Listening to stories with her grandmother and mentoring under her mother contributed significantly to Durga Bai's art in the initial years. At the age of 15, Durga Bai married Subhash Vyam, a clay and wood sculptor. Impressed by Durga Bai's skills, Jangarh Singh Shyam, encouraged and advised her not to repeat what they had done for years but use their skills to show new things. Her subjects are rooted in tribal folklore and mythology and are drawn mainly from the pantheon of the Gond Pradhan community and popular folklore. She also painted several goddesses: Ratmaimurkhuri, the guardian of the night; Maharalin Mata, who warded off ghouls from entering villages; Khero Mata, protector against evil people; Budi Mai, patroness of the harvest; and Kulsahinmata, a goddess invoked when crop was sown. Durga also painted the males gods, Bada Dev, the supreme god, and Chula Dev, who ensured that the household chulha (hearth) always burns. In 1996, Anand Singh Shyam, a fellow Gond artist, invited her to exhibit her works at
Bharat Bhavan in Madhya Pradesh. Since then, Durga Bai has notably had exhibitions in and around India and also abroad. Each of her paintings is inspired by archetypal scenes of Gond Mythology, creating the unbridled lyricism and audacious imagination of her signature style. == Awards and recognition==