We were lucky to catch up with Amruta PARMAR recently and have shared our conversation below.
Amruta, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?
As an accidental entrepreneur running two small businesses – Art & Clean Candles, its going to be hard to put things succinctly. I hope this long interview gives you an idea of what I want to serve to the world as my offerings.
As an artist, my purpose or mission is to #ShareJoy one painting at a time! When we are happy on the inside, the joy comes through outside.
Art makes you connect with yourself in an intriguing way. It brings joy in the most mundane moments, can be a wonderful conversation starter, make your space more inviting, beautiful and gives the viewer a peek into your personality as a homeowner.
That’s what I try to do with my art. My painting journey started with visions through meditations. The search for enlightenment led me to exploring my inner voice, searching for freedom, joy and the infinite beauty through abstract art.
We humans are a complicated lot. We feel things, we can express, but can we see our own feelings? Has anyone seen their own soul? Or another soul? Can we pinpoint how does an emotion look, even though we can express how we are feeling? Has anyone seen their own mind, their inner voice, even though keep talking about it?
At the core, we are invisible abstract beings, embodied in a visible body, experiencing life through this container, this body mind complex!
My paintings are an expression of who we are, infinite inside, finite outside. Painting dynamic moments on to static canvases. exploring inner joy and transferring it on to external mediums.
We are all joy inside, we just loose track of it. You, me, all these people in the world.
My only so called mission or purpose is to bring the viewer back to the inner joy they have and connect with themselves deep within, once again. Calm their monkey minds, look within, to find their own bliss, though the paintings, that happen through me, for them.
I have always considered myself a medium for the painting to manifest. Its a very sacred intriguing experience, which i do not really know how it happens, but i know it happens, and can be only experinced. And only some people can feel the energy in the work. Thats what really pulls you to an abstract painting – The deep, nonverbal, invisible, quiet dynamic energy of the painter and the painting.
A little back story to my wellness journey and why i started making clean candles.
6-8 years ago, I did a 4 day workshop called Medicine Free Life back in my hometown, Pune, in India. It was headed by a surgeon turned into an organic farmer, who taught us about how our body works, and how food can be medicine and heal you, and the side effects of medications without nutrition and wellness angle is fatal for the human body. My mom was going through Brain TB and my dad already had two angioplasties. seeing both my parents heal in 3 days under his guidance and the simple framework he taught us had me in tears. since that day, I have been trying to lead as much as I can – a clean life and making choices that will nourish my body.
I was inspired to start my new candle business, Here and Now Candles, to bring to people clean candles, made with Coconut Apricot Creme wax which is way cleaner that paraffin and soy wax, vegan, skin safe, dermatologist approved and made from renewable sources. All our fragrances are free of harmful toxins, mutagens, carcinogens, phthalates, parabens and sulfates. They are a blend of clean, high quality fragrances + natural and essential oils. sourced globally and made locally in our home.
People love lighting candles, and they are unaware of the amount of toxins paraffin wax and synthetic fragrances can have on our human body. By trying to save money on cheap candles, the common man is actually paying his health away, by using candles that can mutate your DNA, cause all kinds of cancer, disrupt your endocrine systems, and hormones, headaches, migraines etc.
And that is why, Here and Now Candles are a lifestyle choice. Investing in you, your family and your space to be free of toxins, and #SharingourLight one candle at a time.
Amruta, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
My name is Amruta. As per Hindu scriptures, it means “Amrit – The nectar of the Gods”. The nectar that makes the God’s Immortal. For the longest time I did not like my name, till one of my guru’s back in India told me – “Always stay like your name. Pure. Its what the whole of humanity is chasing. Be the nectar”
I now truly truly understand what they meant. – to be the immortal infinite being, to align my life with that, to surrender to that. Not to live like a mortal little ego full of itself. And I realise, its a journey of constantly Becoming!
I have been on a spiritual quest since almost 2010. my background has been in marketing and sales. but I left my job to pursue the truth. There was a time I wanted to renounce the world and become a jain sadhu/monk.
That life is not for me., i realised it soon after staying like a mink for 48 days and going through the rigourous rituals and practices. I think I was almost becoming borderline fanatic.
I moved to Cincinnati, Ohio in 2017 July, post our wedding. A new blank slate. My husband is spiritual inclined as well.
As I started attending silent retreats, scripture studies, meditating, etc with his teacher, I started learning about myself, beliefs started dropping off on their own as a byproduct of clear seeing, experincing and deep understanding. I was against any religions, but I assumed mine was the greatest (Obviously!). These past few years have been a lot of unlearning, relearning, repeat.
