"More than my teachers and artists of the past it is the nature around that inspires me and eggs me on to work incessantly, filling my drawers with sheets of water colours. I take in the sky, wind, sunrise, moon beams, flowers, leaves, tendrils and pollen dust. The change of seasons, specially before the rains, when the leaves are shed, also influences me. The months from Boishak to Srabon move me most in my paintings. The fallen flowers and leaves on the roads are elements that inspire me. The starry and cloudy skies and the full moons also inspire me. Elements like rivers and mountains also stir me up," Nasreen says.

Asked what problems she faced as an artist if any, Nasreen says, "Any creative person, whether he be a poet or a novelist, a sculptor, painter or singer, often faces problems and through them mellows into maturity. I believe that if I didn't have my problems my creativity would not have reached the stage that it has. My work and my life are one thing -- I can't set them apart. We want to reach a goal where there is no conflict and our work depicts different stages in the journey of life. I want to express myself and not be in competition with others. There was a time when I felt I might have to give up painting but then I realised that stopping work would be akin to dying."

Dwelling on how she has kept to realism while others have moved on to abstraction and modern forms of different sorts, Nasreen elaborates, "Everyone has their own characteristic style. My personality is that of a neat, clean and disciplined individual. I love sunlit days full of colours and happy laughter. There are so many elements of nature I will not have finished capturing them all in a single span of life. That is why my work is clear and sharp but not necessarily realistic of late."

Talking about whether she enjoys painting for herself or teaching art, Nasreen says that she enjoys both. "I try to be sincere, honest and dedicated in everything that I do. I'm not quite satisfied with the teaching aspect of my life of late. As for the amount of time that I spend on painting, I try to paint as much as I can. The rest of the time I give to reading and teaching. I like reading essays on various subjects, specially creative ones."

Asked if an artist's life is easier today or when she first started out as an artist, Nasreen says, "Bangladesh is a new country, having begun about fifty years ago. In this to survive as an artist is still difficult. As for Oriental Art, in which I concentrate, I feel that there will be appreciation for it as long as the artist is sincere. Art is like a flowing river that changes with time. And time will bring the genuine appreciation for good work."

Nasreen has five awards to her credit and has had five solo exhibitions. She has taken part in over 50 national and international group exhibitions.