Opening Doorz

By Martin D’Souza | Opening Doorz Editorial | August 12, 2025

As a writer, with the onslaught of various AI helpers, I’ve always grappled with the concepts of originality, tone, and style. It takes years to develop a distinctive voice and weave a thought process into a written work—whether it’s an interview, reporting on a soccer or cricket match, or offering a personal view on an issue of importance.

AI has infiltrated and dulled the writing space with its tone-deaf, clinically sterile monotony. LinkedIn—a space once meant for networking—has suddenly ‘blossomed’ into a story-writing contest, with anyone and everyone producing perfect prose. What’s worse, there are ‘prompt geniuses’ who hold ‘special classes’ to ‘empower’ everyone to take them to the ‘next level’.

Frankly, I don’t know where this AI craze will take the world, especially in the field of creativity. I’m afraid we will be raising a generation of ‘writers’ whose understanding of prose might soon land them The Booker Prize.

AI and the Soul of Creativity

Discussing this nightmare with Shalma Amoncar was a delight. A watercolour artist exploring portraits, botanicals, and cinema-inspired icons with a pop art twist, Shalma Amoncar is wary about the AI onslaught, especially in the field of creativity. One with nature and her craft, Shalma delights in her detailed, hyperreal style, with an eye for expressive storytelling in all her works.

Commenting on AI-generated art, particularly in its ability to quickly produce technically proficient images, Shalma Amoncar—a commercial photographer for over twenty years who transitioned to fine art painting—says, “I think beyond its ability to produce technically proficient art, it raises an important question about value and authorship. While the surface-level precision is impressive, it lacks emotional depth, intentionality, and ‘lived’ experience that handcrafted art carries. For me, the unique appeal of a meticulously made artwork lies in its imperfections. The unique traces of human hands, the time invested, and the personal history associated with art cannot be replicated by AI, despite its growing popularity.”

A Gradual Shift from the Lens to the Canvas

Commenting on her shift to fine art painting, she says, “The shift was not abrupt, but a gradual and inevitable evolution. Over time, I began to sense that photography was losing its soul—its spontaneity, its element of surprise, and its inherent artistry. Even fine art photography, once a playground for risk and creative discovery, had surrendered to the sterile precision of the digital age. In the past, achieving the desired effect demanded both technical mastery and an openness to the unexpected; it was in that delicate balance that creativity thrived and the personal touch emerged. As this unpredictability faded, so did my connection to the commercial photography world.”

Opening Doorz met with the artist, who alternates between Mumbai and Goa, and has a unique style highlighting what she wants the focus to be on, drawing you into her world of creativity. Her detailed art pieces catch the eye of an art connoisseur; each stroke in a completed work is poetry in motion.

“Fine art opened a boundless space where I could create without inhibition or hesitation, and in doing so, rediscover the joy and authenticity that had first drawn me to the visual arts,” she smiles as she draws you into her world.

Excerpts:

Photography taught you how to observe and frame the world, while painting became a space for true expression. Can you elaborate on a specific instance where your photographic background directly influenced a painting?

I approach my work with a strong sense of realism. My trained eye helps me compose and play with contrast, guiding how I perceive the world. My pop art and icon series reflect my experiences with advertising, while my coastal life series embodies the essence of photography through composition, tonal values, and mood.

In my botanical studies, the intricate details result from the precision of the camera lens. However, it is in the brushwork where emotion truly takes over. Painting allows me to express my feelings through the image, softening lines, blending backgrounds into harmonious tones, and moving beyond the visual to explore what is felt.

You primarily work in watercolour. What draws you into its fluidity and unpredictability?

Watercolours resonate with me the most. With every painting, I try to capture the transient, impermanent quality of a moment. Earlier, I used a lot of ink and graphite, drawn for its crisp certainty, their ability to express memory in black and white. Memory in black and white is a tone that felt familiar, like a preserved thought.

Big size envelopes me into this space where I can move through without. The painting becomes a path of emotion and pigment. I always return to watercolour due to its unpredictability and fluidity, full of its own emotion. It mirrors how I feel inwardly.

How do you decide between a monochromatic palette and vibrant colours?

The subject dictates the palette. My icon series, inspired by film, music, and art, called for a distinct visual narrative blending monochrome with bursts of colour. Monochrome conveys calm and sophistication, focusing attention on form and emotion, while colour brings energy, reflecting the vibrancy and chaos of fame. For my coastal life series, the black-and-white palette underscores solitude and timelessness, letting viewers focus on form, light, and detail.

Your ‘Icons’ series reimagines cinematic figures through a pop art lens. What inspired your choice of figures and approach?

The inspiration behind choosing pop art as a visual storytelling style was its bold, accessible language. As a modern art movement of the 20th century, pop art embraced mass culture, advertising, comic books, typography, and consumer imagery. Artists like Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Robert Rauschenberg shaped its evolution with their distinctive styles.

Rauschenberg, in particular, inspired my ‘Icons’. These were the real heroes from art, cinema, music and life. Through layered imagery and narrative fragments, I brought their personas to life by weaving their public image with history, fame, and fragility. Painting them in both monochrome and colour allowed me to explore memory and meaning, bridging my advertising background with fine art storytelling.

Some of your works are as large as 66” x 72”. How does scale affect your creative process?

Large-scale artworks create an immersive experience, making you feel as if you are travelling through them. Instead of merely hanging on the wall, they surround you, enveloping you in their aura. This pulls you into the story, allowing you to feel like a part of it rather than just a viewer. The artwork transforms into a space that you inhabit rather than observe

Your portraiture often explores identity and presence. How much of your journey is reflected in your subjects?

The subjects I choose and the way I portray them are connected to my evolving understanding of myself. A part of me is always reflected in their silence, gaze, and surroundings. Over time, my understanding of identity has grown to encompass more than just who we are. It includes what we carry, what we choose to reveal, and what we keep hidden. Each portrait becomes a quiet negotiation between my inner world and theirs

Beyond technique, what lessons from photography influence your painting today?

Discipline, visual clarity, and intentional seeing remain central. Photography trained me to observe, frame, and compose with purpose. In painting, these skills help me create works that don’t just show something but say something. My eye is trained to find meaning in detail and balance in chaos.

With AI’s growing ability to create unique artworks on demand, do you think collectors might turn away from human-made art?

While AI may have changed perceptions of value, the essence of handcrafted work (its human connection, imperfections, and invested time) remains irreplaceable and will always hold a special place for collectors.

Also Read: Salim Khan: Even Salman did not know he could paint!

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All Images: Provided by Shalma Amoncar are her exclusive work.