Artist Statement  

Professionally, I’m an architect, but spiritually I'm an artist. Working in the highly computerized world of making rectilinear drawings of buildings in black and white, created a hunger in me for curvilinear forms and color. To fulfill this desire, and to unwind from this  environment, I started cultivating a hobby of botanical painting in watercolors and acrylics.  Using colors, water, and brushes with hands after working on a computer is like therapy for  the mind, body and soul! Nature offers a bottomless pit of inspiration to do so, and it is fun  to apply the rendering principles learned in my architectural education to create very realistic paintings set in the plant kingdom. The subjects for painting are mostly flowers and leaves. In the past few years, I have also included fruits, vegetables, butterflies, birds etc.  

What started as a hobby in 1990, has taken many manifestations. My paintings have been exhibited in many forums in New York state and at Winchester Public Library. They have  appeared on magazine covers, book covers, articles in magazines such as Boston Voyager, The Metropolitan Builder, The Winchester Star, Women Who Win etc.  

But I had always longed for my art to touch many lives. So, in 2017 I collaborated with Zazzle and set up an online store titled, Ratna’s Seasonal Art. Here I format my art on products such as dinnerware, bedroom decor, bathroom décor, devices, bags, clothing etc. In 2022, Zazzle introduced a new product template namely, wallpaper. By formatting my botanical art on this product and ceramic tiles, both the architect and artist in me have coalesced, as these are simple and beautiful means to bring the outdoors in. They create biophilic interiors which is a lovely strategy to promote wellness through the built environment. Through Zazzle, my art has touched many people spread out over four continents. I have also authored three books that cover different facets of my work as an artist. It has been a great journey.