Meet businesswoman-turned-artist Swati Pasari who paints to spread happiness
31-year-old artist Swati Pasari turned away from her family business to her true calling of art. Today, her paintings are sold across the world for Rs 1 lakh to Rs 3.5 lakh.
Growing up in a Marwari family in Kolkata, Swati Pasari had her professional life charted out for her. After completing her bachelors in commerce and business at Bond University in Australia in 2007, she returned to India and joined her family business in the manufacturing industry.
“I had worked for about three months and I enjoyed the work, but deep down, it felt like something was lacking, something was amiss,” she tells HerStory.
Swati then decided to explore outside the business and enrolled in a spiritual school of pranic healing. She turned to her hobby of painting, and paved the way to become an artist.
Artist Swati Pasari
She says starting this spiritual journey along with her art journey boosted her confidence.
“I started painting once a week as a hobby. But being connected to the canvas and the colours made me realise that this is where I was myself,” the artist says, adding that the journey from it being a hobby to a profession was a ‘soulful’ one.
Her artwork, which includes painting on canvases as well as sculptures, now sells between Rs 1 lakh to 3.5 lakh. In 2017, one of her sculptures was sold for Rs 5 lakh.
Painting happiness
The artist is now known for her work as Soulink, a combination of the words ‘soul’ and ‘link’. Speaking on the theme that rules her art, she says, “My paintings are vibrant, depicting happiness because the intention was to spread joy, the flow of life, and positivity through my art.”
Interestingly, Swati draws inspiration for most of her artwork from meditation, which teaches her to focus on inner goodness and messages.
“I meditate on the universe to give me guidance and messages,” she says.
And this has had far-reaching consequences. Her work has been displayed at various exhibitions over the years, including at galleries like Jack Rabbit and Laasya Art in the US and Sublime Art Gallery, Dhoomimal City Art Gallery, Aura Art, and Emami Art Gallery, among others in India.
Swati Pasari working on a painting
Many of her artworks have found homes in Jakarta, Singapore, London, Dubai, and Hong Kong. At the same time, the most fulfilling part, Swati says, is how they go on to become a part of someone else’s life. She speaks about a client from Tokyo, who said that her painting had a profound effect on her.
“I also remember one of my clients said that every time she's feeling low, she goes up to the painting, sits in front of it. When she looks at it, her mood gets uplifted; it was a blessing,” Swati says.
Walking the untravelled road
Since turning towards painting more than a decade back, Swati has earned measurable commercial success and has fulfilled her goal to deliver happiness – the intent that led her to pursue it.
The road was not one without challenges. “People don’t take you seriously, they are sceptical of you as an artist, and sceptical of picking up your pieces. Your family members do not support you and there is a lot of criticism,” she explains, summing up the manifold challenges she faced as an emerging artist.
In the midst of this, Swati recalls that her grandfather’s firm support and belief gave her the strength to remain true to her pursuit.
Giving back
It was also through her grandfather that she came to be associated with the Hindu Seva hospital in Varanasi where he used to serve as the President.
A worshipper of Shiva, Swati says she visits Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi once or twice a year. It was during those pilgrimages that she often accompanied her grandfather to the hospital as well.
After her grandfather passed away in 2017, Swati got on-board as one of the trustees of the hospital. She continues to visit the hospital where most patients hail from underprivileged backgrounds.
"Only when you see suffering can you feel it. Whenever I go there, I spend some time with patients, ask how things can be improved; those who cannot afford it are treated for free,” she says, adding that she has cancelled a trip planned this month due to the coronavirus scare.
Swati also dedicates a portion of the money she earns to the hospital.
(Edited by Kanishk Singh)