Biography

Lekha Narayanan is presently working as Assistant Professor in Visual Arts at KMEA College of Architecture.

After completing Masters in English, she studied Painting for 4 years at Vadodara. On returning  to Kochi she taught both English and Art at various schools. The longest being 5 years of teaching English at St Teresa’s College as Guest Faculty. Alongside Lekha pursued her interest in Painting and participated in various Art Camps and Exhibitions at Kochi. From 2001 she was in Saudi Arabia for 5 years and taught English for three years at various institutes in Dammam. 

Once back in Hyderabad, she studied Masters Program at J.N.A.&F.A.U and then joined an alternative school ,Vidyaranya High School, run on the lines of J.Krishnamoorthy’s philosophy\views in Hyderabad as an Art Teacher. She taught a range of students from 1 to 9 there for 6 years.

In  2017, Lekha returned to stay at Kochi and joined KMEA College of Architecture as  Visual Arts Faculty.

Creative Work

Lekha mainly does figurative works in oil colours and also likes to do craft using paper pulp and clay. Some of her interests other than painting are reading, watching Art and mainstream films, and travelling. 

The issues that interest her are identity as well as gender politics.

Teaching  Experience

1. English Teacher       Port Trust Central School, Kochi, Kerala     24.09.94 to 13.11.94
2. English Teacher        Vidyodaya School, Thevekal,Kerala  22.11.94  to  15.04-95
3. Art Teacher                Naval Public School, Kochi ,Kerala  23.06.95  to  14.07.96
4. English Lecturer:       St Teresa’s College, Kochi ,Kerala. 15.07.96 to 31.03.2001.
5. English Teacher:        Bangladesh International School , Saudi Arabia . Sept 2003 to Aug. 2004.   
6. English Instructor: Almana Training Center for Intermediate and Graduate Students (Nursing,  Pharmacy etc.). Saudi Arabia.  Aug 2004 to Nov 2005.
7. English Instructor:     King Faisal University, Medical Transcription Department, Saudi Arabia .  Nov 2005 to June 2006.       
8. Craft Teacher:         Sri Aurobindo International School, Shivam, Hyderabad. June 2008 to January 2009.
9. Art Teacher:       Vidyaranya High School, Hyd. June 2011 to May 2017.
10. Art Faculty         KMEA College of Architecture, Edathala, Alwaye   June 2017 to the present.        

Awards:

Painting:

1. First Prize Painting 1983-84 Kerala university Youth Festival
2. First Prize Painting 1985-86 Mahatma Gandhi University Youth Festival,Kerala
3. First Prize Painting 1986-87 Mahatma Gandhi University Youth Festival,Kerala
4. First Prize Painting 1987-88 Mahatma Gandhi University Youth Festival,Kerala
5. First Prize Painting 1988-89 National Inter-University Youth Festival.Kerala.

Academic

6. Second Rank    English Literature  B.A. Degree  Mahatma Gandhi University,1987
7. Third Rank, English Literature   M.A. English Literature, Mahatma Gandhi University, 1989
8. First Rank -Visual Arts Masters Course, Jawaharlal Nehru Architecture and Fine Arts  University, Hyderabad.2011.

Art-and other Activities:

• Student of KERALA KALAPEEDOM( art institute) For 10 years (1980-1990)
• Member of Cochin Film Society from 1980-1990
• Studied Wodokai Karate from 1982 for 6 years.
• Received CULTURAL TALENT SEARCH SCHOLARSHIP(Govt. of India1982)
• Conducted two Women Painting Exhibitions at KALAPEEDOM – 1986
• Optional at Baroda – Etching, Wood cut, Linocut, Lithography.
• Film Club Secretary ,Fine Arts Faculty  Baroda 1991-92
• Attended 10 days Artist’s camp conducted by Lalit Kala Academy, Kerala, Dec. 1996.
• Attended Women Artist camp at Thekkedy on Nature, Feb. 1997.
• Exhibition at Dravidia Art Gallery , Mattanchery Group Show 1998.
• Attended 10 days Artist’s camp conducted by Lalit Kala Academy, Kerala, Oct. 1999.
• Conducted  a ( solo) painting exhibition “REFLECTIONS” in Kochi (November 1-7, (1999) presented by Kerala Lalit Kala Academy.
• Participated in National Artist Camp at Munnar – Nov. 20-30, 1999. Conducted by Kerala Lalit Kala Academi.

2006 to PRESENT

• Participant at National  Painters Camp , Gokarna, Karnataka from 7th to 14th September, 2007 conducted by Kerala Lalit Kala Academi.
• Participant of All Women Kerala Painting Exhibition, Contemporary Art Gallery, Kochi Kerala 2007.
• Exhibited at  Kerala Annual Exhibtion 2008 Kochi, Kerala.
• Participant at National Art Camp,Dharwad ;conducted by JSS Mahavidyapeeth ,Mysore and JSS Halbhavi School of Art,Dharwad.Feb 5th to 8th 2009
• Participant at Art Camp ; Chirec Public School,Hyderabad,2009
• Participant of Annual Exhibition at State Art Gallery, Hyderabad, 2009.
• Exhibition held at Shristi Art Gallery, Hyderabad. July-August 2010, of selected works of Masters of Fine Arts students of Hyderabad Central University and Jawaharlal Nehru Architecture & Fine Arts University.
• Participated at renowned Malayalee  poet Kumaran Asan ‘s Memorial Camp in Thonnakkal, Kerala in 2019 October.
• Participated at Group Exhibition at Eka Art Gallery ,FortKochi,2020
• Participated in the Online Group Exhibition,2020.
• Participated at ‘Lokame Tharavadu,’ a mega exhibition at Allepey featuring about 250 artists from India and abroad, curated by Bose Krishnamachari, from March 2021 to December 2021.