On 31st December 2023, Planet Solace: A Place for Happiness, successfully conducted a Live Art Workshop in memory of Prof. Jayanta Kumar Ray with 25 participants in their Salt Lake office.

Art, the mirror of our imagination, is the most luminescent light that navigates us to our inner world. Through art, we express, release, and experience a multitude of emotions. And thus, being in the company of art is one of the biggest blessings of humankind.

The ulterior motive of the Live Art Workshop was to aid in culminating the inner resources of human beings. By brushing and shaping our love for art, we can gain a medium to express our minds and experience the joy of emotional release that will eventually generate a feeling of well-being. The development of inner resources serves as a protective shield against the external challenges we face in this fast-moving world.

To gain such objectives, the workshop was spearheaded by three eminent artists: Mr. Malay Dutta, Mr. Ganesh Dey, and Mr. Dinonath Saha. Shreemati Krishna Ray, wife of Prof. Jayanta Kumar Ray, and Dr.Deepsikha Ray, daughter of Prof. Jayanta Kumar Ray were felicitated by the President of Planet Solace, Dr. Pinaki Sarkar. To commence the workshop, Shreemati Krishna Ray and Dr.Deepsikha Ray felicitated the artists. An enthusiastic bunch of tiny tots as well as adults immersed themselves in the joy of creating art along with the artists. Children from the Civilian Welfare Foundation participated in this live art workshop and painted their hearts out with Mr. Ganesh Dey as their coach for the day. The team of children mentored by Mr. Malay Dutta gained some precious insight into the technique of pastel coloring and water coloring. Mr.Dinonath Saha indulged with the participants to decode the quirk of soft pastels; he further instructed about the point of view approach of sketching.

The participants were amused by the canvas strokes and witnessed the making of art. The artists painted alongside the participants and enlightened them with various tips and tricks for painting. This three-hour-long workshop provided a well-organized learning platform for the participants and inspired them to pursue their passion for art. The workshop came to an end with three completed masterpieces by the artists. The certificates of participation and gift hampers were presented to the participants by the President and Vice-President of Planet Solace along with Dr. Deepsikha Ray.

The Live Art Workshop in memory of Prof. Jayanta Kumar Ray was one of the happiness initiatives by Planet Solace to promote awareness about mental health and well-being. Planet Solace is aiming for more such engagement programs and community services to broaden its field of reach.