Chennai's Aarthi Goyal's fluid art will brighten your boring cup of coffee

Have you ever woken up one fine morning to a boring wall and wondered why it's so plain? Maybe poured yourself coffee in your regular stained mug or served yourself some pasta in your regular bowl? Say no more! I think I know just what you need to spruce it up. I recently had the good fortune of catching up with Chennai-based artist, Aarthi Goyal who is working on bringing a splash of colour to your everyday utilities at home and guess what, it's pretty good! I got to see a piece of her artwork and I could totally picture myself being a proud owner of her work. 

I decided to take a plunge from my corporate job and pursue art full time. But my corporate job in marketing has paid off and helps me market my product better

Aarthi Goyal, Artist 

Do the terms 'fluid art' and 'resin' ring a bell? Well, Aarthi, a proud master of both methodologies, goes on to explain what they mean, "There is very less control involved in both mediums of art and both mediums involve fusion of liquid paints. While fluid art is easier to work with and involves pouring and dipping, resin, on the other hand, requires a lot more prep. You'll need to get your gloves and masks on as it involves the use of chemicals and heat to get that brilliant finish."

Cappadocia Coasters: The artwork for this set of coasters was influenced by my time in Cappadocia, Turkey. It's known for its distinctive 'fairy chimneys', tall, cone-shaped rock formations clustered in Monks Valley, Göreme

Explaining how she implements these mediums of art in her work to bring that splash of colour in your everyday lifestyle, she gleefully says, "I was never the kind who was satisfied with art on a canvas board. I was always someone to think outside the box, experiment and see where art could actually make a difference to lifestyle. I drew most of my inspiration from the sea, I found myself visiting the beach quite often and I would wait to see where else I could leverage that inspiration in my artwork. That is when I came across resin art which helped me understand how I could bridge the parameters between art and utility." 

La Vie En Sea Beach Tray: Every artist finds inspiration in nature, for me it's the ocean. It was while watching the calm waves, I realised that the possibilities for my art are endless. I see myself slowly transform into a seascape artist

Aarthi then went on to explain how she got started, "I began researching on resin as a medium of art and I practised it over and over again till I got it right. And this is how I work on coasters. I buy the wood and shape it till the edges are really smooth and levelled. I then prime the wood until all the moisture in the wood is sucked out because water and resin don't blend. I double-prime it just to be precautious. Now, mixing the resin is a task as it has to be customised for every piece of artwork. The ratio of liquid being mixed and the amount of time needed for the fusion really matters, after which all other special ingredients can be added to the mix and poured over the primed surface. It will then take 48 hours to completely cure. After this, all that's left is the final touches."  

Vintage Virtue Platter: I've always wondered if I was born in the wrong century. I adore the vintage era, their distinctive grace, their poised pace and their fashionable lace!

Aarthi had once experienced corporate life before letting it go for her passion. She took her studies very seriously and she explains why she had to, "Studies were given importance in my life always. I completed my graduation and my postgraduation here in Chennai and I worked in a social media job at a New York-based consultancy. I gave it my all, but that satisfaction that you feel from being able to do what your heart wants always haunted me. I still gave that job my best and was eligible for a promotion when I decided to take that plunge and pursue art full-time. But my studies and my marketing experience has paid off and now, it only helps me market my product better and reach my target audience." So yes, it is definitely an 'all's well that ends well' scenario for Aarthi.