The old adage about a picture being worth a thousand words would be especially true about the paintings of Susan Gillerman Boggs. Her commanding use of acrylic paints is inspired-in her on-going exhibition at Siddhartha Art Gallery, the American artist uses the medium to create strong, descriptive portraits of people and nature. Reflections of Colour, is her first exhibition in Nepal after 18 months of residence and Boggs is excited about sharing her passion: "I am amazed to see so many painters and galleries, and the talent is very impressive."

As a young girl, Boggs was encouraged by her mother to learn painting. At university, she did pastel portraits on commission and honed her skill in acrylic painting during the five years she worked as a professional designer for opera companies around the United States. But her life as a serious painter began in South Asia. In 1985, she arrived in India with her diplomat husband and was exposed to a vibrant world of colours. During a trip to Rajasthan, Boggs was fascinated by the flamboyant use of colour in clothing and the rich flora. It was a catalyst that prompted a new direction in her art that attempts to capture the vibrancy and dynamism colours give to life itself.

"Faces fascinate me the most," Boggs tells us gesturing at her paintings on display at the Siddartha Art Gallery. "I try to connect South Asian faces with colour and drapery." That she remains true to her muse is apparent in the realistic but appealing painting of a rustic Rajput man, a beautiful Brahmin housewife and an unabashedly romantic portrait of a Sri Lankan woman with beautiful flowing hair.

Boggs' paintings are immediately accessible, even to rank novices, which explains why the direct beauty of her art has patrons from Colombo to New Delhi. While many painters have embraced modern abstract art, Boggs says she is not personally fond of it and prefers the old aesthetics. "Art is personal and it appeals to everyone differently." (Naresh Newar)

Reflections of Colour Paintings by Susan Gillerman Boggs till 9 January at Siddhartha Art Gallery, Baber Mahal Revisited. 4218048