From a hobby to a career: Sravani Mustikovela’s journey
Every small bit of life inspires Sravani. From her studio in India, she tells us about life as an artist and what she has learned along the way to taking her creativity full-time.
Hello, who are you?
I am Sravani Mustikovela and I am a painter from the beautiful country, India. I’ve been making art for as far back in time as I can remember. I am the kind of person who is constantly exploring and pushing myself to do things outside of my comfort zone. One of my favourite pastimes is to zone out to pay attention to mundane things around me and weave imaginative stories.
Can you tell me about your creative journey?
My creative journey has been quite a fun ride so far. I landed at wherever I am today after exploring a diverse array of academic and professional opportunities. And I believe that choosing to be a fine artist did not just happen by chance. Rather, every path that I took helped me make a very conscious and informed decision on becoming an artist and using my abilities in the best possible way.
I have not been formally educated in fine art. I studied economics in my undergrad and interior design in my postgrad. I worked as an illustrator for a while just because I was fascinated by digital illustration done using a Wacom tab. No matter what I did or where I went, my heart was always in painting. So when I realised how strongly I wanted to live my dream life painting and offering them to the world, I took it up professionally. It was not an easy decision to make and it certainly is not easy to run an art business. But I get to learn every single day, work from a space that is messy yet inspiring, and play with colour like I used to as a kid.
What inspires your work?
Most of my inspiration comes from the wonders of nature and the beautiful country that I live in. Smallest of things like a caterpillar munching on a leaf, the textures of a tree trunk, bird songs with the first ray of morning sunlight – everything inspires me. I may not paint all of them, but these things set the mood for me to get creative.
‘Nrityam’
How would you describe your artistic style?
I think it would be fair to say that my style is constantly evolving. I like to create a lot of texture and bring a bit of abstraction into my artworks, I do not enjoy painting a lot of detail. I aim to evoke a certain emotion when the viewer looks at my work so that they connect with my art.
When I look at your paintings, I seem to notice more and more the longer I look at them. Are they planned before you pick up the paintbrush, or do they evolve naturally on the canvas?
I love that you mentioned that the longer you look at my paintings, the more you see. It happens because of the many layers of texture that I create. I actually do plan my paintings but somehow, during the process, they end up very different from how I plan them. I think that’s a pure reflection of my personality.
‘By the Brook’
What is your favourite medium to work with?
My favourite medium to work with is acrylics. They match my patience level when drying.
If you were to pick one artwork you've created as your favourite, which would it be?
I have two favourite artworks actually. Both of them in absolutely different styles and made with different inspiration. ‘By the Brook’ and ‘Nrityam’. Both these artworks helped me grow as an artist, believe in myself and appreciate the process of creating.
India
