About the Artist
Ambika Chadha’s life was turned upside down by the COVID-19 pandemic, along with the rest of the world. Having been a yoga teacher for a decade before this,she coped during this transformative time by turning inwards, and found a new skill and practice that soothed her soaring anxieties – the creation of intuitive, layered art pieces.
An expressive, creative and nurturing soul, Ambika’s new trajectory as an artist has been a natural calling.
Her paintings are reflective of a nuanced creative free-flow, each one guided by her intuition – Ambika paints and creates as she feels.
The Artwork and Process
For Ambika, the thrill is in the process of slowly seeing her work transform from an unknown beginning to a fully formed expression at the end. She goes back and forth in seeming conversation with each piece as she feels called to, always adding literal and metaphorical layers to her work. This process enables an exploration of the subtle space between known and unknown.
Her work aims to evoke curiosity, wonder and calm. As an artist and an intuitive empath, she taps into her own vulnerabilities and tenderness and tries to reflect those states in her art.
Her use of colour, tone and texture lend her work a rich and mysterious depth, much like the very tapestry of life. A crystallisation of energy and essence, time and matter are preserved in the layers of bold strokes, organic shapes and saturated colours.
Ambikas work is colourful and expressive as she creates a restorative balance of light and dark, and everything in between. Her work is raw, fresh and spontaneous.
Artist Purpose
Ambika, Ambika is a seeker, and the purpose of her art is to allow others to seek as well. Her art is deeply evocative, and encourages an openness and experiencing of emotion. She believes that this instinctive and judgment-free experience of emotion is what can one to discover the true meaning of life and beyond. She enjoys creating work that aids observers to do this, as she feels that she is constantly on this same personal journey too.
Painting is a sensory experience for Ambika, as she feels each colour comes alive with its own emotion during the process. She feels one with the creator whilst herself creating, and is mesmerised by the constant evolution of such a concrete artistic medium.
At its essence, every painting is intended to be felt as much as observed – they offer a collection of moments to pause, inhale and resurface.
Artist Excerpts
"Art is not just for the elite. It is a part of your everyday life. It is in your bedroom, your kitchen, your hallway - and once you start seeing it, there is no turning back.”
“Making art has become a special time for me as my home-based studio is my sacred space - it is my time for meditation and reflection, my time for becoming one with Mother Earth.”
“I come from a family of artists – my father was a lauded photographer for a leading publication in India, while my mother is a retired professer of muic. My sister is also a freelance photographer with a practice of her own”.
“Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes, art is knowing which ones to keep.”
“I have been naturally drawn to painting on jute, cotton and linen. I only paint on the ground as it keeps me connected to Mother Earth - something I truly value.”
