Raised amongst the bright colors and intricate fabrics of life in India, memories of unusual color combinations, texture and design drive my creative process.
I have had no formal education in art. I have studied art independently throughout my life, reading books on traditional Indian art and sculpture,
and modeling my designs after them. My love of nature, particularly of plants and flowers, strongly influenced my creativity.
I create stylized floral patterns, animals and abstracts, using watercolor and pen, and more recently, oil pastels.
A biologist by training, I moved to Salt Lake City in 1996 to pursue a career in biomedical research. Since then, I have devoted more time and energy towards
art, and have evolved considerably as an artist. Many of my strongest works of art have come from this period. I have created several new floral paintings, evoking
serenity in the midst of elaborate patterns and bright colors. I have evolved a unique series of graceful elephant drawings. I created a free-hand symmetrical
motif called "Meditation", reminiscent of mandalas, the seed of a series of bold symmetrical mandala-like patterns yet to be. One of my more recent artistic
endeavors is called the "Yin Series". In this series, I use oil pastels with ink or watercolor, to produce multi-layered subtleties in color, texture
and mood, exploring the various modes of expression of Yin, the female cosmic principle in Chinese Yin/Yang dualistic philosophy. Some of my more recent Yin
Series pieces are done solely in pen, yet are as complex as earlier works in the series. This recent work has a more contemporary flare, yet is anchored in the
traditional folk art traditions of India and other eastern cultures.
I have an incredible drive to create. Creating art is a form of deep meditation
for me, it flows naturally through me and makes me lose track of time and the
everyday stresses of life. My paintings are intricate in detail and vivid in color,
yet have a sense of balance and peacefulness. Color is an important component
of most of my artwork: I use color instinctively and often in combinations considered
unusual. I also create black ink drawings with emphasis on patterns drawn, and
without the distraction of color. I have a love of intricate detail, and of repeated
patterns that entertain the eye!
My art continues to evolve and to be influenced by the world around me. The plants
and flowers I admire on my hikes in the Utah canyons creep into my paintings,
as do the rich colors of a sunset over the Great Salt Lake, or motifs from the
folk arts of the Native Americans. I have a deep drive to work with subject matters
primarily of South-East Asian origin. Future projects of interest include working
with images of the Buddha, doing a series of mandalas, and designing stylized
images of animals such as horses, giraffes and zebras.
.
