After studying at the National Institute of Design (NID), launching her own studio — Anek Taanka — in Ahmedabad, giving over 15 years to the textile industry and amassing accolades like Youngest Designer of the Year and Youngest Entrepreneurship Award by global body EDIDA, today, Varsha Patra has reinvented herself through doodling. But these are doodles that are more intricate and abstract than you have ever seen before. Bringing attention to finer details coupled with a whole lot of patience — a quality this mother of one believes she has abundance of — has led her to doodle masterfully, incorporating folk art and other elements into her work.
To date, Varsha has conducted seven exhibitions of her artwork and believes that she is as blissful as one can be. "One day, an old lady came to my exhibition and said that she just wanted to sit in front of my art and gaze at it for some time, and she did! It's not about the money for me, it's all about the love and respect I gain," says a smiling Varsha, whose doodles can be described as eccentric, abstract and evocative. "Making any piece of art is like meditation for me; I don't have to focus on the business side of things, like I used to do when I was working in the textile industry," she adds.
"Life had its own twists and turns when I was working in the textile industry but even then, I used to work as per my own aesthetics and appeal to the palate of a select few and I was satisfied," says the 45-year-old. She feels blessed because she works at her own pace — taking as long as two months to finish one piece of work — and doesn't work for the money. "Today, I wake up and do what I want to do," says the Rourkela-born artist who is currently settled in Hyderabad. In her art, you can see the reflection of her experience in the textile industry and glimpses of artforms like Madhubani, Gond and more.
Some of her intricate work
To know more about her, check out varshapatra.com
