March 6, 2019

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nita Patel.

Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
It all began upon hearing the fable of the Balinese dragon, the Naga who claims to protect its people during the day and descends the ocean at night to see his true love, the Pearl. John Hardy’s Naga collection sparked my desire for creative expression, and I began creating Asian inspired art, later evolving to incorporate my spirituality and ideation of love, depicting both direct and indirect interpretations.

My abstract work embodies the unknowns we struggle to untangle in life, where enlightenment is the only way out. My use of precious materials signifies the ounce of hope that gives us the strength to carry us through the dark moments.

Sharing this creative interpretation with others is my way of passing the message forward.

Please tell us about your art.
I’m best known for my multi-media work as well as my large format abstract paintings. I love exploring new materials to incorporate in my work, from the more typical oil and acrylics upon canvas, wood, rice paper, and glass, to precious materials such as diamonds, gold, and other exotic constituents, as I mentioned before.

Creating art gives me a sense of fulfillment and purpose. I believe the intensity of colors convey emotions which we all connect with. It’s always fascinating to see how people are drawn to certain colors and images. I find a deeper meaning to the work I do when people express their thoughts towards it. It validates my purpose and inspires me to continue on this path.

Whichever styles of work people may connect with, my intention is that they feel inspired to live their passion and purpose. Similar to the contagiousness of smiles, if beauty is experienced externally, it’s naturally felt internally. May this be my humble contribution.

As an artist, how do you define success and what quality or characteristic do you feel is essential to success as an artist?
In the past, an artist could be an artist and strictly focus on painting, sculpting, creating their visions. Today, it’s not enough for an artist to just paint or sculpt. They must think like an entrepreneur or business owner. They need a solid business plan, a marketing strategy, a strong social media presence, logistics team for packaging, shipping, transporting to and from events, the list goes on and on.
While these are essential ingredients in having a successful career as an artist, enjoying what you do and having confidence in your work creates the ultimate road to success.

My personal idea of success as an artist is seeing people fall in love with my work and showing their appreciation towards it. I see this in a variety of ways from admirers, buyers to curators and gallery owners who show my work. Ultimate success is being able to make a living from doing what we love most, and in my case, being an artist every day!

How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
My work is available at www.nita-patel.com or @nitapatelgalleries. My work is currently being displayed at Saphira Ventura Gallery in New York at W 43rd St between 5th and 6th ave. Please visit either location and sign up to receive my monthly new mailer for information on upcoming shows.