Remember spotting Purple Collection on Puri-Cuttack Road in Bhubaneswar? It is run by this mother-daughter duo and now, the daughter, Swati Choudhary has her own art studio in New Delhi called Sacred Brushes, which was inaugurated just two months ago. Located in Shahpur Jat, it is a fashion boutique-cum-art studio. 

I have been in love with art since childhood

Swati Choudhary, artist | (Pic: Swati Choudhary)

If you visit her Instagram page, we challenge you to resist double-tapping on the posts. From a watercolor painting of dainty flowers to Lingraj Temple made by applying pointillism (a method of using dots to create art), Swati has experimented quite a lot. But how did she get here? "I am a self-taught artist and have been painting since childhood. When neither being a journalist or working with NGOs gave me any satisfaction, I switched over to art and design," says the 32-year-old. "There are so many tribal and folk art forms from Odisha alone," she exclaims, adding that she is currently working on art based on stories from Panchatantra and asks us to check her Instagram page soon to understand what she is talking about. 

When asked which medium Swati likes best, without a second thought she exclaimed, "Watercolours!"

Swati, who shuttles between Odisha and New Delhi, rues the fact that there are not enough open galleries in Bhubaneswar and urges institutions to encourage art. If given an opportunity, she would like to push the art scene forward by starting her own art magazine, minus the performing arts. "I came to New Delhi because of the craze and the exposure it offers when it comes to art. These elements are missing in Bhubaneswar," she says. And how do we encourage people to take to the brush? "Just try using watercolours when you are angry or upset. Put a drop of paint in water and just watch how it flows. That is the motto of my life, go with the flow, which I apply to my paintings as well. Just allow water to do the painting for you," she says passionately.    

Check out her artwork

For on her, check out instagram.com/swat_ichoudhary