“Bloom Within: Cultivating a Radiant Soul” is my first collection and part of my lifelong series "Hu Atma Chu / I Am a Soul". This collection explores the distant yet powerful connection to my South Asian heritage, celebrating resilience, growth, women, and soul empowerment.
As a woman of color, I often feel the weight of cultural and societal expectations that force us into assumed categories. Navigating large generational gaps and a blend of cultural influences by Latin, Black, and South Asian, added onto the entangled identity crisis. The pandemic provided a pause to process traumas and loss, leading me on a journey of unraveling and blossoming as I healed from the distant culture and sisterhood, explored the depths of loss, life, and the soul, and reconnected to my inner shakti / power through creating.
Each painting features a female figure adorned with cultural references such as a sari, bangles, and henna, and infused with florals and shine. They are a visual representation of blooming through connecting deeper to the heart of her empowerment – creativity and inner light. They highlight the transformative energy of self-discovery, bold courage, and authenticity to navigate and rise above life’s challenges.
The ideas were nurtured from personal experiences, observations, and research transforming into digital collages and analog sketches. They were brought to life through a mixed media and multi-layered process of acrylic, pastel, and gold leaf, with gold and blue hues adding a soulful touch of empowerment, and leaves and vines represent growth and vitality.
Through the practice of ahimsa, the ancient Indian principle of non-violence, and through my artistic voice, I create for inner acceptance and a desire for a revolution. I seek to inspire and empower all goddesses to cultivate their inner fire, develop resilience, boldly bloom, and thrive within their unique radiance.