Being an artist is certainly not one of the easiest tasks in the world, especially when it is a question of livelihood. India as a country has produced luminaries who have excelled in various forms of art with their passion and commitment. In the digital era, the domain of art is very competitive and overall commercial inclination has brought in changes to the whole perception of being a popular artist. Thankfully, at present, there are world-class institutions in India which are nurturing young artistic talents. The name Shruti Vij is one example of such.
Born in the late 70’s, Shruti always had the artistic inclination. But making a career with art was not something she was too sure. In fact, it was art which led her to entrepreneurship. Trained at NIFT Delhi, Shruti took a full-time job with an organization. But she was destined to be in arts and in no time, she decided to make a comeback in the artistic domain.
As Shruti began her journey with Shruti Arts, there was no looking back after that. Before launching the organization she was in two minds, but ultimately decided to cater to the global audience via digital media. Shruti herself acknowledges,” The internet has no limitations and I think it is a great tool to reach out to a global audience. Originally it was not a conscious decision to focus on digital, but I started curating my work on the website to build a platform for them. I am glad to say that I have been very lucky to have such a great response to my platform which curates my artworks and I use it to sell it all over the world.”
Certainly, art entrepreneurship is a critical segment because it connects to a niche audience and revenue making is integral to it. Shruti has been very immaculate in dealing with the challenges. “In my case, since I started small, I did not have any problem of funds. All I needed was some space for my art studio and some art equipment. I started off with a small room in my house and made it my studio where I would do my painting. The art materials came out of the savings I had made over a few years. My family has been very supportive of my work and has always encouraged me to pursue my dreams,” said Shruti.
As far as genre is concerned, Shruti’s artwork is very unique from her peers. My art is not limited by style or technique, I like to leave it free, and it’s about what touches my heart. Although I regard my art as a personal journey I want people around me to experience it as well. I do not subscribe to complicated concepts; my idea of art is simple beauty. The common element that runs through all my works is the beauty that appeals to everyone and puts a smile on the viewer’s face. I use acrylics and mixed media for my work,” signs off Shruti.
Currently, Shruti is a member of the Association for NIFT Alumni, NIFTA. She has won several awards in the art circuit. Right from All India Camel Contest, Indo-Korean Art Festival, she has been a winner. Apart from that she has received a momento for DIFF 2013 and has received appreciation from Ghulam Ali (eminent ghazal singer), Mike Knowles- Dean, Sushant School of Design, Tibor Kovacs, Director, Hungarian Information & Cultural Centre, New Delhi. Shruti’s work has been installed at Hungarian Information & Cultural Centre, New Delhi, Sushant School of Art & Architecture, Gurgaon. Apart from that, her artwork has been in private collections in Dubai and U.S.
Presently, Shruti’s artworks are available with all the leading Online Art Galleries of India and abroad. She is working as an art consultant for a project dealing in Indian Art and Handicrafts with an advertising agency. Let’s not forget that Shruti Vij is a registered Freelance illustrator/ painter for children’s books with leading online portals. She has donated paintings for UNICEF for greeting card/ product design.
Shruti Vij’s advice for the young generation is quite simple and straight forward.
“It’s not always smooth sailing, so you have to take the ups and downs of your journey as they come. Keep the faith strong and keep surging ahead.”
