He(ART) of Bellevue Artist: Ashmita Gulati
Expressing Emotions and Experiences On Canvas
Based in Bellevue, Ashmita Gulati is a visual painter who creates contemporary and abstract art inspired by her personal and cultural experience.
“Artists are a product of their environment,” Gulati said. “My travels have informed and shaped much of what I do and in return, brings a new point of view and an invigorated energy to my canvas.”
Gulati was born in Mumbai and attended Sir J.J. Institute of Applied Arts, specializing in advertising. Deciding to take a break from work, she moved to the United States and resurfaced with a fresh perspective.
“This was a period of experimentation and artistic communication,” she said. “I was influenced by everything I saw, felt and experienced.”
Gulati continued experimenting with various genres of art throughout the years. Things shifted in 2016 when she had a chance to meet an art connoisseur that changed the way she viewed her own work. Now, she is focused on finding unconventional techniques to create new contemporary styles. You can see Gulati and her paintings and prints in person at the Bellevue Downtown Arts Market, Sept. 4-6.
BDA: What type of art do you create?
AG: My canvases depict a heightened expression of my thoughts, manifesting the physical and emotional environment I find myself in. I believe that in realistic art the language is spoken in the painting. In abstract art, there is no specific language - it is what the individual determines it to be. The process is the same, the understanding - different. My abstract works strip away the narrative and the real-life expected visuals, urging the brain to view them at a subconscious level.
BDA: What is the best part about making art?
AG: The ability to express myself on canvas.
BDA: Where did you learn or develop your technique?
AG: My technique today is a product of experimentation, learning to create emotions using color and texture, and a desire to work with inexpensive tools bought at hardware and kitchen stores. Repeatedly I step back from a work in progress to appraise it from a distance and contemplate the next step. The process can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months until I am satisfied with the result!
BDA: How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected you and your artwork?
AG: Late 2019, I experienced a dry spell with my work that lasted a few months as I was dealing with some personal matters. By March 2020, things changed for us all and brought the world as we knew it to be, to a halt. I used this time for self-realization, and, with charged emotions, I started painting canvases that expressed my thoughts and feelings during the lockdown. I used my imagination and creativity with texture, form, color, and technique.
BDA: What is your latest project?
AG: A series I began in March 2020 called “It’s Still a Wonderful World.” I continue to work on it even today.
BDA: Where can people learn more or purchase your art?
AG: Feel free to connect with me via email, Instagram, Facebook or message me on my website
BDA: Anything else you’d like to share with the Bellevue community?
AG: Thank you for your support of local art and artists. It does not go unnoticed and is immensely valued.
Started in 2020, this blog is part of our He(ART) of Bellevue blog series. Each week leading up to the Bellevue Downtown Arts Market, we'll feature a participating local artist and their story. Support all artists who will be attending this year's in-person arts market by browsing their artwork and portfolios.
SIGN UP FOR THE HEART OF BELLEVUE NEWSLETTER
