10 Questions with Sangeeta Singh
Sangeeta is an experienced artist with a demonstrated history of working in the fine art industry for over three decades. Over the years, she has worked on developing her skills in both traditional and contemporary techniques. Towards this, she has studied the techniques of Flemish Art, Icon Painting, Pastels, and Egg Tempera at the Prince's School of the Traditional Arts in London and Classical Naturalism with Ted Seth Jacobs and Studio Escalier in France, among other courses. Largely self-taught, she has experimented with different themes, media, and styles in her work. Her commercial works have been installed in public spaces like hotels and offices. She was also commissioned by leading interior designers for international hotel chains like the Ramada, Radisson, and the Taj Group. In addition, she has participated in several exhibitions around the world. Her journey as a professional artist started with exploration and experimentation with different media and then with educating herself through formal and informal means.
Sangeeta Singh - Portrait
ARTIST STATEMENT
“My art reflects my endless wonder as I choose a myriad of subjects to portray in a range of styles. My passion and zest for life shows up in my luminous palette and dynamic brush strokes. Birthing a painting for me is a spiritual process and an inherently personal experience that stems from my own fascination with the esoteric and metaphysical.” - Sangeeta Singh
Divine Wheels, Pure Pigment, 16.5x11.8 in, 2021 © Sangeeta Singh
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INTERVIEW
Could you tell us a little more about your background and how you began making art?
I started drawing as a little child when I was gifted a colouring book and a box of paints. Drawing, for me, was a means to escape the humdrum of school and give in to my own curiosity and creativity. Once I had discovered the magic of charcoal, quite accidentally from the family barbeque, there was no turning back. Through the process of trial and error, I also discovered oil and acrylic paints and started painting my mother's dinner plates or on bottles or any other surface I could lay my hands on.
I studied in a convent school which really encouraged fine arts, sport, music, literature, and dramatics aside from academics. This gave me a platform to explore my range as an individual, especially where art was concerned, at a very young age. I actively participated in several competitions, winning many prizes, and this paved my journey forward as an artist.
I am basically a self-taught artist, learning art through my own experiments and by attending several short courses to enhance my skillset.
What do you wish you knew about contemporary art before you got started?
Irrespective of the style of art, I believe that a student of art needs to hone the skills of drafting, drawing, and composition. Art isn't about applying paint on a canvas, and it goes deeper than that. It is about understanding the pillars of art, and your basic foundation in the tenets of art has to be solid. Only then can you decide where you want to go.
Oh a High, Acrylic, 5x3 ft, 2004 © Sangeeta Singh
Can you tell us about the process of creating your work? What aspect of your work do you pay particular attention to?
It starts with the subject and trying to understand the play of light and the colours that tie into that. Then the materials used will bring it together. I am influenced by the Chiaroscuro technique of the Old Masters. In my recent works, I feel drawn to expressing the finer details and subtle nuances of the subject being expressed on canvas, hardboard, handmade paper, etc.
What is the most challenging part of your work? And where do you find inspiration?
I don't look at my work as a challenge. However, sometimes it is a challenge to put in the kind of hours I would like to due to other responsibilities. I am constantly seeking interesting subjects that have some kind of story or depth to them. When I find something that piques my interest, I yearn to capture it on handmade paper or a piece of canvas. Traveling is another huge source of inspiration for me, whether it is trekking up the Himalayas or walking the streets of various cities and visiting museums and galleries. I believe that inspiration can be sought in almost everything and everywhere. It all depends on what one sees and how one sees it.
Hidden Truths, Pure Pigment, 42x30 cm, 2021 © Sangeeta Singh
The Teapot of Gold, Oil, 32x23 in, 2021 © Sangeeta Singh
What messages are you trying to convey with your work?
My art is a celebration of life, of colour, of the subject in question. It depicts my inner peace and tranquility which would like to share with the world. I want the onlooker to feel a sense of soul-stirring wonderment when they look at my work.
Do you have a role model that you've drawn inspiration from when creating your art?
The Creator and the Old Masters
What are you working on now, and what are your plans for the future? Anything exciting you can tell us about?
I am currently working on a figure of Buddha who is holding a blue lotus. The blue lotus signifies the embodiment of the perfection of wisdom. It is an oil on linen painting, where I have tried to capture his serene meditative pose wearing silken robes. I have embellished the robes with detailed and rich embroidery to enhance the experience of the painting and yet convey a certain stillness. It is almost 75% complete.
Is there any other medium or technique you would like to experiment with?
Egg-tempera and gilding is another medium that I love to work with. I would like to experiment with it a bit more.
Togetherness, Mixed Media, 3x2, 2015 © Sangeeta Singh
What do you wish to accomplish this year, both in terms of career goals and personal life?
I have always wanted to study art formally, and this year that wish is coming true, as I will be starting my Master's in Traditional Art at the Prince's School of Traditional Arts in London. This is a major milestone for me, and I believe that this will further help me explore my full potential as an artist. I had yearned for such an opportunity for several years, and this year everything just fell into place, right from my portfolio being reviewed to the final interview and being selected. This is a huge validation for me, my work, the journey of a self-taught artist, and the long road I've traveled.
Finally, share something you would like the world to know about you?
I want the world to know about me through my art. Nothing else matters.
