Shruti Narayan and her tactilics-focused art
BY FR CARLOS LUIS SAC
“Life would be very mundane if little things never gave us joy; a beautiful sunset, the buzzing bees, the rains, a happy carefree child. Art is everywhere,” says Shruti Narayan.
Shruti is a Goa-based artist, born and brought up in Calcutta, who has been conducting art workshops for children in regular succession whether it is at the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival, Mumbai (2023) or the Goa Book Fair 2023.
Other festivals she has been part of are the Jaipur Literature Festival, the Lulu Reader’s Fest, Kochi; Oxford Bookstore, Calcutta; and the Kukdukoo Children’s Literature Festival, Noida.
She has acquired her passion to inspire young minds from the experience of being an art teacher at the Vasant Valley School, New Delhi, from 2006-2019.
Shruti has also worked in advertising at Saatchi and Saatchi, Bates and as an illustrator at the Indian Institute of Cerebral Palsy, Calcutta. She has had nine previous exhibitions in Calcutta, Mumbai, and New Delhi and a group show in Goa.
Speaking of this relentless spirit, she says, “I have been drawing and painting, experimenting with colours since the age of three. I love shapes, colours and textures. When I was young my mother used to give me paper and crayons to keep me from mischief. I guess that’s where it all began. As for working with children for over two decades, it is their boundless imagination and creativity which inspires me.”
Further, she throws light on what art is to her and how children are innately artistic, saying, “Art to me is an integral part of life. It brings with it tranquillity, a sense of responsibility, pride, and the ability to estimate and make decisions. As adults, we mostly aim for perfection. But art is not perfect. After all, is life perfect?”
She continues, saying, “Art can be imaginative, and we can have differences of perception and yet respect each other. Art bonds, with respect to society. Children are not afraid. Their art comes from the heart, whether we as adults understand that or not. They just create for joy and to show what they feel.”
For Shruti, tactilics, that is, the science of touch language, is an integral aspect of art. She says, “Art is a sense through which one feels, thinks and expresses. Working with fingers and paints, that feeling is an emotion too.”
She goes on to say, “When we create with our fingers, either using paints or crumpled paper, we have a sensory experience. The smell of paint and the touch of a brush are unparalleled experiences.”
Shruti works with a variety of mediums, including dry pastels, ink, acrylics, mixed media, watercolours and so on. However, acrylic is her favourite medium as it helps her grow and discover herself as an artist.
She approaches art differently, believing that the process of creating something must be enjoyed – whether it is something created individually or with children.
Explaining her process, she states, “I am a very spontaneous artist. I see, think, feel and try to put my expressions on my canvas. An idea strikes out of the blue, an image comes to the brain, and the picture stays in the mind. The process is to be excited and motivated about creating something, and not worry about it being quintessential.”
When it comes to conducting workshops for children, Shruti is a pro. She excitedly describes, “One has to connect with children at their level. Once they get comfortable with you, there is no holding back.”
She explains, “They are so imaginative and creative that they just need that little facilitation and they come up with masterpieces. There is a lot more I learn from them than I teach. They are not afraid to try new things; they express themselves from their heart. It is absolutely amazing, and I end up feeling humbled and positively charged whenever I work with children.”
Shruti is not worried about modern-day technology which has made digital art and digital painting possible.
She says, “One has to keep reinventing oneself with the changing times. However, having said that something created by hand is special because it is one of its kind – that never goes out of style.”
She admires artists like Pablo Picasso for his Cubism, Vincent van Gogh for his strokes, Jamini Roy for the distinct features of his art, etc.
While these remain her favourite artists, what holds a special place in her heart is the art of children whose masterpieces she finds unique and vibrant.
Signing off the conversation, she encourages young artists and children, saying, “Believe in yourself, trust your instincts. Be kind to yourself, and always remember there are no mistakes in art. There are only happy accidents which make us think more innovatively.
“Enjoy what you do from the bottom of your heart. Art should make you think, reason, question and, above all, relaxed and happy. It should be soul-satisfying,” says Shruti.