Check out Preeti Ramadoss’ Artwork

Today we’d like to introduce you to Preeti Ramadoss.

Preeti, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
The first thing I ever wanted to be was an artist, and I remember my parents explaining to me at age five that I could not escape math even if I was an artist. So, I took a different path and I ended up becoming a biochemist, who also loves to paint. I spent part of my childhood in Zambia, Africa and part of it in southern India, where I am originally from. My art is influenced by my background and where I grew up, particularly in the colors and motifs I choose to use. While pursuing an education and career in science, I painted as a hobby. I have always wanted to expand my skills/repertoire as an artist and show my work, and I have recently had a chance to do this. Over the last two years, I have worked on several new pieces and spent time developing my skills and learning new techniques. I now have a balance between science and art in my life – I paint and develop my art and I also teach Biology at a community college. This balance is reflected in the name I chose for my art venture – Tulaa means balance.

We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
My work is mostly abstract, and my medium is usually acrylic on canvas. I am inspired by colors, concepts, and events that I see in everyday life. There are simultaneous order and chaos to most processes and there is a delicate balance between them that I find fascinating. It is these elements and the balance between them that I try to capture in a single frame, using colors that I see as appealing and complementary. Depending on my thought process and mood on a given day, I see certain colors and patterns come together, which I transfer to canvas. My favorite techniques to do are intricate designs with fine brush strokes that require focus and a steady hand, and experimenting with brush strokes, particularly to paint flowers. I find transferring images from my imagination on to canvas relaxing and rewarding. Additionally, abstract art is perceived differently by each viewer, and I am often pleasantly surprised by someone else’s perception of my work.

Do current events, local or global, affect your work and what you are focused on?
Art can serve different functions. For example, it could be a source of peace that one can retire to, to get away from the turmoil in the outside world. It could also be something inspiring, that motivates one to be a force of change in the world. Art is often a way to express an opinion or portray events around us – a method to start a dialog. Many things we use in our every day modern lives are derived from some form of art, so in a sense, it is always a part of our lives. So, while artists may have to adapt to the times in terms of how or what we portray in our work, or how we try to make a living from it to me it seems our overall role, which is essential to society as a whole, has not changed.

Events that occur influence my work – my color schemes and designs vary based on what is going on around me. For example, I live in Houston, and one of my paintings reflects the two recent floods we had here. The painting has a dark blue theme with paint strokes reflecting thunder, lightning and heavy rainfall. But there is also a detailed, orderly silver design, which depicts both the silver lining in every cloud and the rebuilding of our city from the aftermath of the storms.

Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
Most of my work is on my website www.tulaa-art.com. I attend the First Saturday Arts Market (FSAM) a few times a year. I have also shown my work at the Tomball library and the Holiday Market benefiting the Animal Justice League. Anyone who is interested in my work can email me at tulaa.art@gmail.com, contact me through my website or meet me at FSAM the next time I am there! I also do commissions – a client can specify their color scheme, size of the canvas, type of painting they would like.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.tulaa-art.com
• Email: tulaa.art@gmail.com
• Facebook: @art.tulaa

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