Meet Shalini Prasad of Desha Creative (Featured Artist)

Here at TECD, we applaud people who strive to follow their dreams, people who dare to take the path less traveled, people who are passionate about what they believe in and people who inspire through their work. For this very reason, I take pride in showcasing the stories of artists and journeys of creative individuals behind a brand. Today, we take a look at the art portfolio of a new age artist Shalini Prasad. Does the name sound familiar? Yes, we’ve been introduced to Shalini earlier when we took a grand tour of her beautiful New Jersey home. With an educational background in architecture and a Master’s of Science in Design, Shalini aspired to pursue an independent and interdisciplinary creative path. She currently splits her time between her consultancy service “Desha Creative”, (specializing in brand identity, advertising, print and web design) and creating unique mixed media art. 

When I first got acquainted with Shalini’s work, it immediately came across as contemporary expressionism of her Indian roots. Her work is equal parts of beauty, authenticity and a willingness to experiment to find her distinct personal style. The end result being a patchwork collage of textures, exploration of various mediums fused with energetic colors and a translation of her love for predominantly all things Indian. Do join me while I chat up with Shalini and pick her brain to know more about her creative journey.

TECD: Hello Shalini! It’s always a pleasure collaborating with you. Let’s start by asking you how did Desha Creative take shape?

Shalini: “I have illustrated for as long as I can remember... 6 is perhaps when I started doodling caricatures (on the margins of my notebooks) and rendering eyes....lots of eyes (creepy I know). Mostly self-taught (interspersed with a few gallery workshops in my grown-up years), I started with pencil and charcoal and naturally progressed to the calligraphic pen and acrylic paints. But all along I used this more as a bonus skill/technique to enhance my academic and professional work in architecture and graphic design. It never was given enough seriousness or attention to blossom on its own accord. I did paint and draw for my mom's living room walls and left it at that for a while. 

It was three years ago, thanks to a bit of a lull in my design projects, that I inadvertently switched the roles, and this time used my graphic design expertise to enhance my fine arts work. I digitally applied textural overlays onto my free hand renderings, creating a new dimension with color, texture and space. The result is what I like to call digital mixed media art. I experimented more and more with this technique, creating high resolution scans of my freehand work and messing around with it, with the help of Adobe Creative Suite. I started to really enjoy the outcome. With no real business intent I happened to share some of my work with friends... Voila! Before I knew it "DeSha Creative Design Studio", soon became "DeSha Creative Design Studio and Art Shop."

TECD: Clearly, your work reflects your India roots. What aspect of India, talks to you? 

Shalini:"My obsession is many fold- there is the color, texture, materials, and patterns, and then there is the garb, and the culture. Coupled with my predilection toward portraiture and lifestyle, the result is what you see. The overall vibrancy that our culture has to offer is so striking from a graphic standpoint that it's too exciting to resist. I do steer in different directions such as nature, but seem to come right back to this overarching theme. I love the idea of introducing a bold modern graphic look to these traditional and simple themes.  My work as a designer and artist is surely an extension of my biography and Indian heritage. It is as simple as that.”

A glimpse at the process of bringing an idea to life

TECD: Do tell us more about your creative process?

Shalini: “I am afraid my creative process is a bit murky. I can be thrilled to bits with a final piece and completely clueless as to how I got there. What I do religiously (and inadvertently) apply to all my fine art pieces when I take to the digital realm, is my strong sense of graphic and color and keen sensitivity to space and structure. There is a general methodology though that I follow, with some steps on repeat... 

 -I am inspired

-After a bit of ideation, I create a sketch with pencil, pen or paint with acrylics (this could take from a few minutes to few days)

-I scan the free-hand art work to create a high resolution digital format 

-I rummage through my collection of some wonderful fabric scraps or fabric from my ethnic/rustic furnishings around the home

-I look at some older color dabs I have made on canvas or paper or messy color washes that my girls have made (I dig the brush strokes that kids fearlessly make)

-I create a visual combination of these various textures and then scan what appeals to me that instant

-I then juxtapose my scanned art with the found textures using a combination of design software tools

-I mess with it for hours on the computer 

-I stand at a distance and stare at the screen

-I continue to mess with the lines and the overlays, and the spatial arrangement with particular attention to the negative space (I believe there is beauty in the negative) 

-After much improvisation, there comes a point when I know that what I am staring at, is just right. I can’t describe it but it’s a good feeling.

