Hi! I'm Preeti, a practicing environmental consultant and architect by day, and a watercolor enthusiast by night (and a dog lover, always!).
Late in 2018, I packed my bags and moved from the quaint town of Auroville to Agra. While my professional career was exciting, I found my evenings to be slow. So, one day, on my way back from work, I stopped by a local stationary shop and picked up an A5 sketchbook and a watercolor pan set. Every day, after a long day at work, I would come back and paint a tiny something in my sketchbook. It gave me a sense of purpose, and I soon started looking forward to evenings even more as I planned the subject and theme for my next piece. In retrospect, those evenings in my tiny workspace, on my tiny sketchbook, were a release that brought back the ‘balance’ to my mental and emotional states.
'Samanilai' is a Tamil word that means balance, and painting became my samanilai.
I've always been fascinated by the beauty and depth of India's architectural heritage. As a student of architecture, we explored its history on many trips. But it wasn't until I started painting the jharokhas, jalis, and the gorgeous shadows of the arched openings that I felt a truly magical connection. It's not just about translating the physical structure onto paper. It's about translating the emotions it evokes – the stories whispered by the worn stone, the play of light and shadow that dances across arched openings. Painting these architectural details allows me to step beyond the technical aspects and truly connect with the feeling of the space.
Having moved to Stockholm to pursue a career in environmental management, I find myself escaping the cold by painting the warm solace of India's stunning architecture, even more.
Hi! I'm Preeti!
A practicing environmental consultant and architect by day, and a watercolor enthusiast by night (and a dog lover, always!).
Late in 2018, I packed my bags and moved from the quaint town of Auroville to Agra. While my professional career was exciting, I found myself missing a social life in the evenings. One day, on my way back from work, I stopped by a local stationary shop and picked up an A5 sketchbook and a watercolor pan set. Every day, after a long day at work, I would come back and paint a tiny something in my sketchbook. It gave me a sense of purpose, and I soon started looking forward to evenings even more as I planned the subject and theme for my next piece. In retrospect, those evenings in my tiny workspace, on my tiny sketchbook, were a release that brought back the ‘balance’ to my mental and emotional states.
'Samanilai' is a Tamil word that means balance, and painting became my samanilai.
I've always been fascinated by the beauty and depth of India's architectural heritage. As a student of architecture, we explored its history on many trips. But it wasn't until I started painting the jharokhas, jalis, and the gorgeous shadows of the arched openings that I felt a truly magical connection. It's not just about translating the physical structure onto paper. It's about translating the emotions it evokes – the stories whispered by the worn stone, the play of light and shadow that dances across arched openings. Painting these architectural details allows me to step beyond the technical aspects and truly connect with the feeling of the space.
Having moved to Stockholm to pursue a career in environmental management, I find myself escaping the cold by painting the warm solace of India's stunning architecture, even more.
