The Love of a Lifetime
It is no wonder that Sharadhi Raveendran found love in arts, crafts and all things creative - after all, she has a writer for a father, a designer for a mother, and an artist for a sister!
Sharadhi embarked on a career much like many of us - with an engineering degree in tow. Though engineering wasn’t her first choice, she’s not one to regret her choices.
“Engineering opened doors to many other opportunities for me. I explored many varieties of artwork - painting, rangoli, craft work, designing and what not. I loved each and every moment of pursuing these activities. Colours became my new constant.”
She goes on to reminisce about one of her most memorable creations - her first ‘Rangoli’. She recollects that the thrill of doing something different and making it her own is what motivated her. We ask her when she first realized that this could be more than a hobby. She says,
“When I was in my 6th semester of my engineering, my friends and I participated in and won a business plan presentation competition. Our plan had to do with an art related venture. This experience opened up new vistas for me and gave me the confidence to pursue a career in a creative field.
I once heard this quote by Vincent Van Gogh, and I could relate to it - “I would rather die of rage than of boredom”. I realized that I could not be happy as a coder with a desk job. I decided that whatever I’d do in my future, it would be something that’d make me happy and leave me with no regrets. This is what led me to my current job as a creative analyst at Vesto Education Solutions and my ongoing artistic ventures.”
On what creating art means to her, she says,
“To me, creating art is like finding myself. My creations may not be successful, but everything I create is the expression of my thoughts, feelings and love. My art may not be perfect and I don’t mind, because for me creating is more important than achieving perfection.”
To those hesitant to do what they love, she says,
“Doing what you love is the key to happiness and peace. Being talented alone does not make a great artist - having great passion, persistence, love towards art and the courage to create is what makes a great artist. The choice between a well-earning career and your passion is never difficult if you choose your passion as a career. Most people choose to stay in their comfort zone doing a regular job. It takes a lot of courage to make a career off creativity but if you succeed, then the money is just a bonus.”
Doing what you love may have its risks, but as in the case of Sharadhi, the perks are well worth it! Sharadhi, we wish you success in all your creative pursuits, and hope you inspire others to do the same.
You can explore Sharadhi’s art on her blog, Facebook, and Instagram.
Know an everyday artist like Sharadhi? Share their story with us by writing to everydayartists@urbanladder.com. We’d love to feature their work here!