That is how things get created at DeSha- organic and visceral and ridiculously playful!”

Divi Divi was part of a recent group exhibition at Gallery U in Westfield

TECD: On a cerebral level, what is it that you would like to convey through your art?

Shalini: “My subjects are fairly commonplace and simple- the Tree of all seasons, The Milkman, The Saree Pallu and the like. I find no reason to invent a new universe because there is much beauty in our traditional environment and culture to take cues from.I find no reason to conjure up a set poignant tale behind each piece, because I would like them to be vulnerable and accepting of one’s own interpretations.

For me the means is as important as the end. My approach and process is where lies the basis for the story behind each piece.

I would like to harbor the thought that my audience derives comfort from the familiarity of the subject, a sense of intrigue by the layers behind it, and a bit of excitement from the associations they make.

As a mixed media artist, I hope to put a smile on your face and a bit of wonder in your eyes… the meaning you take away, is your own.” 

 TECD: Where do you see your self in the next five years?

Shalini: “A solo exhibition in Manhattan!”

Commissioned artwork for a newly wed bride

Ambitious, Unique, Creative and Authentic – a lethal combination that’s bound to be a household name on the contemporary art scene. Wishing Shalini loads of luck and happiness. To view her complete art folio click here. Shalini is on FB page and Instagram, so go ahead and push that follow button to stay connected with her. For price inquiries and print specifications, write to Shalini at shalini@de.shacreative.net. 

Image Credit/Copyright : Shalini Prasad - Desha Creative. The images may not be used without prior written permission from the artist. 

Spotlight on ZOLA (A piece of Earth)

“ZOLA” is an Indian jewelry brand that explores the many rich arts and crafts of India, making it accessible to the contemporary global market in the form of bold pieces of wearable art. Each jewelry piece narrates a story of the ethnographic background, history of the art and the artisan, their brilliant craftsmanship and the artisan community. Owner and Founder of brand Zola, “Gina Joseph” gives a new lease of life to the concept of wearable art, creating stunning avant-garde jewelry that celebrates not only the arts and crafts of India but also echoes Zola punchline of "celebrating the art of being a woman”. Through Zola, she aspires to be an advocate for significant issues such as: 

~ Creating sustainable livelihoods for rural artisans (especially women). 

~ Preservation and global showcase of the cultural and crafts heritage of India there by bridging the gap between the rural artisans and the global customer who appreciates a great piece of jewelry but many a times doesn't know its exact origin and technique.

~ And finally, bringing about a new dimension to the concept of wearable art.

Let’s meet the inspiring lady and non-conformist soul behind the brand Zola and chat up with her, about her passion for jewelry designing, the innovative concept of wearable art and her creative journey so far.

TECD: Hello and welcome to TECD Gina! So excited to have you here. I recently spotted creations from the Zola line on Jaypore and was completely smitten with the concept, design and style. I immediately knew I had to reach out and showcase this wonderful jewelryline on TECD. Let’s start by asking you what does the name Zola signify and when was the idea for Zola conceived? 

Gina: “Thank you for the showcase on TECD, Sruthi. Truly honored to be the featured artist of this month! 

Zola in Italian means a piece of the earth. I have always believed that jewelry is one of the most powerful vehicles of self-expression and celebration of one’s personal style. Jewelry in India has always fascinated me and the tales from her rich cultural heritage and folklore, her colors, her emotions, her passion, the fine workmanship and the seamless Indian beauty was what I wanted to explore with Zola. It all started, with my first line of necklaces that were inspired by the women in Indian temple architecture. For this collection, I worked along with the wood carvers of Raghurajpur in Odisha. It was exciting to create these uniquely styled and artistically beautiful necklaces for my Indian Art project and I wanted to explore further. As a result, Zola was born.” 

TECD: We’d love to hear about the journey of how an individual who has worked in the advertising, journalism and corporate communication arena decided to tread on a whole different path to pursue her passion?

Gina: “I did my graduation in Visual Communication 10 years ago from Loyola in Chennai. I started off my career in advertising, later I was a journalist for about 5 years and then was part of the corporate world for 2 years. But all along have been an appreciator of art. I did not have any specific training in jewelry design; it was more of a hidden passion that surfaced at the right time in my life. I think that my background in literature was very important when it came to my foray into the creative field. 

