Growing up in an artistic household, I inherited my passion for painting from my father, a well-known artist from Southern India. Art has been in my life since I was young, and while I’ve explored various mediums including oils and acrylics, it was a watercolor workshop at the Village Gallery of Arts that reignited my passion for painting.

The soft and fluid nature of watercolors perfectly captures my artistic vision. This medium allows me to translate the landscapes of the Pacific Northwest and my journeys throughout the United States and Europe into works that breathe with life and movement.

My paintings emerge from a deep relationship with nature and an interest in how color and textures interact. For me, painting is more than artistic creation—it serves as a meditative practice where each brushstroke deepens my connection to nature and channels the energy and beauty that surrounds us.

(Please see Vanaja’s portfolio at https://villagegalleryarts.org/project/vanaja-mulagada/)