Reinventing Ourselves: Sherbanoo Aziz

By Tiffany Broden
Contributing Writer

Sherbanoo Aziz, 76, has proven that it’s never to late to start following your dreams. She recently embarked on her long time desire to become a watercolor artist. When she was younger, living in India, her father forbade her to receive private watercolor lessons from a male instructor. She turned to oil colors and fabric painting because there was nothing else to do during her time off from school, and painting was her passion. In the fifties, she sold her painted neckties to help with her family’s financial needs.

“It is a life process,” says Aziz. “More recently as I was experiencing hearing loss and weakness in my hip joints and knees I realized I would need to slow down and probably back off from activities I was involved in. For about 6 years I enjoyed teaching, cooking East Indian cuisine of my heritage in and around this area, it was very rewarding and gratifying.
“In 2006 when I was still active promoting my cookbook and teaching cooking at parties, I was at the Zielinski residence when David Zielinski and I got talking about watercolor painting. He told me about the weekly classes at Hjemkomst Center on Thursdays. In my younger days I had a passion for painting. It was a hobby that I pursued entirely on my own.

I didn’t waste any time in joining the class. I realized that I had a lot to learn, a lot of money to spend on supplies and workshops if I wanted to paint as well as others in the group, and participate in showings with dreams of selling my paintings. In 2007 at the Hawley Art Show I entered three paintings and was very excited when I sold my very first one.”

Aziz came to the United States from India 36 years ago. She resided in Washington D.C. for most of the time, but moved to the F-M area 11 years ago to be closer to her family. She is a member of the Plains Art Museum, the Red River Watercolor Society and the Cormorant Area Art Club. She has also volunteered, teaching collage painting to the residents of River View, Waterford and Edgewood Village.

Now, 60 years after her father forbade her to learn watercolor, Aziz’s work is featured at the VIP Room. She has over 40 paintings and collages currently showing at the VIP Room and Catering Art Gallery that have been up since July, and will run through the end of September. On Aug. 19, Aziz will have a Special Event to commemorate her Indian heritage that will feature an East Indian Dinner Buffet that she is helping prepare and an Indian Bollywood dance performed by Adeeti Katti. And her artwork will be for sale in the form of note cards and additional unframed paintings and collages.

The buffet will cost 20 dollars and will include Chicken Samosas with date dip for an appetizer, Dal with eggplants, spinach with tomatoes, cabbage with coconut and pineapple and Naan, a flatbread. Dessert will be carrot Halwa, more commonly known as carrot delight. If you plan on attending, call (701) 293.1999 by Aug. 15 to make a reservation.

Aziz got started with her watercolor passion in 2007. She has taken private individual lessons from local artists Donna Chalimonczyk, Sandra Miles and Jackie Anderson. She has also participated in workshops offered by renowned artists Sandy Muzzy, Carolyn Lord, Rose Edin and Judy Betts. She started with a watercolor paint box, like the ones used in elementary school, that her daughter-in-law gave her as a present. Aziz then started taking lessons at the Hjemkomst center.
“I kept talking about how I wanted to sell my paintings and make money and become famous,” Aziz said. That’s when Donna Chalimonczyk helped Aziz get on the right path to achieving her dream. She let Aziz know that she couldn’t use the paint that her daughter-in-law gave her, and needed professional paints and palettes. She also let Aziz know when artists were having workshops.

“I had no idea what they were talking about at first.” Aziz said. “They would talk about dry paint versus wet paint, so I told Donna [Chalimonczyk] I needed private lessons.”

Chalimonczyk didn’t have the time to give private lessons, but she referred her to Sandra Meyers where Aziz learned a lot of what she knows. Eventually Chalimonczyk’s busy schedule lightened up and she was able to give Aziz private lessons. Currently Aziz is taking lessons from Jackie Anderson, a local well-known artist.

“And it’s been a wonderful ride,” said Aziz.I used to put on cooking parties where I’d help people learn how to cook West Indian food, but since I can’t hear well and don’t have the energy, this is great.”

If you look at Aziz’s work, you’ll find a wide variety of scenes. She paints pictures of flowers and seasons, clowns and shoes, people and animals, silhouettes and vegetables.

“I’ve always been ambitious. I loved the outdoors and how the sky would turn colors.” Aziz said. “But I always like to do something different. This one person bought six paintings from me. I went to meet him, and he told me he loved the colors and the diversity. Yesterday I painted cowboy boots, but today I was painting Indian shoes because I want to start painting more Indian culture.”

This is not Aziz’s first art show. She has held several solo shows in the F-M area and has more upcoming shows. During the months of September and October her artwork will be on display at the Atonement Lutheran Church Art Gallery at 4601 University Dr S in Fargo. In November, Aziz’s art will be on display at Elim Rehab and Care Center at 3534 S University Dr in Fargo.

For more information on Sherbanoo Aziz, visit her website at http://www.sherbanoo.com.

Online you’ll find a gallery of her watercolor and collages, past and current events she has held and even a few of her Indian cuisine recipes.

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If You Go

What: East Indian Dinner Buffet
Where: VIP Room
When: Thurs, Aug 19
Info: 701.293.1999