I took a break from work and did an Arts Management program from Dakshinachitra in Chennai; before that I had a peripheral knowledge about art. I appreciated art but did not know nuances of the art of painting or sculpture. So, while doing this program, as part of my Indian Art Project, I created my first three pieces of jewelry. I was very fascinated by the temple women in Indian sculpture, that is the salabanjikas (tree huggers), madanikas and yakshis (goddesses of fertility) so I got them carved in wood and put it together with semi-precious stones. The concept was 'to wear a piece of history on you'. 

If not for what I had been exposed to in my Indian art, western art, temple architecture and cultural studies classes, I wouldn't have been able to start Zola and make it what it is today.” 

TECD: What are the different arts/crafts of India that you have explored through Zola?

Gina: “Zola’s collection includes jewelry of the Dhokra Damar tribes of West Bengal, Jharkhand and Odisha that use the lost wax casting technique with an alloy of nickel, brass and zinc that lends an antique appeal to the casting. I’ve experimented with the Patachitra technique of painting in Odisha and have designed beautiful hand painted earrings on wood. These exclusive earrings and are inspired by the Devadasis of Konark and other mythological and folk tales of India. Another addition to Zola's collection is an exclusive range of Leather puppetry jewelry by the traditional artisans of Andhra Pradesh. The leather puppets, because of their transparency and jewel like glow, are most popular. I’ve also conducted a workshop in Aranmula, where an exclusive range of necklaces and earrings were created using the traditional Aranmula mirror of Kerala. My most recent workshop was with the lacquer and wood turnery artisans in a small village called Etikoppaka in Andhra Pradesh.

There are many more crafts across the country that I want to explore and bring into my designs. Right now I have visits and workshops scheduled in Gujrat, Rajasthan and Kerala. Am sure something exciting will come out.”

TECD: Tell us a little about the design process behind a Zola creation?

Gina: “Each collection is a new experience for me - new materials, new techniques and new ideas. I don't have designs planned out in advance before going for the workshop. It's all done on the floor while I interact with the artisans and see and feel the material and learn about the techniques. It’s very hands on. I make sure that the style of art is not tampered with. I let the artist/craftsman do what he is comfortable with, only the form changes, in my case they become pretty jewelry with a story.” 

TECD: What has been your most rewarding experience through Zola? 

Gina: “It's been a year since I started Zola, very recently one of my artisan told me that he could now afford better education for his two children and also improve his standard of living significantly after he started working with me. Another artisan from Andhra said he has started paying part of his house loan from the earnings of Zola. In Orissa the women artisans I work with have promised to continue sending their daughters to school as a part of the income goes towards the girl child's education. It gives me a lot of happiness and a sense of fulfilment when I hear about the little changes Zola has brought in their lives. These are just small drops in the mighty ocean and Zola has a long way to go and along the way hope to change many many more lives.”

TECD: Before we wind up, is there a special thought/message that you would want to share with my readers?

Gina: “Educate your children about the rich cultural heritage of our country. We are not taught the cultural history in most schools here and only the political history is focused upon, which is sad because the child has no clue about the rich cultural wealth of his/ her country when he grows up. Preservation is not just the job of art museums or organizations; it starts from the very grassroots, in your own homes by educating yourself and your children about it. This will go a long way in not only making them appreciate what our country has to offer but also keeping the rural arts and crafts alive by buying the work of these artisans and keeping their livelihood going and not letting the craft die.” 

Let’s hold that thought and continue to support our artists and craftsmen by making a conscious decision to source and buy handcrafted treasures. To get your piece of Zola head to Zola’s Facebook page, Chamiers and Shilpi (Chennai), Seamstress (Kerala), Paperboat collectives (Goa) and online at Jaypore.com and Gaatha.com. Zola will soon be retailing in Delhi, Mumbai, Singapore and Kenya too. For detailed price enquiries or to get in touch with Gina write to her at gina.zolaindia@gmail.com.

Thank you Gina for taking the time to share your incredible work and inspiring story with the TECD readers. We wish you success in every step of the way, be it your creative journey or your endeavor to support artisans and in keeping alive the culture, arts and crafts of India!

Images Copyright/Credit: Zola, Jaypore and Gaatha 

Meet Ambika Sambasivan of Studio Wot Mot (Featured Artist)

Art is as subjective and personal as one’s preferences when it comes to fashion, décor or food. While some of us tend to analyze the artwork and connect with it on many levels, there are others that think of art as a fun and creative approach to add color, personality and visual interest to ones space. No matter which way you choose to go, the one thing that binds all art enthusiasts is that art has the undeniable power to generate emotions.

