Interview
Shivani Fotedar (Colin)
Shivani, also known as Colin, is a self-taught artist and has been creating since she was 10 years old. Her work is primarily composed of sketches and some occasional watercolors and oil paintings.
Shivani has learned that the best way to draw is to first observe and soak in the image in context.
She is highly inspired by women, with her mother being the first and foremost source of that inspiration. She sowed the seeds of art inside her daughter.
What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?
“I am an anesthesiologist and intensivist who thoroughly enjoys drawing and sketching. My journey began in school when I was chosen for various awards in creative art. The creative streak continued and on reaching college, I began taking sketching very seriously. I drew stills, people, portraits, scenery, and much more. I also experimented with paints and canvas and did some watercolors as well, but my forte remains sketches.
Intensive care is an equally stressful and rewarding experience. I read somewhere that using the creative parts of your brain helps you manage stress levels. I know this is true because my profession is very demanding, and art helps me de-stress. I learned how to tap into my creative side through sketching. It helped me express my feelings towards my patients and colleagues, and gave me a sense of freedom and control. Even my empathy skills improved. I find it difficult to express my feelings verbally, so art helps me express my thoughts, emotions, perceptions and experiences.”
What inspires you most?
“My inspiration is life itself, be it various poses of people, or animals, or still life scenes. I am especially attracted to women and really focus on various emotions that they go through, trying to capture them through my sketches. I’m also inspired by photographs, where I use the layering technique on my iPad to bring up the contours.”
What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?
“While sketching, I want to highlight women’s empowerment. My focus is always the strength of women and how women alone can contribute so much to the society. My inspiration has been my mother, whose strength of character I wish to depict through my art. I also want to draw attention to animal welfare, and how as humans it is our moral responsibility to take care of all animals.”
“My sources of inspiration would not be complete without mentioning my mom. Her role in advocating for women's empowerment is my motivation for art.”
How would you describe your work?
“My work is electronic. I use the pencil and iPad to sketch on the drawing board. When I draw, I put a lot of emphasis on the layering and shading. I have also done floral watercolors and oils on canvas. My themes are consistently women’s empowerment and animal welfare.”
Which artists influence you most?
“My personal favorites are Leonardo da Vinci and Salvador Dali. Their paintings had a scientific theme behind them, and they were always curious about the workings and mechanics of the world. They always painted a larger than life picture of their ideas.”
What is your creative process like?
“My creative process stems from the everyday activities of women and how they deal with their lives.”
What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?
“An artist brings to light the various social issues which need to be dealt with for the greater common good. It is because of them that social awareness happens.”
The sketches and watercolors shown are original, while the acrylic paintings have been inspired/copied from various artists.
Instagram: @shivanifotedar
Other: LinkedIn
