Art Practice and Process
My process begins long before the first brushstroke. Each piece is rooted in research—whether it’s colonial history, generational memory, or personal migration. I immerse myself in stories, archival photographs, and traditional textiles, allowing the materials and narratives to guide me.
I begin with a digital composition, layering vintage imagery and textures collected from books, family albums, or historical archives. These digital sketches act as blueprints, which I then translate onto canvas or panel using photo transfers, hand-cut paper, paint, and textiles.
One of the most meaningful parts of my process is working with heirloom saris once worn by my mother and grandmother. These fabrics—often embellished with gold threads, pearls, and hand embroidery—carry not just aesthetic value, but personal memory and cultural lineage. By embedding them into my work, I aim to preserve these traditions while reimagining them in contemporary visual language.
The process is iterative. I often move between digital and physical realms—scanning, painting, tearing, layering—until the piece feels emotionally and visually resolved. Each work becomes a stitched-together narrative: a meditation on identity, belonging, and transformation.
FAQ
Why do you work with collage and mixed media?
Honestly, collage just feels right for the kind of stories I want to tell. Identity isn’t clean or linear—it’s layered, messy, sometimes even torn. Working with mixed media lets me explore that visually. There’s something really satisfying about combining things that weren’t meant to go together and seeing how they speak to each other.
What’s the significance of using heirloom fabrics?
The saris I use in my work are incredibly personal. Some belonged to my mother, others to my grandmother—they’ve been worn at weddings, celebrations, and carry so much history. They’re beautiful on their own, with gold threads, tiny pearls, and embroidery, but it’s the emotional weight that really matters to me. When I cut and collage with them, it’s like preserving a piece of memory while creating something new out of it.
What’s the first thing you do when starting a new piece?
I usually start by collecting things—images, colors, textures, fabrics—that feel connected to what I’m thinking about. Then I’ll build a digital sketch to get a sense of composition. But the real process doesn’t start until I get my hands on the materials.
Do you plan your compositions or work intuitively?
I usually start with a rough plan—especially when I’m working digitally—but once I start layering physically, it becomes pretty intuitive. I respond to the materials as I go. Some of the best parts of my work happen by accident or by trusting my gut, not the original idea.
How long did it take to create these pieces?
About 40 hrs in a span of a few months
What do you hope someone sees when they look closer?
I hope they see more than just the surface. I want them to notice the layers—the little hidden details, the fabric textures, maybe even a photo transfer tucked underneath something. There’s always more to the story if you take the time to look.
How do you want people to live with your art?
I want it to be something they return to. Not just decoration, but something they notice new things in over time. A work that shifts meaning as their own stories evolve. I like to think of it as something that holds space for reflection and curiosity.
Do you see your work as a form of preservation?
Yes, definitely. But not in a museum kind of way. More like a living memory. I’m preserving traditions, yes—but also emotions, relationships, stories that don’t always make it into history books. My work is a way of keeping them alive.
Was there a person/place/feeling that inspired Identity series?This work was inspired by my immigration journey as a young child from India to the United States—the search for home, and the ongoing discovery of my identity as a global citizen. It reflects the deep need to find connection and comfort in the stories of others whose experiences mirror my own.
Leave a message for the future owner.
Thank you for welcoming this work into your space. It carries with it layers of memory, heritage, and emotion—woven from personal and collective stories. My hope is that it continues to speak to you over time, inviting reflection, connection, and curiosity. May it bring meaning and beauty into your life, just as creating it has brought into mine.