Dhwani Parekh

Born and raised in Mumbai, India, I was inclined to art at an early age. Doodling and learning to write the alphabet went hand-in-hand.

My parents encouraged this artistic passion which eventually led me to earn a degree in fine art painting and pursue a career in art.

I began painting at the age of 14 and began selling professionally at age 17. I loved painting birthday cards and also used to spend my holidays learning other creative forms of painting like mixed media, emboss painting and glass painting. By the age of 18, I was participating in gallery exhibitions.

I primarily paint in a representational and realistic style. I look up to and idolize artists such as John Singer Sargent, Rembrandt, and Richard Schmid.

My subject matter includes still life, portraiture, and figurative paintings. I’ve exhibited my paintings in several galleries in India and have won many competitions and awards. I’ve also painted many commissions.

I recently moved to the San Francisco Bay Area in California. The subject matter and color handling in the US is different from what it is in India and hence I had to invest two years building a portfolio from scratch, after which I could approach art galleries for representation.

I’m currently being represented by John C. Doyle Art Gallery in Charleston, South Carolina.

My latest accomplishment was earning the “Artistic Honorable Mention” in the Southwest Art Magazine in December 2018. I was also selected in the International Artist Magazine “People and Figures” competition in September 2018. In the same year, I participated in the “Next Gen” exhibition at Tubac Centre of the Arts in Arizona, Allied Artists of America annual exhibition and Oil Painters of America Salon Show. My work was promoted in the 2017 edition of the prestigious 21-Under-31 segment of the Southwest magazine. Additionally, I bagged the first prize at the Sunnyvale art club monthly competition and was featured in the Informed Collector’s Special “Noteworthy Artists” 2017 article. I also exhibited at the Bella Muse Art Gallery in Utah for their Spring 2017 Floral Show.

I feel paintings are a visual language that gives an opportunity to converse with the audience. They are a means of conveying and provoking feelings and gestures.

I aim to always make my paintings appealing by incorporating different colors for beautiful subjects. The subject matter of each painting determines the brushwork and color handling. One of my strengths is to use colors in a transparent or an opaque way which helps me achieve the desired results. Generally, I give more importance to depicting light in the painting as a guiding force that helps the audience read my paintings and perceive a three- dimensional effect. For me, painting is a blend of skill, patience, and beauty that keeps evolving with time.

The process of painting on a canvas might look simple on the outside; but in reality, it takes a lot of thinking and brainstorming before putting down every brushstroke. As an artist, I constantly look for new subjects in all that I perceive. My observations from trivial household items to elaborate schemes in Nature spark new ideas in me.

My process of painting begins with roughly sketching my observations and ideas. I like to experiment with different ways to arrange the objects. I paint a lot of color sketches after trying out compositions. Once I have a clear image of how the finished painting would look like, only then I embark on my final work. I start off by sometimes roughly outlining and then blocking-in, or by directly blocking-in shapes of lights and darks, depending on the subject. Then I keep adding details in terms of values, drawing, color, forms, and edges until I get the desired results.

I feel like I have to be in the zone in order to produce what I imagine. For me, the act of painting is getting to know myself. I get to know my strengths and weaknesses as an artist, based on what I have learned about other prominent artists.

I love the way my paintings transition from an idea to a piece of art, making me more spiritually matured in the process. This makes me feel very connected to my paintings.

I believe paintings and fine art, in general, have a therapeutic effect on the human mind. After a long tiring day at work, everyone seeks comfort and relaxation in their homes. I want my paintings to invigorate the viewers, leaving them energized for the next day. I feel blessed that my creations can impart a soothing calm on the viewer.

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