Story & Lesson Highlights with Vandana Jain of Buffalo Grove, IL

We recently had the chance to connect with Vandana Jain and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Vandana, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: What are you being called to do now, that you may have been afraid of before?
I feel called to bring more of my inner world into my art—expressing spirituality, meditation, and the quiet lessons of nature in ways I hadn’t fully allowed myself before. For years, I focused mainly on the beauty I saw outside—birds, animals, flowers, and landscapes—but now I’m exploring what lies within: intuition, presence, and the symbolism that connects us to something greater. It can feel vulnerable to put so much of myself into each piece, but I’ve learned that the more open my art becomes, the more deeply it resonates with others.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Vandana Jain, originally from India and now based in Chicago, where I create mixed-media paintings through my studio, Vandy Arts. My work merges realism and abstraction, drawing deeply from the natural world—birds, animals, flowers, and landscapes often appear as symbols of resilience, freedom, and renewal. I work with inks, collage, textures, markers, oils, acrylics, and touches of gold leaf to bring each piece to life, layering materials in ways that invite both depth and discovery.

Painting is more than technique for me—it’s meditation and a pathway to spiritual awakening. Through the act of creating, I’ve learned to listen inward, trust intuition, and translate stillness, joy, and transformation onto the canvas. Collectors often share how they see their own stories reflected in my work—whether through a bird symbolizing hope, an animal embodying strength, or a flower carrying memory. That shared connection is what makes my art feel alive.

Today, my work reaches people through original canvases, fine-art prints, and art shows across Chicago, the U.S., and beyond. I’m currently developing a new series that explores themes of presence, harmony, and the spirit of nature. I hope that each painting offers more than beauty—it becomes a reminder of connection, reflection, and renewal.

Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
Growing up in India, I was always surrounded by vibrant colors and the quiet poetry of nature. That early exposure shaped how I see beauty and continues to influence my art. Later, my time in Africa became one of the most transformative chapters of my life. While recovering there, I spent hours on my balcony simply watching the birds that gathered in a big Amarula tree nearby—their vibrant colors, their songs, their effortless freedom. Those quiet moments of observation opened my eyes to the beauty and resilience of nature, and they began to flow naturally into my art. Many of the animals and landscapes I paint today are rooted in that sense of wonder I first felt in Africa.

More recently, here in the U.S., I experienced a period of inner restlessness—a quiet unease that nudged me to look inward. It wasn’t overwhelming, but it was enough to encourage me to meditate. What began as a way to calm my mind gradually became a deeper practice of awareness and spiritual awakening. Through meditation, I learned to trust intuition and translate that inner stillness into my creative process.

Together, these experiences—Africa’s gift of inspiration and my recent practice of meditation—have reshaped how I see the world. I no longer view it only with my eyes, but with presence and connection. That perspective is what I carry into my paintings, hoping they offer viewers not just beauty, but also a sense of calm and renewal.

When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?
Art has always been a part of me—I painted during my school days, but it wasn’t until I settled in the U.S., after my daughter started school, that painting became a consistent part of my life. The canvas quickly turned into a space where emotions I once kept quiet could transform into color, texture, and light.

Meditation deepened that shift. It taught me to sit with my challenges, to see them not as burdens but as teachers, and to channel those lessons into my art. In that way, pain became power—and today, my paintings carry those layers of healing, resilience, and renewal not only for me, but for others who find their own stories within them.

Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
I am committed to creating art that goes beyond the surface—work that brings happiness, calm, and reflection to those who see it. Collectors often tell me my paintings bring them joy and a sense of peace, which affirms my belief that art can serve as both meditation and a bridge to inner strength. Painting is also my lifelong practice, a rhythm that grounds me through change, and I intend to stay devoted to it for as long as I can hold a brush.

Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
For a long time, I followed the path I thought I was supposed to—school, career, responsibilities—while art quietly waited in the background. It wasn’t until later that I realized painting wasn’t just a passion; it was what I was born to do. Creating allows me to merge my love for nature, meditation, and spirituality into something I can share with others, and in doing so, I feel most alive and at peace.

I hope people remember me not just as an artist, but as someone who painted with joy and soul. My work offered moments of calm, reflection, and connection in a fast-moving world. More than anything, I hope my story reminds others to listen to their intuition, trust their gifts, and embrace the courage to follow the path they were meant for.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://vandyarts.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vandyartsstudio/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vandyarts