Interview

Jun 19

Ramya Rajiv

Ramya Rajiv is a fine artist, a mother, and a woman learning to live life with ease and intention. Her work specializes in an Old World Romantic aesthetic, focusing on atmospheric landscapes and botanical florals created with hushed, evocative colors and rich textures. While everyone strives for a life of intention, it is easy to get lost in the external noise. Ramya's work is an invitation to return to that internal clarity, a concept she calls “Quiet Strength.” She translates this resilience into heirloom-quality paintings designed to be lived with and loved for generations. From her botanical studies to large-scale canvases, each piece is crafted to feel like a soulful, inherited treasure that is deeply connected to a space.

What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?

“Before I turned to art, I spent more than a decade in the corporate world as a product manager building websites. In 2022, a major life shift changed my career trajectory. We decided to move countries, and stepping away from my corporate role to help my young daughters acclimate to a brand-new country gave me a rare moment to pause. To anchor myself during that massive transition, I turned to the canvas. What started as a grounding, therapeutic daily practice quickly became a profound creative reawakening. I poured myself into mastering the craft of painting botanicals. Over the next two years, that daily dedication evolved from capturing botanical subjects into creating deeply atmospheric fine art. Today, I bridge the structure my education has given me and the freeing contentment art has given me to create modern classic, timeless fine art.”

What does your work aim to say? Does it comment on any current social or political issues?

“My work is rooted in finding strength and calm in a loud, busy world that is constantly inundated with critique, opinions, and rush. I don’t comment on social or political issues; instead, I focus on the internal landscape. My florals depict the quiet strength we all carry and aspire to, they are bold, free, and not afraid to take up space. To complement them, my landscapes provide a soft place to actually experience that strength. They offer a space where we can finally hear ourselves and find ourselves, like a quiet path you can walk on during a summer afternoon on pastoral hills. All of my paintings are inspired by an old-world feeling, serving as a gentle reminder that slow, calm moments are still entirely possible.”

Do you plan your work in advance, or is it improvisation?

“I don't plan my work in advance; it could be a day of florals, or a day spent painting trees and meadows. The decisions happen right when I am looking at a blank canvas with a brush in my hand. My north star is usually a feeling, the feeling of a life well lived in an old-world atmosphere. I let that guide my strokes and colors.”

Fine Art pastoral landscape Ramya Rajiv1.jpg

Are there any art world trends you are following?

“I find myself deeply connected with the growing ‘Slow Art’ movement. In a world driven by screens and instant gratification, there is a beautiful revival of appreciation for traditional craftsmanship, classic techniques, and art that takes time to create. People are craving texture and a sense of history in their spaces. I love seeing the art world return to pieces that invite you to slow down, pause, and just breathe.”

What process, materials and techniques do you use to create your artwork?

“My process is focused on creating atmospheric depth and a rich sense of history on the canvas. I work primarily with acrylics, building each piece slowly through multiple fine layers to capture a specific, nostalgic quality of light. Technically, my work revolves around the intentional transition of edges. I love pairing bold, expressive brushstrokes with incredibly soft, seamless blending to create a soft-focus effect. By focusing on delicate shifts in color and tone rather than heavy texture, I am able to evoke that signature old-world romance and timelessness that defines my style.”

What does your art mean to you?

“My art is a reflection of what I aspire to for myself and my daughters, it carries the very lessons I want them to take with them on their journeys. To me, it represents a quiet strength. It is the kind of strength that comes from knowledge, calmness, and the willingness to let go of heavy emotions. By releasing that weight, it leaves us light and free to live a truly intentional life. When someone brings a piece of my work into their home, my hope is that they feel that same lightness and quiet grounding every single day.”

What’s your favourite artwork and why?

“It is definitely much easier to pick a favorite from another artist’s portfolio than it is to pick from my own. Every time I sit down to paint, it brings something new and unexpected to the canvas. Because of that, each of my paintings holds something I love, and my favorites are actually sprinkled across all my paintings. A favorite tree here, a specific brushstroke there, or a particular color transition. They are all little pieces of joy scattered throughout the collections.”

Have you had any noteworthy exhibitions you'd like to share?

“While I enjoy participating in regional art shows and local gallery exhibitions, my primary space for showcasing new work is my website. I host weekly collection releases directly through my platform, allowing collectors from all over the world to view and acquire my latest pieces as soon as they leave the easel.”