"From the very beginning of my life as a painter, it has been my aim to be able to express my joys and sorrows through colour and line as freely as a child expresses its hunger by crying or its joy through laughter."

It was a learning experience for him too. He always said that he learnt a lot by observing children's art. For instance, once we saw a blind man begging, and when I painted this, I didn't fix eyes on the form. When he asked me `Why?', I told him that since he couldn't see anyway, what was the need for eyes. Abstract art is all about reducing what is not essential. Suddenly it struck him, `May be I am using too many lines'. And slowly he started simplifying his work, becoming more symbolic, less figurative.

He always thought of art. Unlike other parents who would worry about grandchildren and relatives, he never spoke to us of anything but work. He was really keep that we join Elphinstone College only because it was right across theJehangir Art Gallery. Every evening he would ask me, `Did you go to the gallery?' And I had to bring back every catalogue, tick mark what I liked and he would do the same and then we would discuss what we liked and why.

On holidays, my sister and I, would avoid his studio because if he spotted us, he would sit us down with a book and make us read about some artist, only to discuss it later. On the other hand, art was also the easiest way to play truant. If we wanted to go watch a movie or a play, we would just tell him that we were going to the Jehangir. He was most happy when we were doing anything related to art.

But that was how I got my art lessons -- by talking to him, listening to him and watching him work.

On the exhibition:

The K K Hebbar Art Foundation provides scholarships to six students every year, honours senior artists and organises art camps. To coincide with his birthday (June 15), the foundation decided to put together a special show, `K K Hebbar -- In Remembrance', acollection of oils, drawings and prints.

The best part of this exhibition are some prints, done in London, that have never been displayed before. Like the `Ganesh' and `The Symphony'. `The Symphony' has an interesting story behind it. There was an almond tree in our backyard which could be seen from my father's bedroom window. Every year as the leaves would grow, turn red and fall, he would say, `That's the story of my life'.

`K K Hebbar -- In Remembrance' at The Fine Art Company, Raheja Chambers, Santacruz (W). Till July 5. Time: 11.00 am to 7.00 pm.

A reading of excerpts from Indelible Imprints by Rekha Rao on June 25. Time: 6.00 pm.