I recently spotted New York based artist/illustrator Ambika Sambasivan’s vibrant and animated digital art on Society 6 and was immediately drawn to the familiarity of the Indian scenes depicted by her. Her name might sound familiar as she is also the owner of Studio Bommai - a small business venture that specializes in wooden dolls for the Indian festival of "Golu". Largely inspired by her Indian roots, her artwork created at Studio Wot Mot and her crafty creations at Studio Bommai, bring to life distinctive desi influences in a riot of colors. Ambika trained as a product designer at the prestigious National Institute of Design (Ahmedabad) and then later went on to do her Master's in product strategy at TU Delft in the Netherlands. Let’s chat up with this multi-faceted artist and delve deeper into her mind to know how she juggles it all. 

TECD: Hello and welcome to TECD Ambika! Delighted to have you here. Artist, illustrator, communications consultant and a small business owner at Etsy. Tell us about your foray into the world of art and how you manage to juggle it all?

Ambika: “So happy to be featured on TECD, Sruthi! Thank you!

By day, I am a communications consultant working with non-profits to restructure their overall communications strategy and design short and long-term campaigns. By night, I work on my illustrations and craft. This journey began when I created illustrations for my mom's (Kala Sambasivan writes regular columns in The Hindu and Deccan Herald in India) short stories that she was sending to a publisher. The publisher took delight in my artwork and asked me to do a picture book for them. The first book was very well received and it so happened that I ended up illustrating four books in a short period of time.

My mom and I wanted to take our teamwork a notch up and set out on our own publishing journey - Yali Books. We were thrilled and humbled by the lovely response our first picture book, “Bye, Bye, Motabhai!” received. Our second book, “Jaipur Jamboree” was launched this May and we are working towards a visual puzzle/activity book for late-summer. We hope to develop Yali Books into an independent publishing house that features new writing and illustration talent through stories that open a window to South Asia.

With Studio Bommai, it really began when I had to set up my first golu after I got married. Golu is a traditional display of dolls from Indian mythology and I didn't have any dolls! I tried making some with clay, paper mache, even Play-Doh, with little success. I then discovered these unpainted wooden doll shapes on Etsy and tried painting them. I liked the results and soon, I couldn't stop making them. After giving gifts to everyone I knew, I experimented with an Etsy shop. So far, I love the whole process of crafting and sending out my creations to buyers around the world!”

TECD: Your artwork has huge doses of Indian influence in it. What aspects about India do you find fascinating? Are there other things/people that have an influence on your style of work and art that you create? 

Ambika: “I grew up in Delhi and Chennai, my schooling was almost equally split between the two cities. So I can switch between my North and South Indian sides and I 'get' both cultures. But I do think of myself as a proud Chennai girl, I love my hometown and miss being there despite the heat! 

What I love about India are the contradictions, the little absurdities and general unpredictability. Life in India is never boring - every day is a mini-adventure. You learn something new if you keep your eyes and ears open and cultivate a zen-like acceptance of the way things work. It is this colorful, chaotic, beautiful mess that I try to capture through my art. Every piece of art lets me relive a memory or 'travel' to a new place. If I inject a little bit of humor into my artwork, I feel I have succeeded.”

TECD: Ambika we’d love to know more about the creative process that goes into making your digital art at Studio Wot Mot? 

Ambika: “I have no background in traditional art techniques and my 'artistic style' is a result of my training in product sketching, which helps me see objects, people and animals as a composition of simple geometric shapes. 

My technique is paper collage - I cut out pieces from textured/printed paper and assemble them into a scene. My companions are my trusty X-Acto knife and a glue stick! Once the pieces are cut, I then scan them at a very high resolution in a .tif format to ensure that the details and colors are replicated without quality losses. Finally, I work on Adobe Photoshop to assemble the little pieces into a complete artwork."

I'm sure you are inspired by Ambika's creative journey and have fallen in love with her out-of-the-box fascinating art.Thank you Ambika for taking the time to share your creative journey with us and we wish you all the very best in all your creative endeavors.

To stay connected with Ambika, you could follow her on Instagram ,where she shares images of the projects she’s working on, occasional contests and promotional sales. To purchase Ambika’s artistic creations, make sure to click on Studio Bommai and Society 6.

Wishing you a wonderful week ahead!

