Indra Estelle: A hidden pearl from Madagascar

Marie Curie once said: “Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained.” Not everyone is fortunate enough to be born with a silver spoon in their mouth. However, life’s lottery is not impossible to surmount. This is the story of 23-year old Indra Estelle from North-West Madagascar. [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"8161","attributes":{"class":"media-image size-medium wp-image-15204 alignleft","typeof":"foaf:Image","style":"","width":"168","height":"300","alt":"indra 6"}}]]The gifted young lady is in Mauritius since April 2015. Despite having difficulty in expressing herself, she reveals her story to us. Born in a village in North West of Madagascar, where agriculture is predominant, Indra started painting at the age of nine. She left school and dedicated her time doing various paintings. It was Paul Emmanuel Osstie Gallery that discovered this talented girl and brought her to Mauritius. “In Madagascar, it is difficult to study and do painting. There are no facilities for artists. With the permission of my parents, I have come here with the hope of having a bright future here,” she confides. In the beginning, it was tough for Indra to adapt to the Mauritian way of life. “I love Mauritius and its people. But I’m still trying to learn the language here. It was difficult to adapt to the climate, new place and far from my parents. Here in Mauritius, I am autonomous. I have to do everything on my own. But I know that I can fulfil my dreams here,” she says. Indra follows her instinct and her heart while painting. “I try to think hard before making a painting. With my brush, I let go of my imagination. I usually take one whole day to make a painting. Sometimes, I can even paint at night. I am very determined to complete my painting once started,” she reveals. First exhibition at Sofitel The brilliant young artist completed 12 paintings in one month. Very committed and productive, Indra will be exposing her artwork at Sofitel, Flic en Flac with another local artist. “It is a great opportunity for me. It is my first exhibition,” she states. The young woman expects this first step to open doors of opportunities for her. “I will willingly participate in various competitions both in Mauritius and at the international level. But for the time being, I am trying to make a name and a place for myself in this paradise island,” she avers. Apart from painting and drawing, Indra has always nurtured a passion for music. “I have always liked music a lot. I like the piano but music classes are expensive and out of my reach. So whenever I’m free, I listen to my favourite artist. It is very soothing,” she adds. Painting as a career Indra likes to paint flowers and animals. Her favourite animal is the rabbit and her favourite colour, pink. “Rabbits have always been my favourite. I have made one painting depicting a rabbit in a new shape. I want to use my talent fully and become a professional painter,” she says.