Meet Sowmya Sridhar | Artist & Human Resource Professional

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sowmya Sridhar and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sowmya, we’d love to start by asking you about lessons learned. Is there a lesson you can share with us?
The importance of building layer by layer, one step at a time. It is easy to get pulled in many directions by exciting new ideas for projects and urgent requests from people you love. But I’ve learnt that staying with an idea for an extended period of time boosts creativity and ultimately results in creating something that is not only unique but also brings out ideas/elements which you didn’t even think about in the first draft. All of my best work has come on projects where I started off with something in mind, but kept building on the idea over an extended period of time to a point where the end result was on a whole different level from what I had first imagined.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My art started as a hobby. I have always had an interest in experimenting with various artistic forms and all my products have a unique aspect to them. So in every piece of art I sell, there is a heavy element of creativity and experimentation. When I first started making decor pieces for my own home, I started to get requests from friends and neighbors who liked what they saw. Pretty soon, I had a pipeline of orders from organic word of mouth marketing. My initial interest was in painting and then I added more feathers to my artistic hat by experimenting with mixed media art and fiber art. I now have this vantage point of being able to craft in very diverse mediums and cross pollinate ideas, making my handmade products even more unique. In my artistic journey so far, I have learnt that Consistency and Patience take you a long way; I don’t get to put finishing touches on a masterpiece every day, nor do I start an exciting next project every day. While the start and finish are the most exciting parts of any creative pursuit, most of the toiling happens in the background without many celebration-worthy milestones in the middle of the project. The ability to consistently put work in everyday, even in the phases of a project which demand thinking without instant gratification, has greatly helped me succeed. In the world of fast fashion, there is now a reviving interest for unique handmade art and shopping local. The effort and love that goes behind each product created by a handmade artisan deserves more recognition. I want my art to play a small role in helping develop that appreciation.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Detroit Institute of Arts is definitely a place I would take any visitor. It is very inspiring for any art lover to see a diverse collection. Michigan is one of the best places to draw inspiration from nature. There is a different kind of beauty in each season. I would recommend taking time to explore Up North to see some of the pristine lakes and nature’s beauty in a week long trip. The Mackinac Bridge and the island are a must see for any visitor to Michigan.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I am wholeheartedly grateful to my support system; My parents – who recognized and nurtured my interest in arts early on; My husband, Rohit who has been my unwavering supporter from Day 1 of starting Sowmyarns, providing constant encouragement and belief in my artistic abilities; My sister, Sandhya – a creative soul and my artistic confidante to provide constructive feedback and ideas. I am truly fortunate to have such incredible people by my side in this journey.
A special mention to all the fellow artists around the world from whom I draw inspiration, and the art stores and yarn shops that help spark creativity in all artists.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sowmyarns/