Bhubneswar, Oct. 9: At a time when several artists and painters are struggling to sustain themselves and their art in the state, a young, self-taught girl has impressed all and sundry with her abstract paintings.

The Rashtriya Lalit Kala Akademi is hosting a solo art festival titled Fresco Impasto by Ankita Goenka. A dentist by profession, she has brought together oil and acrylic colours to create vibrant images, which has grabbed eyeballs of art connoisseurs and experts.

Ankita, 30, has used the mixed media technique of oil and acrylic to give a beautiful texture to her works. Her images depict meanings that not many artists of her age would even consider trying to put across to art experts. Experts and art lovers hailed her attempt to use this form of art to express herself. While most of her 56 works are made using this technique of merging the two media, the young dentist-cum-artist has also created figurative art and set them in contemporary themes.

"I have a series of five paintings that are based on the subject of women empowerment. I have tried to put the message forward subtly but definitely," said Ankita. Indeed, of her various works that have been given catchy titles, Wings on a catapult, Freedom from Anarchy of Destiny and so on highlight the power and beauty of women.

Many of her works also depict themes of nature such as Against the Wind, an oil painting depicting a group of horses running along a field. Her Inverted Mountains and Merging Horizons have also gained plaudits. She has also created a series of paintings on birds and flowers.

Another fascinating part of her works is the 3D glass fusion over paintings - that give an underwater effect to the artwork. Ankita has mostly portrayed exotic fishes and aquariums in these works. She has also extended the technique to other works on trees and flowers.

Originally from Raipur, Ankita is settled in Cuttack with her engineering husband and has a dental clinic here. She has been drawing since childhood but tried her hand at the mixed media after learning about it from art workshops where she is a regular participant. Now, artist Asish Pandey is guiding her.

Ankita's works attracted many art lovers as well as senior artists. "I loved the abstract works," said veteran painter Dinanath Pathy. Young art lover Anushka Mahapatra was impressed with Ankita's tryst with flowers and said: "It felt like paradise and was really inspiring."

The art exhibition concludes on October 12.