robbins Welles Library in Newington, with the Avon Free Public Library hosting a special reception honoring the exhibit last week.

So far, the exhibit — on display since June 1 — has been a popular one, with the works being showcased in the library's art gallery.

So if anyone hasn't seen the exhibit, they should head down to the library, which is located at 282 Country Club Road, Avon.

There, guests will be able to delve into one woman's newest passion and, maybe, learn a thing or two about the culture from whence she came.

For more information on Paladugu and her exhibit in Avon, click on this link.