Aswini Venkataseshan

As a girl growing up in a conservative South Asian household, my interests gravitated towards almost every aspect of artistry around me.  This passion led me to self-learn the fine arts of drawing and painting, as well as art forms exuberating significant cultural flavor.  I am elated to be part of this effort to nurture budding artists from all over the world.

I am proud to be part of a society and civilization that traces its roots back many millennia. There is much evidence of the lavish display of wealth among many different cultural sub-groups within the South Indian community. These include our jewelry, numerous aspects of our clothing, as well as other displays of intricate artwork. My Workshop symbolizes the enhancement of a woman's natural beauty by matching the clothing to a similarly stunning piece of jewelry, the Jhumki (ornamental earrings).  Jhumki are the staple accessory to be worn during festivities like Diwali and Navarathri.

I am currently living in Canada, but I am a proud Indian, with my roots built in the South-Indian city of Chennai. Chennai, one of the largest cities in India, is a busy city, buzzing with activity.  It provides an exciting flavor of neo-ethnicism, where a highly developed intellectual base of international talent can be so deeply rooted in the inherent culture it so faithfully nurtured. Possibly living in Canada for the rest of my life, I will always be, in my heart, a proud Chennaiite (as we call it!).