And 35 of his paintings--some of which have never been seen before-- are on exhibit at the India Community Center in Milpitas.

When Pai visits, he transforms his son's garage on Linnet Lane into an artist's studio and gallery. His vibrant, colorful canvases are mounted on all available wall space, and there are several more stacked up in every conceivable nook and cranny.

However, taking center stage is his latest creation, sitting on his easel. It is the last piece of a series called Tree of Life. Each canvas journeys through a particular season of life: from childhood to youth to family life to the autumn years to finally moksh, which in Hindi means detachment from worldly pleasures.

Pai's paintings tell their story through human forms, and this style has become his trademark. He uses sharp angular lines to portray the male form and curves to depict the female. The faces and eyes he creates convey emotions that range from innocence to sadness to rage to contentment. There is nothing subtle about Pai's paintings. And he's not a man shy about colors. Every hue he uses on his canvas jostles for attention. Oranges, greens, blues and reds are juxtaposed with each other such that they create an energy that jumps out and grabs a person's attention. There is also a sensuality that comes out in his Kamasutra series paintings. Kamasutra is an ancient Indian text that talks of male and female union.

Pai says his inspiration comes from within. "I don't need outside things to inspire me. I don't react on the atmosphere. My inspiration mostly comes from my own thoughts," says Pai. And his thoughts are heavily influenced by Hindu philosophy. That's why several of his paintings either explicitly or more subconsciously refer to Hindu beliefs--like his 1996 series on Kaarma that shows the inevitable human cycle of lust (kaama), anger (krodha), attachment (moha) and finally detachment (moksh).

But not all Pai's creations are based on human life and emotions that echo religious tenets. He was commissioned to do a portrait of India's first prime minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, in 1956. The portrait is now part of the art collection at the Berlin Museum in Germany. He also did a series on the life of Mahatma Gandhi.

Pai grew up at a time when India was still under British rule and the independence movement was gathering storm. He was then a young revolutionary who looked up to Gandhi like millions of others to voice his protest against British atrocities. And his 1958 series was his homage to the man who preached nonviolence.

For 10 years, between 1951 and 1961, Pai lived, learned and painted in Paris. While a student at Ecole Nationale Superieure Des Beaux-Arts, he was exposed to Western art and culture. While Van Gogh, Picasso and Chagall influenced his artistic style, it was his deep traditional roots that found a voice in his paintings. "It is tradition that gives a person good depth. Unless you have deep roots, you cannot grow as an artist," says Pai.

Pai says he has no idea how many paintings he has created so far. "Probably several thousands," he says. "But nothing is my favorite. Each painting has its time and situation."

Laxman Pai's exhibit will remain at India Community Center at 555 Los Coches St., Milpitas, until July 17. For information, contact ICC at 408.934.1130.

Pai also welcomes phone calls at 408.255.7711 from people who want to discuss his art.