Priyanka Soodhoo
Profile of an artist
In this new edition, we interviewed a distinguished artist to explore her work and uncover the secrets of her creative process. Meet Priyanka Soodhoo in this 31st issue of Newstyle Digital magazine… WHEN ART TAKES OVER Priyanka Soodhoo is a modern artist and Art educator. A native of Curepipe, Priyanka being an outgoing and straight forward person began to immediately pursue her artistic interests since her very young age when she discovered her attraction to colors. At 25, she weaves a rich texture of the surreal and mysterious into her highly original flowing style with the help of the School of Fine arts. Her detail-intensive works have become widely recognized for her dreamlike ability to transcend the natural states of space and time. Her artworks have been exhibited in the School of Fine arts and the National art gallery, including some photoshoots. Her interests in arts have been a natural process which gradually turned out into passion. “Art can help us express our ideas with a more visual approach. I strongly believe that art and life are connected simply because our experiences in life affect our work. I always wanted to be someone and this determination let me allowed me to choose my dreams. I always look for aesthetics in every aspect of life; I love experiencing many kinds of looks with my jewelry, tattoos and even the food I cook,” says our young artist. If she was not an art educator, Priyanka would have probable been a Fashion designer, a make-up artist or even a cook. Art came, for her with the flow simply because she fell in love with it. She decided to carry on with this passion rather than sticking with the idea of “I wish I could do that.” GOOD THINGS TAKE TIME “Being a rebel never made my life any easier and it does reflect in my work. “ With topics ranging from Prejudices to injustice, Priyanka is a strong believer that criticism is something you need to be ready for. Many people still question one’s intelligence when it comes to art, according to her. However, our young lady still stands on her own feet even if she stumbled, which helped her grow up in a way. “Patience is a virtue,” she says. Combining technology and art, Priyanka describes himself as “a mentally powerful artist,” and the proof was in her preparatory sketches. Priyanka thinks of her paintings and drawings as sharing an isolated moment, keeping it alive and making it timeless. As she sees it, “I always approach problems with a positive attitude. The harder I will carry myself mentally, the harder it is to stay motivated.” For her, there should be no excuses. It is important to keep in mind that to always can achieve great things.
EXPERIMENTAL In terms of influences, Priyanka draws from magazines, YouTube or watching interviews of famous artists and although her natural talent is for drawing or painting, her interests are somehow broadened. Priyanka is also famous for her Instagram presence, seeing the platform as both a visual diary, and a way to connect people. However she fears that the censorship of social media means that we are not as exposed to the wider web. Thanks to her surrounding, she has now acquired more self-confidence in what she is doing. “This confidence allowed me to voice out for all the artists who are struggling. If you’re good at it, go for it. Have an opinion and show it to the world. Art nourishes your soul,” she says. As an artist, Priyanka always tries to find the best of both worlds, balancing traditional art practice and technology, describing herself as, “an experiment-lover”. In fact, she also draws from art historical references like a classical appreciation for unfinished works. “I am not dependent of any particular style or technique. I love experimenting my drawings, colors and artworks. As I grow and the world evolves, I gradually adapt and guide my skills to connect with everything and everyone,” AN OPEN-ENDED AFFAIR Priyanka does however believe that there must be a transformation from the digital to the real to make his work good. Although her work has a specific purpose, she also keeps part of it open-ended. “I do have my own personal skills but it got even better when I joined School of Fine Arts. It broadens my knowledge on art but also made me go to the extent to discover my own abilities. I learnt so many things not only practical but theory in terms of contemporary art from history of art. I have been engaged for almost 5 years in the school and this definitely made me of who I am today,” she explains. In the meantime, our young lady has some professional and personal plans that she looks forward to. What is it all about? “For instance, some solo exhibitions and getting married to my best friend plus living a happy normal life with my beautiful family who supported me in all ups and down. I do have many realistic and unrealistic goals. Willing to fail makes us even a better person. At the end of the day having a good peace of mind is what matters and balancing our life,” she confesses She hopes Newstyle magazine will bring her more exposure as an artist which is a means of giving support to new faces in the art industry. “Find confidence in yourself and passion in life. Value yourself. Be a vibe.”
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