ISLAMABAD - An exhibition of oil and water paintings of Sofia Hameed (Shammi) was inaugurated at Hunerkada yesterday. Entering through the gates of Hunerkada, one sees so many unforgettable life sized sculptors, and innumerable paintings that have been produced by the artists of Hunerkada. One assesses the exhibited works through the same perspective, but the simplified forms of flora and fauna catches one standing in surprise, then suddenly, Shammi broke the lull of the room. She was bursting with excitement, exploding with joy like a child, and couldn't wait to share the minutest details of her thorny journey. Shammi is suffering from a mental illness of bipolar effective disorder. Soon after graduating from university she had the first attack, making her forget everything she learnt there. She calls this the worst time of her life. While talking about her ailment, one felt the element of pathos in her voice. Few years later, in 1993, she decided to join Hunerkada Academy, as a quiet member, with a sole agenda to draw and paint, but the years witnessed her transforming into one of the most motivated artists. This is where Jamal Shah took her hand, and helped her to climb the ladder of success. One wonders how she managed to paint when this disorder swept away all that she had learnt all her life. Her diligent effort to draw came to her rescue when she was struggling. The subject matter was flowers, with the background of several greens. Large surfaces depicted her courage to paint, and her vigorous brush strokes, showed as if she is fighting with this world. According to a visiting critic, Sofia Hameed (Shammi) is a prolific painter who does not remain strict to objective reality; her approach is rather subjective. Her aesthetics led her to choose the daintiest objects of nature, that is flowers, as the main subject of her paintings. Getting inspired by the elegance of natural vegetations, she transfigured her observation into highly creative representations, where she had observed from the eye of the mind, represented through the eye of heart. According to another visitor, her paintings catch the eye of the beholder to enter her beautiful world and visionary experiences, and soothe the strains of a heavy into a light soul. In her innocence true to her endeavour, so evident on her surfaces, one can't help but say "Oh conviction, thy name is Shamm"