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Launched in 2014, PhotoSparks is a weekly feature from YourStory, with photographs that celebrate the spirit of creativity and innovation. In the earlier 570 posts, we have featured an art festival, cartoon gallery. world music festival, telecom expo, millets fair, climate change expo, wildlife conference, startup festival, Diwali rangoli, and jazz festival.

Recently hosted at Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath in Bengaluru, the Soulful Strokes exhibition featured the paintings of 52 artists from 12 states across India (see Part I of our coverage here).

The exhibition was curated by Barnali Ray, founder of the Kalashristi group. The artworks were priced from Rs 3,000 upward, to make them more accessible for the broader public.

See also our compilations of Top Quotes of 2021 on Art, Pandemic Resilience, Artist Journeys, and Art Appreciation.

The Soulful Strokes artist lineup includes Sheetal Samodia, Naresh Kumar Pallati, Sanghamitra Saha, Sabitha Raja, Bharati Kar, Sunita Bolloju, R Sanjay Kumar, Gayathri Kanuparthy, and others.

Artist insights

The exhibitors share a number of tips for aspiring artists, ranging from originality to practice.

“Keep painting in your own style and also try to find potential buyers,” artist-educator Barnali Ray explains, in a chat with YourStory.

Her Kalashristi art group has already hosted two group exhibitions. She also teaches offline and online classes at Shree Radha Art Academy in Bengaluru.

“In order to become successful in arts, we need three basic ingredients: observe, perceive and practice. Start looking at objects like you have never seen before,” adds engineer-artist Manoj Swain.

Role of the audience

The public plays key roles in the art ecosystem as audiences, buyers, and investors, as described by the artists.

“Please appreciate the effort the artist is putting into the painting. This is not only about energy and time, but emotions and feelings,” Manoj advises.

“Do not see an art work as a mere wall hanging. Please remember, you are not just viewing or buying a painting. In fact, you are seeing the emotion of an artist,” he emphasises.

“Please visit art exhibitions and galleries and observe the magical creations. Support art and artists,” Manoj suggests. 

“An artwork in your wall more precious than gold ornaments. You can feel, love and meditate over a painting. It can soothe your pain and bring enormous joy in your life,” Barnali affirms.

“Love art, help artists by buying their artwork. Every artwork is a poem written with colours and brush strokes. It’s a snapshot of beautiful moments to cherish forever, Barnali signs off.

Now, what have you done today to pause in your busy schedule and find new avenues for your creative core?

See also the YourStory pocketbook ‘Proverbs and Quotes for Entrepreneurs: A World of Inspiration for Startups,’ accessible as apps for Apple and Android devices.