Naina Art

Naina Art is over in the Kumar Compound. The address says Malad West but we are also near that Old Padra Road area toward Vadodara, right across from the IBP petrol pump. It’s a bit of a mixed-up area, but once you find Shop 84/3, you’ll see all the frames and canvases stacked up. I’ve always liked the smell of oil paint and wood shavings. My hands are usually stained with something, whether it’s glue or a bit of gold leaf. We do a lot of framing for people who bring in their family photos or old posters they want to keep safe. The shop isn't very organized; there are bits of wood and glass offcuts in most corners. I try to sweep up every evening, but by the next morning, it’s back to how it was. Being opposite the petrol pump is handy because people use it as a landmark to find us. It gets quite hot in the compound during the afternoon, so I usually keep the fan on high and listen to the radio. I don’t have a big staff, it’s mostly just me doing the cutting and the joining. Sometimes a customer wants something very specific that takes me a few days to figure out. It’s honest work, and I like seeing the finished product when it’s all polished and ready to go home. It’s just a small art shop doing its thing without much noise.