Promila uses ceramic powder, Plaster of Paris, sometimes even pebbles, twigs and tiny pieces of tiles to lend an interesting texture and perspective to her work. One of the first steps when she begins a work is to make a firm dough with the PoP. Then she draws a pencil sketch on the canvas. Now with the dough she builds up the picture, using a knife or a fork or her nails to make indentations on the soft dough. ``I use just the normal kitchen knives, forks, sometimes a screwdriver or scissors - whatever is near at hand,'' she reveals with a laugh. Whatever it is, her magic touch transforms it into maybe, leaves on a tree, a rough bark, sinews on an animal, pleats on a dress. She waits for a couple of days for the paste to dry before painting it with oil colours.

Promila uses the same technique on terra-cotta pots - only this time her subjects are women, mostly Rajasthani beauties. Here too, the nose, cheekbones, lips and eyes of the women are built up with the soft dough to give it the exact contours of a human face. There is more to come. What about the ghunghat which is a trademark of our Rajasthani ladies? Promila dips a strip of buckram into a thin PoP mixture and after it has dried, attaches it carefully on the forehead. Real ear-rings and necklaces hang in twinkling splendour.

Landscapes and figures are Promila's favourite subjects for paintings, and so are horses, wild ones racing across a canvas with strength and beauty painted in their rippling muscles. Promila has never received any formal training in art. She first took up pencil and brush at the age of 13. Her father was very encouraging and commissioned her to paint a portrait of his Guruji. ``With his blessings it turned out well,'' she says. Later, marriage to a Mercantile Marine Officer set her on the high seas where she took every opportunity to paint the sea in its many moods.

She then experimented, successfully, with stained glass, incorporating not only floral designs but also cartoon characters and dancing figures. At present, she is deep into embellishing large picture frames with geometrical and floral motifs (made out of M-Seal). Painted over with gold or copper paints, they look like antique carved wooden frames, which would otherwise have cost the earth. These, along with her other handiwork, have already found eager buyers, not only in India but abroad a well.

After settling down in Pune, Prmoila took part in a number of group exhibitions and also held a solo at Ravinra Kala Kunj. Presently she is active in her role as Secretary of the Chitari Academy of Fine Arts.