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Verma
26in x 30in | 66.04cm x 76.2cm
36in x 40in | 91.44cm x 101.6cm
Fine Art Print and Mixed Media
Art Consultation
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This gently haunting portrait opens the door into the imagination of Shazia and her unique ability to capture the people she has known throughout her life. Shazia steers the viewer’s eye to Verma’s beautifully distinctive quirks, whilst suggesting a deeper story lies beneath the surface of the canvas.
Verma holds our gaze. There is a glimmer of something unsaid in her eyes, a story untold. They are a window into a soul that seems to be caught between worlds, teetering on the edge of the known and the unknown.
With her cascading hair, catching the light in a way that creates a halo-like effect, ‘Verma’ is inspired by a classmate from Shazia’s early school years.
“‘Semolina, vermicelli hair’, I once described the hair of a girl in class 4 to my mum,” says Shazia. “My mum used to make a pudding made with strands of roasted vermicelli pasta. They swam in a sweetened cardamom custard with floating rafts of cinnamon sticks.”
Her hair appears almost luminous, each strand meticulously detailed to create a sense of realism and fragility.
Verma’s ethereal presence and delicate features feel mysterious yet innocent upon the dark background. This contrast is created using an artistic technique called chiaroscuro, which creates pronounced distinction between areas of light and dark within a composition. This technique can be widely seen in the Renaissance and Baroque movements.
“From palette to canvas the story unfolds, it’s not with words that is told. It holds the eye and captures the heart. It’s a story untold narrated through art. Behind the stare is a tale of mystery a memory deep wrapped up in history.”
Find out more about Shazia or alternatively shop more art here.
Delivery & Returns
Production & Delivery
All our artwork is made to order in Birmingham, UK, ensuring top quality. Please allow up to four weeks for delivery. Each piece is carefully crafted to meet our high standards.
If you order multiple artworks, they may arrive separately for efficiency.
Returns
We offer a 14-day cooling-off period so you can view the artwork in your home. If it's not right for you, we’ll collect it free of charge or you can return it to one of our galleries.
For international orders, the same policy applies—contact us to arrange collection.
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Verma
Sale price$1,240.00
A closer look
THE FINER DETAILS
Hand-signed by Shazia
This limited edition artwork is a Giclée on Canvas Board hand-signed by the artist.
Given Castle Fine Art's expertise as UK's leading art retailer, we are committed to the highest standards specially regarding printing. Derived from the French term gicler – meaning ‘to squirt or spray’, the term describes a printing process whereby microscopic dots of pigment-based ink are sprayed onto archival-quality paper to ensure the fidelity of a limited edition print to an original artwork.
The richness, accuracy and depth of colour is thanks to the method’s potential to achieve a huge colour gamut (the spectrum of colours distinguishable by the human eye). It is believed that a giclée will significantly outlast a lithographic print, keeping its vivid colour for up to 200 years.
Ready to Hang
This artwork arrives ready to hang, ensuring a hassle-free setup. Simply unbox, choose your perfect spot, and enjoy its beauty instantly.
Egg Tempera
A longstanding technique featured in Shazia’s process is the use of egg tempera. Said to date back to ancient Egypt, this is a form of paint that is created by mixing egg yolk with powdered pigments and a little water. Tempera is more transparent, which creates a glowing quality and allows light to penetrate through it.
This technique complements the softer features of Shazia’s work, particularly her signature butterflies which surround Verma. The butterfly figure originated by pure chance when Shazia discovered a live butterfly on one of her early paintings. She loved the charm it added to the piece, so has continued to include them in her work ever since.
The artist
Shazia
Shazia began her career in a greetings card company, then went freelance and started a family. She is now a full-time artist, famed for her perceptive paintings of children and young people. The bright and cheerful colours she uses in them are inspired by her travels in South America, where she took a trip after university with her now-husband Ian. 'We'd gone to Mexico and I was at Frida Kahlo's house where everything is really bright; there's nothing that's not colourful. I think I try to bring that into my work, with the children with red hair and bright, stripy t-shirts and things like that.'
Need help?
Frequently Asked Questions
At checkout, you'll have the option to have your order delivered to your home or to collect it from one of our galleries across the UK. For more information on delivery, visit our delivery page here.
Yes, Castle Fine Art is based in the UK, but we ship internationally. All of our international orders are delivered via DHL.
To ensure a secure transit, every artwork is handled with utmost care. We take precautionary measures by using foam around the piece for added safety during transportation, and then the artwork(s) are packaged in double-walled, reinforced cardboard boxes that offer superior protection. All of this ensures that your artwork arrives safely.
Most artwork orders will need to be professionally mounted and framed before being dispatched, so delivery can take up to four weeks from the date you placed your order, but we do strive to deliver your order as soon as we can.
Books and gift cards are delivered within 2-3 working days. Please note, if multiple artworks are purchased within the same order, they may be delivered separately for efficient delivery.
The majority of our originals and limited editions are hand signed by the artist themselves. On some occasions where we have limited edition sculptures, this is hand written into the mould before production. If you're unsure, please contact us.
30 years of fantastic art
In 1995, we opened our first-ever gallery in Stratford-upon-Avon. With just one goal in mind - to make our art accessible to all - our fledgling company began to spread its roots.
Craftsmanship and Quality
Every piece of art is mounted, glazed or framed by hand, with our bespoke framing service selected by our creative department.
Built to last
Our foundations are built on a passion for art, and many of our staff (and collectors!) have been with us from the very beginning.
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