In the last three decades, cultural activities have increased on the snobbish contours of the federal capital, Islamabad. From a privately owned Khaas Art Gallery established by a bold and vibrant artist Mubina Zuberi in 1990 to several galleries now, Islamabad has seen a slow and steady growth of art in the very bureaucratically grown city. Having fine art and designed taught only in the girls’ colleges of the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, a big lot of women artists has emerged with variety of creative expression. Riffat Ara Baig is one of those creative exponents. A creative journey spread over two decades, she has discovered her creative flair in many ways from oil-on-canvas to water colour paintings, mixed media etching on paper to relief making and painting large size murals. Her themes of paintings range from landscape to feminine feelings in realism to surrealist, and from impressionist work to abstract and experimental one. Riffat Ara Baig is a dedicated art teacher and mentor for two decades, also pursuing a parallel passion to explore her creative soul as a practicing artist. Besides teaching curricula and grooming her student to discover the aesthetics for life, she has engaged students of different levels over the last 15 years in expressing their thoughts on the social and environmental challenges confronting the society as a creative director with the Development Communications Network (Devcom-Pakistan). Talking about her philosophy of life and teaching, Riffat Ara Baig says, “I believe that the art is the best vehicle to communicate feelings and emotions. It helps the person deliver a more vibrant picture of how he or she feels something that cannot be described in words.” Riffat is a dedicated art teacher and mentor for two decades, also pursuing a parallel passion to explore her creative soul as a practicing artist. Besides teaching curricula and grooming her students to discover the aesthetics for life, she has engaged them at different levels over the last 15 years in expressing their thoughts on the social and environmental challenges confronting the society She says that all children are quick learners and will grasp anything which they are taught. That is why I intend to use art as a tool to enhance my students’ imagination, creativity and thinking capability, and channel it towards positivity that will help in their character-building. “I believe that visual art education is an integral part of a student’s complete education. I have come to believe through personal experience that the arts teach a student to make decisions and to solve problem. The art harbours a sense of value and accomplishment. It also helps foster an individual sense of identity which in return helps a student become a vibrantly productive and positive individual.” Talking about her journey of creative emancipation, Riffat Ara Baig says, “I started exploring artist inside me with strong and mature lines in my Teens. After the exams of my Masters in Fine Arts from the University of the Punjab, I was invited to teach at a higher secondary institute in Rawalpindi. The experience was such that it left me with no option but to consistently teach there for ten years because teaching and grooming young girls were an exceptional experience of life and fulfillment. I am happy to note that my treasure of aesthetics and art for life is spread around the world as the girls I taught there continued to spread the colours on the canvases, and in to the lives of the people. Teaching the elementary and middle school students at the Islamabad branch of a Lahore-based school for five years was an experience of a different sort. Learning and teaching went on side by side. Then, I got a break for a year to explore my ‘Feminine Feel’ in oil-on-canvas, mixed-media and water-colour etchings. The paintings I came up with were praised and admired quite exceptionally at a solo exhibition. Since then, painting has taken second seat in my life while teaching and grooming the students is still my first love. “An offer of teaching to the CIE students from another leading school opened new vistas of teaching and learning for three years. From F-8 Markaz to the Kurri Campus and from 8th Class to O and A level students, the experience added new knowledge and learning to my career. Working with the emerging campus is a challenge for enormous reasons and an extreme joy for no reason when you overcome the challenges.” Riffat Ara Baig says, “Classroom is the place for instructions while the actual learning comes from the outdoor. My volunteer services to engage youth and students in different art and creative competitions as a creative director with the Development Communications Network (Devcom-Pakistan) speak of the importance and significance of art for life.” Several appearances on leading TV channels and my services as jury member for different university and college level thematic creative competitions affirm the value of my work. Supervising the CIE and Federal Board exams are the other feathers in my cap. She concluded by saying “Hundreds of students and several solo and group exhibitions are the footprints of my life and the milestones of my success, and is the essence of my journey. Teaching is the best learning, and the journey of learning is on.” The writer is an Islamabad-based art critic, policy advocacy, strategic communication and outreach expert. He can be reached at devcom.pakistan@gmail.com. He tweets @EmmayeSyed Published in Daily Times, February 11th 2018.