Interview
Sandhya Sharma
Sandhya Sharma is a plein air and studio artist and holds Diploma in Painting and Drawing with Honors and Merit Certificates in figurative work and portraiture from London Art College, UK. She has also trained at the Florence Art Academy, Sweden. To further her understanding of figure painting and portraiture she trained at the Royal Drawing School, London, and progressed phenomenally under the tutelage of famous British Artist, Martin Yeoman. She studied for two years at the Atelier at the Roubtzof School of Plastic Arts (Russian Cultural Center), Tunis. Sandhya likes to paint from life and en plein air (painting outdoor from Nature) and is a juried and award-winning artist for plein air events in Maryland, Virginia, Tennessee, and Colorado.
She has been in juried shows held by MAPAPA (Mid-Atlantic Plein Air Painters of America) and MFA (Maryland Federation of Arts) and NOAPS (National Oil and Acrylic Painters Society). Her paintings are in private collections in several countries. She won ‘Best of Drawing’ Award in the 9th Plein Air Salon (Plein Air Magazine, May 2020) for her portrait of the Street Tailor of Abidjan, Honorable Mention for her portrait of The Street Dweller in Art Show International (April 2021), 'Talent Prize Award' for best Still Life in Art Show International, October 2021. Her preferred medium is Oils, while she also works in pastels, water media, and pen and ink. She has been teaching Drawing and Alla Prima Painting in her Studio since 2011 when she was based in Tunisia. Since 2018, she has been in the US and run her Studio and Classes in Bethesda and Silver Spring (MD).
Sandhya is a member of the Oil Painters of America (OPA), American Impressionists Society (AIS), the Mid-Atlantic Plein Air Painters Association (MAPAPA), the American Women Artists (AWA), American Watercolor Society (AWS), Maryland Federation of Arts (MFA), Montgomery Arts Association (MAA), and she is Founding Member of the Figurative Art Convention and Expo (FACE). She has served for two years as Chairperson (Plein Air) at Montgomery Art Association, MD, and been on the Advisory Board for the Plein Air Magazine and Fine Art Connoisseur. Before turning full-time to painting, Sandhya taught Political Science at Colleges affiliated with the University of Mumbai, was Senior Editor with the Oxford University Press, New Delhi, and was Consultant Editor for the African Development Bank and Association for Development of Education in Africa. She holds MA, M.Phil (American Studies) and Ph.D (International Relations). She is a Fulbright Scholar and earned National Talent Scholarship from NCERT (India), and Scholarships from UGC (India) and the Ford Foundation (US).
What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?
“I have M.Phil and Ph.D in International Relations. After teaching at Colleges in Mumbai and then working as Editor with a national daily in India, ‘The Indian Express,’ and the Oxford University Press in New Delhi, I moved to Tunisia (Africa). While working as Consultant with the African Development Bank I trained to be a full-time artist. My first Atelier training was done at the Bharati Kala Mandir (Ujjain, India) at the age of 17 years old. In Tunis I trained for drawing and oil painting at the Russian Cultural Center. I taught painting at my studio to support my further training as an artist which took me to workshops in Tuscany, Summer training at Florence Academy of Art, Sweden; Royal Drawing School, London (UK), Schuler School of Fine Art, Baltimore (USA). I have been represented by Galleries in Tunis and Abidjan. Presently, I am represented by Galleries in Baltimore, New York, and Amsterdam.”
What inspires you?
“Nature, the world around me, people and their struggles, all of these inspire me to paint. I like to capture a simple narrative in one image that the viewer can connect with and treasure.”
What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?
“I paint nature and the quiet struggle of people. I paint because visual image is the most important way I recall moments from the past, record moments from the present and anticipate beauty in the future. Smells, sounds, textures and sensations for me find their completion in a visual image. Sharing the beauty of Nature and momentous impressions is my way of connecting with the viewers. Message is for the viewer to find!”
How would you describe your work?
“My work has a spontaneity in capturing an image on the canvas. I don’t feel confined to one subject, one palette, or one way of handling my material. The subject is the determining factor in how it will be treated, and the subject can be anything that caught my attention. Having been a plein air and studio artist, working from life and direct observation, my paintings present an image with simplicity, flourish, and harmony, making the best use of the media. You might call it expressive realism or realistic impressionism!”
Which artists influence you most?
“Artists who paint from life and ‘en plein air’ are my constant source of inspiration. Having begun my art training in Tunisia, I draw inspiration from Etienne Dinet, a French artist who settled and painted in Algeria, and Alexander Roubtzof, a Russian artist who settled and painted in Tunisia. Both the artists were trained in classical methods yet went beyond that to cultivate their unique responses to the world and life outdoors. Their sense of rhythm and harmony in any composition is something I strive to achieve.”
What is your creative process like?
“I like to paint in oils. I love drawing so the planning of any composition is done in a quick sketch or drawing. The planning stage is important so that communication with the viewer is established with ease and simplicity early in the process. You might call it ‘intent’. I like to finish a painting in as few sessions as possible, resulting in many paintings done with the direct method or alla prima. However, some drawings and paintings need careful attention and grow into studio works as ongoing projects for a week or two. Idea is something else. I might plan a painting today but paint it years later. Some ideas need to mature before I can express them.”
What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?
“In a world forever conflicted with issues beyond an individual’s capacity to resolve, I see the artists’ role as that of sensitive communication and expression of joy, sorrow, and anything in between. Artists’ work has the power to bring communities together and be the voice of like-minded individuals while at the same time enriching the world with their creativity.”
Have you had any noteworthy exhibitions you'd like to share?
“The first exhibition I was juried into (at 18 years old) was an Indian traveling show of reproductions of Ajanta Cave Paintings (from around 650 BC) held in 1982 in New York. This project connected me to the rich cultural heritage of paintings in Ancient India. Some of these cave paintings were commissioned by women. As a plein air artist it is satisfying to be part of many shows across several states in the US. My solo show in Baltimore, ‘Across Boundaries’ is a cherished one as it had my works from four continents with landscapes, portraits and figures included to share my art journey. I loved being a Featured Artist in the 'Spirit of Women Artists of Color' show at Highlandtown Gallery, Baltimore MD.”
Website: www.sandhyasharmafineart.com
Instagram: @sandhyapaints
Other links: www.facebook.com/SukritiStudio
