Maha has been keenly painting dogs for over a decade. Her compositions are created using found reference images and extending these to complete the backgrounds and other anatomical details. She loves capturing the dogs in their most characterful poses, and these are often not headshots or sitting poses. She believes painting dogs as a compositional exercise elevates what is often brushed off as a rudimentary pursuit in the current world, that sometimes over intellectualises art.

When asked why she paints so many dogs, Maha said “I find myself continuously challenging the idea of me and my work being seen as an ambassador of a certain section of the social hierarchy.

"I once heard Yinka Shonibare talking about his choice of subjects … and somewhere he mentioned a turning point in his career, based on a teacher’s suggestion, that led to his explorative journey into cultural identity and historical contextualisation. Whether I painted dogs or spoke at depth about impressionism or Krasner-Pollock’s life, I found a territorial tension being generated … almost like a trespass situation... reminding me of who I am. Of how I have, in so many instances, been ‘recommended’ to paint sacred Indian cows, or try miniature painting.

“Much of these experiences and explorative thoughts have led me to paint themes that sometimes obscure my labels and expand into an otherwise less traversing world."

And then who can resist painting these gentle loving friends! They are never offended by your pawrtrayal of them and always ready to powse!