One such day, I got a vision to start painting. It felt weird because knew nothing about art after what I learnt in school. I was so naive, I got oil paints and mixed it with olive oil and painted. I started from scratch.
After every scripture reading session, I would just get up and start painting, as if something within me painted it. It used to stump me/my logical mind. I knew it was not me. I silentlyfreaked out a little, thinking I am going crazy.
I had nothing to do, nothing to loose, so I followed the nudge to keep painting and exploring. ( I guess now in hindsight, it was never my choice! It was just the flow and I couldn’t but do it!)
Youtube and Instagram was my teacher. I did one workshop to understand the techniques and terms. its as if my soul knew what has to be done, but my conscious mind was still figuring things out and playing catch up.
To this day I paint intuitively. I don’t know what I will paint. When the urge comes up, I paint. Sometimes I paint 25 paintings in two days and then nothing for two months,
As I started putting into words and desribing my own art, I realized I was healing from an onset of depression. Painting made me feel something visceral, but i couldnt quiet understand it for a while. It was inner joy and freedom I was craving, as a kid, abundant, unrestricted happiness. I come from a dysfunctional family, so I had to grow up and become like a care taker for everyone at a young age. I don’t blame anyone, but it was just the plain hard truth, and i am making peace with it.
I guess thats what my art is about. Inner child like happiness, Causeless Joy. Free, without any agenda. I don’t paint so that people will love it and buy it(but ofcourse those thoughts comes up, I am human too!). But when people do buy the art, it gives me a deep sense of fulfillment. it feels like my life’s purpose is to share that joy.
My art does not solve any problem.
I am not here to solve anyone’s problems. you have therapy for that.
But I hope to add a dose of joy, moments of happiness, with the art that happens though me, and I hope it reaches you, makes you feel happy, for no reason.
And as my teacher Rupert Spira says, “Happiness is our nature. but it can get veiled sometimes!”
Our soul is always happy. Our minds are not.
I hope that through my art the viewer gets an opportunity to get in touch with their own being again, for a few moments and uplift your energy and brighten up your beautiful sacred space. I hope it can be a place for you to connect with yourself daily, even if it is for few momnts in your crazy day!
All I want for you and me is to be happy, without any cause. Pleasure will come and go. Joy does not!
I tear up very time a passer by, or a collector tells me my art brings them so much joy, it makes them very happy, for no reason!
Isn’t that just so beautiful? What a blessing it is to be a conduit to share joy and make strangers happy. It is more fulfilling than the sale. I live for those nectar dipped words from people. It makes me cry every single time. Humble and Grateful for this opportunity and this gift!
As for the Candles:
I am always looking for cleaner, non chemical alternatives for all kinds of products. So when I came across Coconut Wax candles at my friends house, I was very intrigued. Soy candles never caught my interest, but something about Coconut wax did. I came back home and started researching. I don’t know why. I did not think of making candles then.
but as I came across and reserached extensively about Coconut Apricot Creme wax, clean candles, clean fragrances, I just instantly knew I was going to make candles, for people who like me are looking for and invest in cleaner products intentionally. Small changes make big differences. Its like buying organic produce with lesser chemicals than conventional produce with chemical pesticides that can affect your neural networks, disupt our hormones, etc etc. No, Thank you!
From Ideation, to launches, and everything that ineeded to make the candles, is done in our home basement studio by myself. It can be a loy to handle both the businesses, and my husband helps me sometimes. I don’t like anyone messing things up, an especially if my customer is going to be affected by it. You can say i may have some control issues here. ;-) I take nothing back home. Each penny is invested back into business, so that there is alwats room to invest in higher quality raw materials.
That’s why I curate, clean and check each candle, each painting, MYSELF!
It’s truly made with a lot of love, care and sometimes panic! hahaha! that’s just the fact of entrepreneurship life.
I care about who I serve. And that is why I always aim at providing the best I can. I want the customer to experience joy, happiness and be proud of their investment. and that makes me a very proud happy and content business owner and i can sleep in peace every night! It is my way of giving back to the community what I learn, what I implement in my personal life and sharing it with them.
These candles are consciously made, with an intention to deliver a sustainable luxury experience to the common man. like you and me!
My grandfather gave me one business advice. – “Always keep your customer at the forefront. Don’t compromise in the quality. You don’t want to make money at the cost of their health. EVER! When someone sees a good quality product, they will come back or not. But you give them bad quality once, and you have lost your goodwill & business from that customer for life. never compromise quality for money! Ever!”
