Seetha Botcha | Artist | IT Professional

Tell us a little bit about yourself and about your journey.

I work in the IT industry as a full-time professional and paint the canvas with my beautiful imagination. I started as a trainee in one of the leading consultancies in India and played various roles like Developer, Technical Leader, Project leader and Business Analyst. Now I’m working for a firm in Australia as a Risk Analyst in the Cyber Security domain. Over the years to compete with life goals, the love and passion for art was left somewhere behind which I did not realize.

I was born and raised in a small hill station, a small town with not many options for entertainment. Nature was always my companion when I strolled through the town as a kid. I had an attraction towards arts and crafts. I was quick to learn skills like embroidery, drawing, colouring, origami, and other art forms throughout my childhood.

I believe I got this zeal and creativity from my mother. She was not an artist, but she was a fantastic artisan. I grew up experiencing my mother’s expertise in handicrafts and later my brother’s, who picked up her craft. He and my mother were a significant motivation for me to pick up my tools as an artist since I got to watch them build amazing things from minimal resources. I’m not sure how they learned their skills, but I think the talent and interest runs in the family, even though it was never looked at like an artform.

How do you manage yourself and keep on going despite the challenges?

Day to day life in this modern world is challenging with hectic schedules, toxic relationships, failures, and other setbacks. Art and crafts are my go-to place when I am tired, upset, or when the day takes a toll on me. The paint and brushes give me the freedom I need to get lost in a world of colours.

I usually do not have a preconceived idea of how my painting will turn out. The picture takes shape as the colours guide me in peeling off the layers on my heart, expressing myself on the canvas.

How do you manage time for painting?

An artist must be able to find the right conditions to start using their tools. Time, place, and their values help find that condition for them. It’s challenging to manage time for art with a busy schedule. There are days when I feel like just dropping everything and shutting myself in my studio. Whenever I get an urge to paint, I set some time aside explicitly for painting. That would prepare me for my upcoming journey into this amazing world of color and exploration. My family understands my need to destress and supports me by taking care of the house and leaving me alone to play with my paints. 

I also found ways to satisfy my urge for creativity by making simple sketches, greeting cards, origami to keep myself expressive, creative, and happy.

What are some of your sources of inspiration that influence the subject of your art? Do you see art as therapeutic? What have been some of your experiences around this?

The world around me has so much to offer, filled with objects of incredible depth, colors, shades, and lighting, which challenge me to put mine all into every piece. The subject of my art usually depends on many factors. Primarily my emotional state, which reflects in my choice of a subject. Art is therapeutic and is an outlet for all my emotions. I enjoy working on spiritual art. I feel at peace while painting the Almighty.

I realized that art helps me visualize my emotions and desires. When my son was young, I felt guilty for not spending time with him. Art helped me find a way to make up for all that lost time with him. We found a way to connect through painting. The canvases I shared with him contain many emotions blended with the colors. Fortunately, I am able to spend much time with him now.

Are there any particular painters that have influenced you? How do you see yourself evolving as a person from your passion for art?

My brother was my first influence in art. He had no support from the family as no one thought of art as a career. However, he pursued a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts while my cousins have a master’s in fine art. Their story spoke to me, and I started showing an interest in painting.

How long have you been painting? How long did it take you to develop your style?

I was always interested in art but was never serious about it. My parents always told me that art would never take me anywhere, so I decided that art would only be a hobby. I rarely painted, like a couple of times in a year. But I can say that I started painting more frequently in the past five years. I am a self-learner, and I ensure to include a new element in every painting I produce.

I do not prefer a particular style, and I do what nature and my emotions inspire me to do. I am still learning and have a long way to go.

I want my art to be a challenging game one day, and I dream of hosting my own art show.

What keeps you going?

A combination of responsibility and passion helps me keep going. Time is a crucial factor in life. I prioritize, plan and execute to get the best outcomes. Arts and crafts is my shelter when I am exhausted with too much on my plate, and it is more accurate to say that the act of painting itself keeps me going.

Tell me about an accomplishment you are most proud of.

I am proud of myself for taking my first step towards self-realization. I have embraced life as it came and am pretty happy with how I have dealt with ups and downs, both good and hard times, for there is no end to dreams, no limit for achievements, and no lack of desires. 

How many hours a day do you work on average & can you describe/outline your typical day?

I was deeply influenced by my father’s golden words that he told me when I was young, “The time gone is gone forever.” I never like to waste time, so usually, I plan my day to keep myself busy. I balance my day between personal improvement, professional work, family time, and spiritual time.

I wake up around 6:00 am daily and spend around an hour in devotional services, fix the house, and go to work. After clocking out, I love to spend some time with my son. I spend a couple of hours again in spiritual reading before I go to sleep. I usually spend some time on art and craftwork during weekends and very little on weekdays.

Is there any advice you would you like to give young people?

Few things I would like to share are:

· Identify what keeps you happy and keep doing it. 

· Step back, look, reflect, and continue your work. As an artist, I do this continuously. Constant self-review helps in continuous self-improvement.

· Walk away and come back. Yes, walking away sometimes gives us time to calm down and think before we react. Every artist usually walks away when exhausted and is confused between colours. I come back with a rejuvenated mind to push more colours into the canvas. I think this can be applied to our personal and professional life as well

· Stay focused and pay attention to detail. From far away, a picture might look simple. Only when you draw closer can you understand the true nature of the picture.

• 

•