Meet Arti Jain

Today we’d like to introduce you to Arti Jain.

Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
I grew up in a small town in the foothills of the Himalayas in India, close to nature. I was always fond of drawing landscapes; flora and fauna. My second-grade teacher sparked my love for art, by giving me challenging art assignments which were different than the rest of the class. My family was very supportive of me working on my creative skills, but I never received any formal training due to lack of art schools in my hometown. You will see nature elements in all my paintings and use of bright colors. I think bright colors bring happiness.

My parents are very fond of gardening especially flowers, hence, those became my first subject and are still cherished by my parents and friends. I started with watercolor and graduated to oil paints. Later, I was introduced to acrylics and oil pastels.

One year, my parents took me to the first art festival in my town-Virasat (loosely translates to ‘Heritage’). Grassroot artists travel from all over India to this art festival. That’s where I found my love for folk art. Every day, after school, I would ride my bike to the art festival and spend time with folk artists. This was an annual ritual for me. They would share folk stories and the ‘what, why and how’ of their art forms. After high school, my career took precedence over my passion for art. But my career choice was also influenced by my love for Mother Nature.

After I settled in the U.S. in 2014, I wanted to be close to my roots and art has helped. Also, it gives me the opportunity to share a part of my heritage with people in the U.S. In 2016, I launched my brand ‘ArtsyArti’ and I have been actively taking my work to shows around the valley ever since. I currently serve on the board (President) of the San Tan Artists Guild.

With my work, I am also helping make a difference in our society by not only sharing my culture and creating awareness but also donating to victims of domestic violence.

Please tell us about your art.
In an effort to share a part of my heritage and culture with people across the world, my art is inspired by Indian motifs, folklore and tribal art from India. As an Environmental Science Specialist by day, I chose my medium of expression and execution as environmentally responsible materials -handmade paper, wood, natural stone, upcycled wine bottles etc. The work reflects elements of nature and is full of organic shapes and vibrant colors representing my culture. Colors used are natural pigments either procured from India or, I make my own colors and wood stains to keep the process organic and close to the original art form.

India is a very vibrant, colorful country. I hope people can see that vivid reflection of India and learn something new about my culture and its beautiful history through my work. Each painting is a conversation piece in itself. I hope people enjoy my work as much as I enjoyed creating it.

Choosing a creative or artistic path comes with many financial challenges. Any advice for those struggling to focus on their artwork due to financial concerns?
It is true that pursuing your artistic dreams can come with financial challenges. Some advice I would have for artists:
– Join a local art guild;
– Register for art shows;
– Promote your work on social media;
– Interact with other local artists and learn from their experiences, triumphs, and failures;
– Don’t be afraid of failure;
– Evolve as an artist and take risks.

How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
Art enthusiasts and curators can see my work on various platforms like San Tan Artists Guild website, Facebook, Instagram, Etsy, Pinterest. One can support my work by following me on social media and sharing my work with friends and family. I do shows around the valley and following me on social media ensures you don’t miss an event. If you like my work and are interested in making a purchase, feel free to contact me at my email address.

I also run an online store on Etsy by the name ‘ArtsyArti’ for some of my creations. I will be launching my YouTube channel soon and my website by end of summer.

Contact Info:

• Website: website: www.artsyarti.com (coming soon)
• Phone: https://www.santanartistsguild.com/copy-of-doreen-c
• Email: Email : artbyarti2016@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artsyarti_/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArtsyArti/
• Twitter: https://www.pinterest.com/artsyarti/pins/
• Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ArtsyArti

Image Credit:
Arti Jain (ArtsyArti), Jason Jones from jdimageries

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