--- title: "Art Process & Inspiration | Custom Portraits & Murals by Girija" description: "Step inside my studio to see how I blend activism with art. From large-scale murals to personal portraits, let's create something meaningful together." canonical: https://mytribe.in/2flatbrush/custom-art-paintings/from-the-studio-my-process-and-inspiration last_updated: 2025-09-02 --- # Behind the Scenes: My Studio Process and Inspiration Tribe Verified · Artist-activist serving Bengaluru and across India. By [Girija](https://mytribe.in/2flatbrush) · Custom commissions delivered across India · ₹500 per artwork (estimate) Part of [Custom Art & Paintings](https://mytribe.in/2flatbrush/custom-art-paintings). [View full gallery](https://mytribe.in/2flatbrush/custom-art-paintings/gallery) Welcome to my sanctuary. This is where the paint is messy, the questions are heavy, and the canvas reflects the truth. ## Photos and videos - ![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.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/a9bef02c-3d48-41dd-b7ae-6069a105dfb8) - ![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.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/696ef1db-5f99-4224-a82a-bc12f0550de5) - [Video: My studio is the happiest place on earth for me. This video is a quick tour after decluttering from the massive "Thinai Project."](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/4afad2ef-0d27-4666-a450-44348af6fc5a) - [Video: 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.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/ca4163ab-4044-4f6c-a5bf-a81e094b5f5b) - ![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.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/123db036-b7ef-412f-86e7-3b6e63e66085) - ![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.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/70b94551-2a36-4111-9237-d91c6d9ca2c6) - [Video: A short, meditative video of me painting clouds for a commissioned beachscape. The simple, repetitive motion of a flat brush is very calming.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/be82fd3a-ca36-4353-88e3-408d9fa576a5) - [Video: 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.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/ac2f1345-a5b6-4f75-83b7-d7db12f7857d) - ![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.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/e5fbe804-a3aa-4831-9b76-5ed1d72e59cf) - [Video: 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.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/6d0df1c5-18ee-46e1-9e08-8ebb93af8383) - [Video: A video from a trip to a "Palace of Paintings." I am constantly seeking inspiration from the master artists who came before me.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/24f2abe2-9b3a-4ca4-ba75-8623fb1dbe45) ## 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. ## About 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. [See all of Girija's services](https://mytribe.in/2flatbrush) ## More from Custom Art & Paintings by Girija - [Featured](https://mytribe.in/2flatbrush/custom-art-paintings/featured) - [The Thinai Project: A Feminist Reimagining](https://mytribe.in/2flatbrush/custom-art-paintings/the-thinai-project-a-feminist-reimagining) - [Portraits: Capturing Memories and Energy](https://mytribe.in/2flatbrush/custom-art-paintings/portraits-capturing-memories-and-energy) - [Art as Activism: Stories of Resistance and Change](https://mytribe.in/2flatbrush/custom-art-paintings/art-as-activism-stories-of-resistance-and-change) - [Spiritual & Mythological Visions](https://mytribe.in/2flatbrush/custom-art-paintings/spiritual-mythological-visions) - [Sketches and Digital Explorations](https://mytribe.in/2flatbrush/custom-art-paintings/sketches-and-digital-explorations) - [Additional Works](https://mytribe.in/2flatbrush/custom-art-paintings/additional-works) ## More services by Girija - [Large-Scale Murals](https://mytribe.in/2flatbrush/large-scale-murals) - [Illustration Services](https://mytribe.in/2flatbrush/illustration-services) - [Art Workshops](https://mytribe.in/2flatbrush/art-workshops) ## Similar work from other experts - [My Art Studio, Process & Creative Musings](https://mytribe.in/a_new_pama/custom-artwork-murals/the-artist-s-corner-my-studio-process-musings) by Anupama · Custom Artwork & Murals · Travels for mural projects across Delhi NCR and pan-India - [A Peek Into My Creative Process](https://mytribe.in/madsterdrama/custom-art-installations-murals/behind-the-scenes-my-process) by Madhuri Umashankar · Custom Art Installations & Murals · On-site projects in Bengaluru and across India - [Behind the Scenes: Custom Canvas Art & Mural Process](https://mytribe.in/pranita_indiapaintingart/canvas-paintings/the-artist-s-journey-process-exhibitions) by Pranita Avhale · Canvas Paintings · Delivers custom paintings to Pune, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Delhi NCR, and Goa - [Behind the brush: My creative process and studio life](https://mytribe.in/arthouse009/commissioned-artwork/my-art-studio-behind-the-brush) by Soojata Arora · Commissioned Artwork · Ships across India - [Behind the Scenes: My Artistic Process](https://mytribe.in/brushtler/commissioned-fine-art-paintings/behind-the-scenes-my-process) by Sanaya Irani · Commissioned Fine Art Paintings · Painted at studio in Mumbai; Ships across India - [The Artist's Journey: Behind My Watercolor Process](https://mytribe.in/artsymanifestor/custom-artwork-handmade-crafts/the-artist-s-journey) by Pavna · Custom Artwork & Handmade Crafts · Ships across India ## Book To book Girija, message mytribe on WhatsApp: [Chat on WhatsApp](https://wa.me/916360004054?text=Hi%20Girija%2C%20I%20saw%20your%20studio%20process%20on%20mytribe%20and%20love%20your%20approach.%20I%20would%20love%20to%20discuss%20a%20potential%20commission.)