Art is a language that speaks for itself. The artist paints the emotion in a form that can be unraveled in a million ways. Each perspective is beautiful in itself. And the viewer finds the way to cloud nine as each of these views gets deciphered.
Many find paintings amusing while someone finds solace in making one, and a few others turn this passion into a full-time profession. Here is an enthusiast from Kochi who followed the steps led by the appraisal for her works as a child. In conversation with Gayatri M Das on her colorful tryst with art.
Tell us about yourself, your background, and your previous ventures.
I am Gayatri M Das. I am a commerce graduate from SCMS School of Technology and Management. Though I pursued a commerce degree, I always had a passion for the creative field. Taking my hobby into a passion and then taking it forward as my profession is my venture. I have been working as a freelance artist for three years.
How did you fall in love with art? When did you realize that this was your passion?
I used to love drawing and to play with colors from a very young age. As I grew, my teachers and parents started appreciating my pictures, which motivated me to draw more. During my 11th grade, when there came a time to decide on my career, I didn’t feel any of the typical courses interesting, and that’s when I decided to take up my hobby seriously. I found myself happy while working with colors, and I realized it’s my passion, something that I would love to do my whole life without any regrets.
What are the products and services that you deliver?
I work with three mediums, namely graphite pencils, watercolors, and acrylics. I do portraits, illustrations, and contemporary arts. I deliver artworks done on canvas according to the size required by customers. Paper works come in 3 sizes: A3, A4, and A5.
What are some of the challenges you faced while setting a career in this field? How did you overcome these?
One of the main challenges that I faced while setting up a career in this field was convincing parents. Though they appreciated and loved my works, it was difficult for them to accept seeing their daughter taking up her hobby as a profession. I never gave up on my idea, and gradually they understood and accepted my decision. Another one I faced was getting reach for my work and making a profit out of it. People do like handmade arts, but then they are reluctant to pay for the job. I had to convince the customers about the effort and hard work that goes behind it. Also, constantly improving my skills helped me overcome this issue to an extent.
How do you reach out to your potential customers? And could you brief us about the work that goes behind the final product?
I started getting works through Instagram. I started uploading my works to my Instagram account (@art.in.progress_ ), and people started contacting me. Initially, I got commissioned works from my friends. Later on, there were few works that I got through Instagram too.
To complete work, I usually take 3- 7 days. For canvas paintings, if the size is more significant than usual results, there are chances of taking more time to dry the painting altogether. While doing portrait works, I have to keep a check on the proportions and face structure so that the sketch turns out to be a good one.
Do you have a role model you look up to? If yes, what are the qualities that you admire of that person? If no, then why?
Yes, I do have role models, Ashish Mathai (watercolor artist), Minon John (acrylic artist), Anzar Mohammed (invert art), and Gunjan Daga (Charcoal artist). The main thing about these people is their unique style and dedication to creating their work.
What else do you pursue outside of this? And how does a regular day in your life look like? What is your schedule?
I love writing apart from drawing. I often do writeups and write snippets. I spend most of my time surfing through the internet, reading articles and novels, playing with my doggo, and sketching out ideas.
What are your future plans? Where do you see yourself in five years?
I would like to pursue my Masters in a design field, preferably to be an interior designer. I see myself as an established designer with improved creativity and ideas in five years.
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