Sleep in peace, with a clean conscience and that money will only do you good!”
and I can swear, I have slept In peace after very exchange because I will never give a sub standard product or a service to my customer! and I am very proud of myself for that single decsision! I may not see my accomplishments, or my growth, but I will see this!
One thing I would love to tell all the readers is, INVEST in a good quality of life. Buy less, but invest in what truly speaks to your heart. I know it is not possible for everyone to support every small business owner. You do what you can do, in your capacity.
Only INVEST in art that calls out to you. It doesn’t have to match your interiors, and be liked by everyone always! It has to mean something to you deeply. And witness how it changes your life, and your space :)
What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?
I started selling via Instagram. I would just keep posting daily. Sometimes it would feel very discouraging, and sad. but at the sometime I knew that it takes time and art is very personal and subjective. I did not know what does true art mean till I started making it. So I cannot expect someone to get it at the first go. Building trust by showing up and educating people is very important at every stage of your business.
I finally started doing local shows in my city in 2019. I met a wonderful vendor at one the events and he shared information with me, a stranger so generously, it isn’t even funny! His name is Ryan Durbin a ceramist / potter and sells his work under the name RD Ceramics! He even gave me an opportunity to stand at his booth see how he interacts with people, how to set up, etc. It was exteremley generous of him to extend that opportunity to me. You have no idea, what that means to someone who knows nothing about art, the art industry, leave alone trying to share art in a local show in a new country!
My business grew uptown 500% just through selling at shows. That was not possible if I would be only selling on stories through instagram.
If you are a small business owner who makes products, I would highly recommend exploring out local farmers markets and events in your area, to reach out to more people. and people are more than happy and so kind to support small business owners.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
Starting an art business in a new country, with no prior training in or art degree, is probably what I can look at as resilience in hindsight. I think it was blessing for me in disguise. I had nothing to loose. I had no preconceived ideas. As its said, what you know might hurt you, I didn’t know anything at all to get hurt.
For the first two years I did not take it as business. just something on and off, I only took it seriously after a riend bought two paintings, i cried teh whole day in awe and shock, figuring out how to price them.
I consider myself mostly a self taught artist, painting colorful and contemplative paintings inspired by my inner world, joy and spiritual teachings. Never in my life I considered myself a creative person and yet, here I am. I worked in sales and marketing for 6-7 years back in India.
When one comes to the US, everyone dreams to go to college, get a masters degree and then find a good job that will give you a decent salary. Convert it into Indias rupees, it can run into lakhs! letting go of that conventional idea and pressure is what I am happy about and my husband was very supportive of that. I did not want to go school here. but I always wanted to learn.
I learnt through YouTube. Alone. I had no friends to ask questions. I made friends online and would ask them questions. I am so grateful for all these virtual Insta-friends who i have made friendships with and have been generous to share their experince with me.
Likewise with my candle business. the research, testing, curating the collection. branding, launching, etc all had to be done by me. It’s a learning curve. You learn from people who generously share their entire journey on YouTube.
YOUTUBE is a wonderful teacher! People don’t use it enough.
I learnt designing on canvas through YouTube. I learnt how to make candles through YouTube. I learnt how to do photgraphy, staging, ideating brand shoots by researching like a maniac. I am a really teeny weeny single person business owner. I can’t afford to pay people for the services. so I had to learn everything.
Back in India, I have been spoon fed pretty much everything. Here, I am on my own. no one is coming to help me. But I also get to grow up, on my own two feet!
Entrepreneurship is not for the faint hearted. It may look glamourous on the outside, but it involves research, self learning, figuring things out alone, tears of frustration and despair at times. Your family doesn’t truly know what you do, strangers support you more than friends, and collectors become friends. Its a wild wild ride, but a very fulfilling one!
To see someone invest in your product with their hard earned money is blessing and a miracle happenung in front of your eyes. It makes you realize you are in the right direction and to keep going. That external validation is crucial for small business owners when they start their journey because there is a lot of self doubt and uncertainity involved!
Its funny how we entrepreneurs can see the potential in others small businesses, but have a hard time trusting ourselves.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @artbyamruta and @hereandnowcandle
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/artbyamrutaparmar and https://www.facebook.com/hereandnowcandle
- Other: Etsy shop for Art by Amruta Parmar : https://www.etsy.com/shop/ArtbyAmrutaParmar Etsy shop for Here and Now Candle Co: https://www.etsy.com/shop/HereandNowCandleCo