Artist story
Punam Sanghrajka Giving a memory of somewhere to stop, breathe and unwind for a moment interview by Karolina Barnes, images provided by Punam Sanghrajka
R
ecently I discovered the beautiful art by abstract landscape artist Punam Sanghraj-
ka. Drawn to her textured and layered work, Punam's signature style features blended colours, broad brushstrokes and textured marks (using fabric) to create a subtle movement, bringing the warmth, hope and lightness of the Kenyan skies into interiors. She hopes that each piece will trigger a memory of somewhere where the viewer can stop, breathe and unwind for a moment. Let’s start from the beginning. What has been your journey so far and how did you get into the art world? The beginning is a great place to start! I studied art at school (both GCSE and A-level) and completed a foundation in Art at Loughborough University. I went on to finish a degree in Graphic Design at the UAL: Camberwell College of Arts in 2003. It was after I finished my degree that my creative career took a halt as it was unfortunately very difficult to get an art / design related job as a foreigner in England (I was born and raised in Kenya). It took a while to find my feet, but I always knew I wanted to have creativity in my career in some way. I became a client services lead at a marketing agency, working with art directors, designers and creatives, solving strategic problems and then working with creative teams to bring the solution to life, visually. I met many inspiring creative souls and at the same time, learnt the value of excellent customer service, detailed financial planning and great project management. 9
