Interview
Sheetal Durve
Sheetal Durve’s art is inspired by nature and the life around her. Simplicity and versatility blend together on her canvas. She paints with minimal use of lines and strokes on varied themes with watercolors, oil, acrylic and mixed media.
Living in an ever-evolving world in the vibrant Middle Eastern city of Dubai has added newer perspectives to her artwork. Real-life situations, people, travel, and Mother Earth are all her muses today. Through workshops and classes, she shares her passion for art with young children in schools and through online sessions. Her creative legacy lives on endlessly with her paintings.
What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?
“My art journey started at a very young age. Coming from a culturally rich background, my parents both have been patrons of art. As a child, I attended lot of art exhibitions, dance performances and music concerts as well. Seeing my love for art, my parents knew I would end up in an art college.
My grandmother was a formally trained sculptor. I always watched her while she created several pieces. So all around me, there was art in various forms. Not a day went by without me painting or sketching. As expected, I eventually landed up in an art college.
I also did a Bachelor’s in Psychology, after which I worked in advertising for a few years before I realized my true calling was painting. It has been a gradual but very satisfying journey so far. I am now happy and proud to be a full-time artist.”
What inspires you?
“My biggest source of inspiration is this universe — the spectacular array of colors that we see around us, the movement, the rhythm, the calmness and the thunder. It amazes me every single day how the world is created and thank God for it. So many different species of living things, mountains, skies, oceans; the list is endless. It inspires me to create when I realize we live in such a beautifully created space.”
What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?
“I am, at all times, in awe of the natural beauty, so a lot of my work is nature-inspired. At the same time, when I see the current state of affairs, political, humanitarian or social, I have a strong urge to create, based on my feelings and emotions about what is going on.
There’s a lot of thought that goes into every piece of my art, and each piece always has an underlying message. I see how the peace on our planet is destroyed by racism, religion, boundaries or whatever else it may be, and I feel the need to do something about it.
I’ve been creating work along those lines. I will continue to address society’s current issues and try to make a difference with my art.”
“My art is an imprint of my soul-stirring emotions.
Everything has its own beauty. I just want to take in every bit of the surroundings and add something of my own, to show my creation to the world.”
How would you describe your work?
“I dwell a lot on the aesthetics and colors that I use for my paintings. The paintings I do, whether abstract or realistic, will surely make you pause and think. At the same time, I hope to bring the emotion and mood I was in at the time I did the painting to the person who sees it.
My art is vibrant and colorful, and other times it’s subtle and simple. My sole intention is to emit positivity and bring a smile to the onlooker. Even though a lot of my art represents social issues that might not be very pleasant, I try to make the paintings shout out the cause with positivity.”
Which artists influence you most?
“There are two groups of artists that I’m influenced by. The first group is artists who depict societal issues in creative ways, such as Oliver Jeffers and Banksy.
The second group is artists who create vibrant, colorful, aesthetic art with minimal strokes, such as Viktoria Prischedko, Antonio Ortega and Brian Rutenberg.”
What is your creative process like?
“My art expresses an emotion, a state of mind. All that is important to me, all that impacts me as an individual and as a part of society. My passions, interactions, interests and reflections all manifest in my artwork. I believe in dreams turning into reality, and my creation involves my personal response, reevaluating and revoking memories.
Using watercolors, acrylics or any mixed media, I allow myself to be completely immersed in my thought process. I pick the topic that has been on my mind the most, and after brainstorming and dwelling on ideas, I do a few scribbles on paper. Then I turn to my final paper or canvas and get the basic sketch. The process of choosing colors and strokes is absolutely instinctive.”
What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?
“The whole community contributes to the culture of the place, which in turn contributes to history. When an artist expresses themselves through their paintings, it is personal yet universal. Every artist plays a different role in society. For instance, I really enjoy sharing my skills with my students. We recently launched a book ‘Bedtime Stories’, which was illustrated by my students. I’m so proud that my knowledge is extended to others who can benefit from it. I have an urge to help the needy and underprivileged. It gives me immense satisfaction, as I think I need to give back to the universe.
As an artist, it’s easier to express the emotions and struggles of society that exist within, and also inspire society to cope with them. I can easily say that art is evolving. Since art has such a huge impact on society, it can change opinions and instill values. Most artists these days realize the impact they can have, and use their paintings as a medium to express something they feel passionately about and in which they want to see a change.”
Have you had any noteworthy exhibitions you'd like to share?
“I have had several exhibitions in U.A.E, India, U.S.A. and Japan. These are some of the important ones:
2022:
My watercolor painting Valley of peace is being exhibited in Fabriano, Italy.2021:
Jiwi International Watercolor Autumn show.
By the Sea Dubai, U.A.E.
7 Stages of Grief. Done by Alzheimer's patients and grief support group which I mentored.
The Visionary Women Award ,Dubai, U.A.E.2020:
Cambass Art gallery New York.
Besides that, I have also been nominated as one of the 50 inspiring women in the U.A.E.”
Website: www.sheetaldurve.com
Instagram: @artofsheetal
