Featured Artist: CardamomPop

As a long time lurker of the art scene, and finally deciding to dive in head first, she is the new kid on the block. And she’s our artist du jour. What finally pushed her over the edge? Well, grab a cup of tea or coffee and get comfortable, as we bring to you ‘Featured Artist: CardamomPop.’

A Florida native of Indian heritage, she found inspiration in all the bright colors of her culture and the lush scenes around her. At home she was influenced by what she saw. Sewing, music, drawing, sculpture, even carpentry was just another day in the life. Always looking forward to art class (and dreading P.E. – Hey we feel you) she loved drawing and painting. Spending a lot of her free time refining her craft, she was determined to put to paper exactly what she saw in her artist’s eye. Eventually she amassed quite the portfolio and decided to take her one girl show on the road. Sure, she was just 8 years old, her portfolio mostly consisted of construction paper and the road she was on was her block. But hey, she was a kid with a dream! Can’t knock it!

Although, her colorful creations were a hit with her neighbors, that dream of being an artist lay dormant for the next 20+ years.

Taking numerous courses in both painting and sculpture along the way helped to quench that creative thirst. But she never committed to making it a larger and permanent part of her life. It was always a hobby and never a priority, she was too busy studying and working in a more numbers dominated field. Leaving little to no place to exercise creativity in her now busy adult life.

Like many of us, she was stressed with work and hit the occasional bump on the road of life. For help, she kept turning back to the arts and it always helped find her equilibrium and inner peace. Her sister, a ceramics artist in San Francisco, encouraged her to cultivate art as a creative outlet. It was tough at first, but she did it. Then finally, BOOM! It dawned on her, being an artist doesn’t mean you’re painting or sculpting all day long. It is a state of mind, a way to see the world around you. She decided the only person holding her back was herself. And decided to give it a go.

“That’s when things really started to change for me. I started to see everything in a whole new light."

CardamomPop grabbed this newly resurfaced creative energy by the horns.

And decided to start traveling with her paints. “When I travel, I see and learn new things. Meet new people. Experience new cultures. I feel inspired. Why let the moment go and wait until I get home to paint when I can do it here!" So she assembled an abbreviated kit and began toting her mini art studio with her across the globe and started to paint everywhere she went. The landscapes, people, and culture of new places really hitting a creative and inspirational note. Now she can’t imagine traveling without her nomadic kit.

Part history lesson, part gardening, a lot of her pieces have accompanying commentary to help you get into her head and get a sense of being there with her. Florals are a big theme in her paintings, when asked she admitted that the beauty in nature is second to none.

She likes to visit parks and gardens in new towns to see what the local landscape has to offer. Providing a certain calm and tranquility, these venues get her creative juices flowing. “I love gardens and how the scent of flowers softly waft through the air as the wind blows. It’s really a multi-sensory experience." She says referring to the flowers and vegetation to tantalize eyes, sounds of water rushing past in streams or brooks, and the fresh scent of flowers and greens in the air.

It’s clear to see that travel and nature heavily influence the works of this newcomer. Especially in pieces like Wallflowers, Surreal Floral and Purple Orchid but what about Sad Clown? "  This painting is inspired by the street performers I often see here in Turin as well as other large cities. They bring delight to children but if you take a moment to study their faces, you can see their fatigued souls." Italy has clearly left it’s mark on her soul as she expresses how she can’t wait to go back.

So what’s next on the horizon? “Not a traditional artist and mostly self taught these days, I hope to inspire others to add art back into their lives. It brought us such happiness as kids, why should we deprive ourselves, when now – we likely need it the most. It’s so easy to get bogged down with the stress of work and life. It’s important to take a moment to just breath. And painting helps me breath." Considering art is also a form of therapy, CardamomPop believes there’s mental health benefits for all those who practice. “It’s made me a happier and more positive person."

“Art gives courage, support, and love to those who embrace it."

She wants to continue to travel when she can and paint what she sees. In hopes that her paintings can transport viewers to new worlds. And maybe even get a few people painting along the way. “Eventually, I’d like to get back into clay. It was my medium of choice back in the day." If only they had travel kilns that could fit in a carry on! So there you have it, the lowdown on CardamomPop. Keep your passports ready, we’re excited to see where she’s off to next!