This contemporary United Kingdom artist hails originally from India. She took up painting as a way to adapt to her new country and to keep herself occupied as her husband played cricket.
Urvashi Patel also loves performing Indian dance and has been selected for the opening ceremony for the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. Her art dances with bright, bold acrylic colors across the canvas.
Self-taught, Patel has mastered the art of digital media, namely Instagram, to bring her audience into her studio and into her creative process. Her paintings are about movement, and her use of bright, vibrant colors is to evoke emotions.
India Artist Has A Look
When people look at her work in an exhibition, they assume she is an Indian artist.
“They described my painting like India’s Holi Festival of Colors. We kind of throw colors at each other and celebrate that. So, yeah, they describe my painting as Holi painting.”
Patel also says that colors come to her naturally, especially since she moved to the United Kingdom, which seemed very gray to her when she arrived in winter.
She paints flowers because she gardened during the COVID lockdown.
“Sometimes it just the emotions that I want to express in my art. I want freedom. So that everything around me, all the surroundings, nature, people, conversation with people, everything inspires me.”
When something feels off in a painting, she will look at it from her phone, take a picture and turn it into black and white. From there she can see the value range: dark and lights then compare it and make changes.
Paint, Even If You Don’t Have the Time
For those just starting out, Patel understands they won’t know what their niche is or their style.
“Just do everything, whatever you feel like it in the beginning. You will you learn and then you put it into your own way.”
Once you start painting, you get an instinct in what colors you need to pick up next.
“I always like to put positive hope towards things and healing. Art in itself is healing. When I’m creating or making a painting or I’m surrounded by art, any kind of art, not just painting, it could be dance, it feels like more like a healing. I felt the joy. I think that joy heals us.”