Meet Maheswari Janarthanan

I came across her work a few years ago and loved it instantly. What's not to love?  Her courageous sense of whimsy, an unafraid use of colour combined with a gravitation towards the mystical, results in art that transport the viewer into a surreal sort of world. This Chennai based creative's work is rooted in happiness and sprout out of the land of dreamers. It's no wonder we can't stop staring at them! A chat with the 28 year old artist...

Were you always creatively inclined?

I was this shy, reserved, quite, introverted child (I still am) who was always immersed in her own dream world, busy creating things. The only thing I liked about school was the drawing class as well as biology and zoology class. I enjoyed having to draw plants and species. But the creativity sparked in me only after I quit my job as a designer and started working as a freelancer.

Describe your design process.

I usually start by drawing my ideas in a book and go on to recreate them on the computer. I just draw whatever comes to my mind. Elements and other details are only added later. Sometimes, the final illustration looks a little bit different from what I have initially imagined or scribbled. I also love experimenting with different mediums like charcoal, water colours, pastels but my favourite is ink. Ink is magic.

 
There is a palpable sense mysticism in your work. What is it that inspires you?

The universe... to be specific the underwater and space. There is something so magical about these worlds. It leaves me speechless. The mysticism in my drawings also stems from the universe. I believe there is a portion of magic and mysticism within every living being... it connects us all.

Messy or organised?

Organised. If its messy I can't concentrate and work as my mind feels chaotic.

You love whiling away time doing...

nothing at all, spending time with nature, reading books and watching movies.

 

 How do you de-stress?

I close my eyes and imagine myself diving in to an ocean, swimming and immersing myself in the water and going deeper still. This instantly calms me. I think I was a mermaid in my previous life... 

Find Maheswari at Little Ones Doodles. She custom creates cards, totes, ceramics, story books and more.

     

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