Image Credit/ Copyright: Ambika Sambasivan

Pragati Sharma Mohanty (Featured Artist)

“Art is the most intense mode of individualism that the world has known.”  - Oscar Wilde

Artists - a whole different species according to me....Why? Because they perceive and interpret things differently from the non-artists, they find inspiration in the simplest of things that life has to offer and live to create beauty. An opportunity to understand and explore an artist’s psyche and their creative journey is fascinating to say the least and does not come by often. When  a possibility presented itself, to connect with the remarkable and  gifted, Pragati Sharma Mohanty, I was truly excited!

One of the most promising New Age Indian artists, her oeuvres are characterized by saturated colors and elaborate compositions that are visually introspective in value. Every painting is a celebration of color and is a mirror that reflects the artist's patience, dedication and honest depiction of her creative soul. Pragati draws heavily from her Indian origin but also blends her knowledge and understanding of the diverse cultures that she's experienced by living in different continents. With a Masters in Product Design from the prestigious National Institute of Design (India), the architect and product designer turned artist has exhibited her work in India and the US on numerous occasions. Some of the most note worthy exhibits being at Harvard University, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Research Center and at the University of Connecticut Health Center. Pragati was one amongst the only 3 artists selected for a Habitat for Humanity public art Project in Vancouver, Canada. Her creations have also been selected for CRY (Child Relief and You) and have been showcased at the world famous Times Square, New York City !

"Vrshabha" from the Animal-People Series

TECD: Hello and welcome to TECD, Pragati! I did take note of the fact of how you have highlighted the word ART in your name. Let’s begin our conversation by asking you what the word "ART" means to you?

Pragati: “Thank you for having me on TECD, Sruthi. My art is me and I am my art. It’s a way of life for me. The way I dress, cook, travel, sing, my vision and my choices in life - they are all in sync.”

A favorite of mine, "The Bull" from the Mitra series

TECD: Inspiration is what drives an artist to create. It’s no doubt that every creative individual gets asked the question about their creative stimulus in the hope that we too can draw from this piece of knowledge. What spurs your creativity?

Pragati: “I was brought up in a very culturally rich environment. My mother is a poet, a singer and an expert of Sanskrit and astrology. My maternal uncle was a sculptor - I got exposed to the studio environment very early on in life. I have strong memories of him working on huge clay statues, the smell of multani mitti & paper mache, and his engrossed expression while carving those beautiful faces and his gratified smile when the desired result was achieved.

I started learning classical music and dance when I was 5 years old. As a kid, I was fortunate to meet artists like Zakir Hussain, Hari Prasad Chaurasiya, Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, Kishori Amonkar, Shiv Kumar Sharma and many more through Spic Macay. My cousin introduced me to oil painting when I was 6 years old and my dad always told me that I have to be the best in whatever I choose to do in life. With such profound influences in my life it was hard to not get inspired. I have always had this hunger for “something else”, “something more…”

TECD: Each of your series is visually captivating. Tell us more about your creative approach and the time frame it takes to complete something as elaborate as the works that constitute your portfolio? 

Pragati: “My latest series is about animals and their significance in ancient cultures and world mythologies. Animal-people is my latest favorite subject. The way I approach a body of work is in some way similar to how I would approach a design problem. If something catches my fancy - I read up a lot about it and come up with ideas to build my story on. My art offers something more than the face value to its viewer - some deeper alternative meaning, a story or may be a mystery. It also has to abide by the principles of aesthetics, pleasing to the eye.

The Egyptian Cow Goddess - "Hathor. The attention to detail and the kaleidoscope of colors is Pragati's forte. 

As for the time frame, sometimes a painting takes months and sometimes I get so much into it that I forget everything else to finish it in a few days. When I am working on a theme I start multiple paintings simultaneously and keep hopping from one to the other. For example the Mitra series - The idea struck, I stretched five canvasses, did the drawing on all five, then the base coats, painting, detailing, finishing etc. was all done in 3 days, phew!! My back, eyes, wrist and neck did hurt a bit later - but the reward of seeing the finished work was very fulfilling. 

From the Royal Sawaari Series 

On the other hand I have this painting called ‘Samahita’ 48”X48” - that I started working on 3 years back and I am still adding details to it. Its like my studio buddy that keeps evolving with me…”

"Samahita"  

TECD: Your work has strong Indian references. Having lived abroad, I’m curious to know how has the western world influenced your work ?

