Sindhu Pillai of Augusta, GA on Life, Lessons & Legacy

Sindhu Pillai shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Sindhu, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: Who are you learning from right now?
I am following many contemporary artists and learning new approaches to my art. At the same time, I learn a lot when I explore new regions and landscapes. More than anything, daily life and the people I meet every day are my teachers.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am a landscape artist from Augusta, Georgia. I started my career in the art world painting local landscapes. I painted everything that caught my eye from the morning sky, the river, the bridge, and love locks which fascinate me every single day. I paint the market, fairs, plants and trees seen around my city. I’ve shown my works in galleries and art fairs as ColoredInCanvas. Over time, I have incorporated many new ideas and styles into the same landscapes. I want to remember the places and my feelings by painting them with the same sensations I felt in the moment. To me, it became a process of collecting memories. For example, I remember vividly the day we experienced the total solar eclipse on April 8th, 2024. I was taking a walk and saw the sky partially covered by clouds all the way and the rest of the sky in my viewpoint as clear as pale blue paper. I haven’t seen clouds in the sky like that again. When Hurricane Helene hit every inch of space around me, and brought down droves of trees, I felt like there’s no way I could paint these landscapes again as they didn’t exist. Tree debris was blocking all access to the river and the places I usually visit. I found shimmers of hope and joy when I saw sights of birds cuddling in the shattered landscapes and sun shining through the debris. I was inspired to make a new collection of paintings called “Overtones”. Now I see a new landscape emerging and am working on painting this magical recovery of nature on a larger scale.

Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. Who taught you the most about work?
It is a very important question as I always try to figure out how I became a painter. As a child growing up in Southern India, my parents put me in classical dance lessons since I could remember. I loved to dance and the rhythms of the classical music that accompanied the dance always stays with me. I watched my father meticulously carving birds from wood, sculpt, paint and do many forms of art during his weekends. My mother was the best critique of his works. I guess that is how I learned to love art. After raising kids, I found time to paint, and it became more than a hobby for me.

Is there something you miss that no one else knows about?
What do I miss? I miss lots of things but most of all, I miss the feeling of footing, if that makes sense. I immigrated to United States thirty years ago, right after college. Communication with family back in India was limited to snail mail and five minutes of phone calls during weekends as phone calls were expensive those days. I missed my roots, the music, culture, festivals and my parents. As I planted new roots in new soil and raised our children in a new culture, I lost touch with what time does to the place where I grew up. Now, I don’t fit well where I grew up. I am still struggling to spread my roots in my adopted home.

I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What’s a cultural value you protect at all costs?
I would say Honesty. I appreciate honest views and ideas and I value them when expressed through arts. Our society can gain immensely if we can have honest dialogues and exchange of ideas.

Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: Could you give everything your best, even if no one ever praised you for it?
I started painting as a method of meditation. The subject of my painting is always something meaningful to me. It caught my attention as I have connected it with some memory or thoughts I want to express. The process, however long it takes, is my meditation, and the final product is my joy. I do love to hear praise, and I believe in expressing without fear; a canvas and paint are the tools where boundaries vanish.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://coloredincanvas.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coloredincanvas

Image Credits
coloredincanvas