Ekta Sawlani

Being an Indian, born and brought up in Dubai, and having studied in the UK, I have a varied cultural experience of the East and the West, which has shaped the way I think and conduct my brushwork.

My approach and philosophy is heavily inspired by the Eastern culture, especially due to links with my home country, which is evident in my artwork through references to iconic figures and the colours I use

I chose to work on these lines not only because I am influenced and surrounded by it, but also because I feel there is an infinite amount to discover through this journey I have embarked upon, internally and externally through my art.

My work has evolved through the years as I have tried various mediums to find my expression. I find that I prefer working with oil paints on canvas, as this captures the depth of the colours and gives me the freedom to work on my strokes to achieve the desired effect.

I keep exploring and experimenting with techniques through this medium, and am pleasantly surprised at what I discover every time I start a new project, which is why I feel it lends the perfect support to my inspirations as a versatile medium. I begin a piece by envisaging it in my mind's eye, and without sketching it on a paper, I put my brush to work on the canvas, only to let my thoughts, my intuition and my brush guide me through the piece.

I can see my art evolving with every piece that I do, as each piece is a new journey, inwards and outwards. My goal is to continue working dedicatedly each day, challenging myself, attempting new ideas, and exploring my skills as an aspiring artist.

Personal Bio

I am an Indian citizen born (in 1982) and raised in Dubai. As a child, I was always fascinated by the colours in my surroundings and my art kit which I collected, nurtured and used during my childhood. My passion for art grew through high school at Emirates International School, where I developed my skills and was awarded through high grades; especially in my last two years of International Baccalaureate (1999-2000) where I achieved a Grade 7 (A* equivalent) in Art (Higher Level) in my final year.

I took this further, and trained in various mediums at Dubai International Arts Centre, and applied this education as a guide to encourage my journey as an artist. During my college years in London (2001-2006), I used the city's art culture to my advantage to sharpen my skills further while pursuing my degree at London College of Fashion.

Since coming back to Dubai in June 2006, I have been a professional freelance fashion stylist and journalist; the flexibility of my schedule has allowed me to concentrate on seriously developing my art, which has always been a dream for me. My themes are inspired and influenced from the Eastern culture, as I feel there is an infinite amount to discover through research and most importantly the journey inwards, which I express through my art.