Pragati: “Living abroad has given me confidence, taught me to be more disciplined and sincere. It has opened up a plethora of materials, techniques and possibilities. 

Art does evolve as one grows as a person. We learn a lot from our environment and direct influences. My themes are deeper and more subtle now, not merely superficial. I had to paint the Radha-Krishnas, Buddhas and Landscapes like any other Indian artist to find my real domain. It’s like a bridge that I had to cross. I am a self-taught artist and in a way thankful about it as I passed the unlearning phase very quickly. Dividing my time between US and India helps me to get the best of both worlds.”

Buddha and the Universe

TECD : While we are on the topic of influence and inspiration, are there others artists whose work you admire ?

Pragati : “Gustav Klimt is my favorite. I am madly in love with his works from the ‘Golden Phase’ where he used a lot of gold leaf, intricate patterns, radical themes and innovative material. My other two hugely favorite artists are Mark Rothko and Saiyad Haider Raza. The most mature works by both these artists are strongly geometrical, balanced and color centric. Rothko drew a lot from mythology and hence believed that ‘without monsters and gods, art cannot enact a drama’. I read about these artists much after being miserably attracted to their works. I unknowingly was treading the same path, philosophy-wise. I can go on and on about them…but what’s true is my heart skips a beat when I see their works. My list would be incomplete if I did not mention Frida Kahlo (my Art Goddess) and Charley Harper (the father of modern illustration, a huge inspiration).

Now when I get attracted to a work of art I read about the artist to try to figure out what was going on in their minds. And more often than not there is some synergy with my perspective towards life & art."

“Fairies and Deer" from the Landscape series

TECD: As an artist, how do you propose to contribute to the community through your art?

Pragati: “I feel that my art has a meditative quality to it. It brings strong positive vibes to the environment around it. I got invited to do two back to back shows at Harvard University and Massachusetts General Hospital because the people who saw my works at earlier exhibitions felt that it has a positive, enriching kind of quality to it. Later I did a solo show at University of Connecticut Health Center and got great reviews. A recent contribution in the effort to improve the quality of environment through public art, I painted a mural titled 'The Prakriti Mandala: the infinite reservoir of creative energy'  for the City of Hartford, CT. I am very organically and naturally going towards ‘Art for Healing’ and that’s going to be my career path in 2015.” 

Wall Mural - "The Prakriti Mandala: the infinite reservoir of creative energy"

TECD : We at TECD admire strong willed women who follow their dreams. But we also know that the path is filled with challenges. What were the challenges that you encountered along your creative journey?

Pragati : “Convincing my husband that I can make a career out of my passion :) Isn’t that a universal thing though? 

I think commissioned works are the most challenging. When you are working for someone there is a fear of not being able to visualize the given brief. My latest commission was for a film-maker friend and it gave me several sleepless nights. Very nervously I presented it to her and thankfully she liked it." 

Commissioned work  titled "Gallop to Paradise "

TECD: Armed with your qualifications of a Bachelors Degree in Architecture and a Masters Degree in Industrial Design, do you plan to venture into other areas of design other than art?

Pragati: “As a creative person, my design education and my career as an artist are not two separate things to me. They are interconnected - it’s a symbiotic kind of relationship. I draw from everything and my work draws from me. Because of some constraints I only paint now. But eventually I do want to get into accessory design and interior design, where I can design from lifestyle products to enriching experiences. I want to be able to beautifully mess around with all the tools at hand. I have a lot of ideas waiting to be created.” 

“Annahita  and “Bhumi” from the Goddess of fertility series

TECD: You have had the opportunity of living your dream. We would love for you to share with us on how it’s never too late to answer one’s creative calling?

Pragati: “I feel that it's human nature to remain in one’s comfort zone and make excuses to not take those baby steps towards our dreams. One should be so passionate about one’s dream that there is no way around not following them. Be sincere in your efforts and be consistent too. There will be some initial glitches but the satisfaction that you get treading on ’that’ path is worth everything. Ignore the people who disagree with you a lot and embrace the motivators.”

With that we come to the end of our engaging conversation with the artistically endowed, Pragati Sharma Mohanty. If you would like to own one of Pragati's vibrant and thought provoking artworks, you could contact her via her FB page or visit her website. I thoroughly enjoyed collaborating with Pragati and would like to wish her all the very best in her creative voyage.

Image Credit/ Copyright :  Pragati Sharma Mohanty