We recently connected with PARUL MEHRA and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, PARUL thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

Having worked in the realm of architectural practice in New Delhi(India) I realised that project work is chaotic & following deadlines & being answerable at their job’s description, isn’t everyone’s cup of tea! Hence after a few heart aches & many projects later, I realised my creativity is getting side lined due to labour oriented, project deadline hassles & delayed payments from clients!

I was creating artworks at that point as a hobby & due to the encouragement of well wishers & the huge support of my husband (who is also a musician on the side, hence my creative half!) I decided to host an exhibition of my art. My debut show got an encouraging response, which propelled me to engage in group shows & host more solo events. The ball got rolling & I switched gears to art full time. In college I had pursed art & architecture in my Batchelor’s Degree. Hence art training was a part of my curriculum.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

I’m a mixed media artist based in Singapore. I’m originally from Delhi (India) & very proud of my Kashmiri heritage.

My mother hales from Kashmir, which is a stunning region in the northern most part of India. Blessed with nature’s bounty. That place has been a huge source of sublime inspiration since my childhood, as I was surrounded by beautiful objects from the region.

The arts & home decorations from my mom’s hometown are now celebrated globally as an epitome of all objects beautiful. As a global artist, I hope I’m able to highlight that legacy of the hard working Kashmiri artisans.

I’m an artist who loves to incorporate various themes & ideas into one single frame. Having being trained in drawing & building architectural models in my college days, I now enjoy pursuing art courses & engage in workshops.

I feel that an artist should never stagnate with a linear way of thinking. The job of an artist is to make the audience wonder & transport them to another realm making them realise that there are so many possibilities.

I work with art curators & galleries, also artist collectives. Absorbing, learning along the way as I deeply connect to all creative souls. I am blessed to meet so many talented folks globally in the field of dance / theatre / music/ photography & indulge in meaningful conversations. That for me, as a painter is a source of stimulation. I love to visit nature parks, beaches, forests & of course art galleries. These avenues provide me with a photo book of natural ideas & inspiration.

May I add that Singapore with its unique blend of architecture & green spaces is a huge palette of inspiration for me. The forms & fluidity of spaces, highlighting the aspect of a garden city are truly magnified in this beautiful island.
On a personal front, I’ve always enjoyed collaborating with charity organisations. Giving back in my own little way, gives me immense satisfaction.

I feel blessed being able to pursue what I love full time. This has been largely possible due to the massive encouragement of my family. Also the constant support of my close circle of friends!

My work resonates with my diverse audience ranging from children to older generations as my art revolves around organic ideas. My art themes may incorporate my dreams or a news item, a book I read or a movie I enjoyed watching. I observe, analyse & then try to incorporate in my art piece.

I think what sets me apart is that I’m not worried all the time about the commercials of art but I truly enjoy challenging my creativity & exhibiting. Painting/ creating is definitely not for the faint hearted or who give up too easy, that’s my belief. It’s a slow process.

I’m proud about the fact that I follow my own trajectory & not over shadowed by what others believe is good or bad art !! I carve out my own niche…

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding aspect for me would be the respect & awe I get whether from a cab driver or strangers I meet in a gathering. The admiration for being an artist or the appreciation of the effort it takes to establish yourself as an artist.

Also on a formal level, I have received awards & recognition from organisations, which is encouraging as it’s an acknowledgement of my hard work .

Being a creative person means to set your own goals & meet your own expectations.

When I meet young kids & they are fascinated by visual art & want to pursue it as a career after meeting me or take my art catalogs as their go-to books for inspiration, that’s a huge compliment for me as an artist .Also when I represent my country for global projects, I feel a sense of pride & accomplishment.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

I think what we need in every country is more art camps & workshops hosted by companies & art collectives. I was fortunate enough to be invited & hosted at one such event, in the city of Jamshedpur (India). This was hosted by TATA Steel, an MNC & a corporation respecting art & artists since their inception almost a century ago.

Not only was I a part of a group of 21 artists from all over India with varied backgrounds & techniques of work, but I also got the chance to interact with industry stalwarts.

That experience changed how I think & perceive great art & artists. The company hosted all the artists as VIPs & provided us with all the art materials & honoured us with awards. The local population was also invited to watch us paint & interact. This was an amazing exposure for me as a newbie in the art world .

Sadly very few art organisations get funding or support from the government or corporates. Hence it’s tough for such organisations to sustain on their own, be it in Bali where I recently met supremely talented artists in a village who had no sales, for 2 years due to covid or in India where only a handful of galleries survive long term. The governments must acknowledge the value of arts in society .

Contact Info:

• Website: WWW.PARULMEHRA.COM
• Instagram: @artworksparul
• Twitter: ARTIST PARUL MEHRA

Image Credits
PARUL MEHRA