Behind the Scenes: My Studio Process and Inspiration
Welcome to my sanctuary. This is where the paint is messy, the questions are heavy, and the canvas reflects the truth.
When the Universe holds my hand, it looks something like this. A paint covered hand is the sign of a good day in the studio.
A selfie from the studio floor while working on a deeply personal piece about attachment. I'm experimenting with mixing chalk powder and linseed oil to get the perfect paint viscosity.
My studio is the happiest place on earth for me. This video is a quick tour after decluttering from the massive "Thinai Project."
A video showing the process of creating the "Sickle" painting. You can see me using the handmade stencil and building up the layers of acrylic paint.
A self portrait and my manifesto. This is my checklist for my art and life practice: to spark change, be fearless, love more, work harder, and let go.
I was so happy to see my artwork featured on the cover of Outlook Magazine. It's important that living artists are part of mass media; it helps us grow and create more.
A short, meditative video of me painting clouds for a commissioned beachscape. The simple, repetitive motion of a flat brush is very calming.
A video of me mixing my own paint with chalk powder, linseed oil, and oil pigments on a large plywood board. I love working on a large scale, physically sitting on the canvas.
A free flowing painting in progress on a large piece of linen. I'm finding my way through this piece, and it might look completely different when it's finished.
A video showing the creation of "Half a Woman." This piece about perimenopause flowed out of me, and you can see the layers of emotion and color being built up.
About From the Studio: My Process and Inspiration
I don't just reach for tubes of store-bought paint. My process often involves grinding my own pigments, mixing chalk powder and linseed oil to get the exact viscosity I need. It is a physical, tactile struggle to get the paint to sit on the surface the way I want it to, whether it is on a reclaimed wooden plank or a large-scale canvas.
This is not a sterile showroom. This is where I grapple with ideas, declutter after months of work, and let the paint dictate the direction of a piece. My studio is where I wrestle with everything from the heavy themes of perimenopause and gender violence to the simple, meditative act of painting clouds for a beachscape.
When you commission me, you are not just getting a decorative object. You are becoming part of a narrative. Whether I am working with professional-grade acrylics on linen or repurposing cardboard and jute, the goal remains the same: to spark a conversation. I believe in the power of the unfinished edge, the visible brushstroke, and the energy that comes from working physically on the floor.
I am known for my large-scale mural work and narrative projects like the Thinai series, where I reinterpreted Tamil landscapes through a feminist lens. If you have a story, a memory, or a question you want to explore on canvas, we will start there—not with a catalog of options, but with your truth. I work with clients across India, from Bengaluru to beyond, creating everything from small-format upcycled originals to 12-foot mural projects.
Girija
I am Girija, a middle-aged artist fighting fires both inside and out. My studio is not a gallery; it is a living space where I translate my activism, feminism, and spiritual questions into large-scale murals and deeply personal portraits.
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