Meet Kajal Zaveri | Artist, Art Teacher, Mom

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

Hi Kajal, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
I am an artist based in New York, and I work on oil paintings largely inspired by nature and my aesthetics, largely inspired by life journey so far. From the celebrations and traditions of India to the surf and coastline of California, to the energy and vibrancy of New York, my conception of a hometown and thus my artistic influences, has undertaken a range of shifts and surprises over the years. Though I am currently based and working out of New York, I am originally from India, the land of bright colors, energetic vibes, sights, sounds, multiculturalism, and strong traditions. I was always surrounded by wonderful folk and traditional art, vibrant colors and so many festivals that incorporated art and colors. For example, every year in Spring, we would celebrate Holi – ‘The Festival of Colors’. We would celebrate the festival by smearing each other with colored powder and dye, all in good humor. So, colors have been part of my life growing up. I was lucky to grow up in a very loving and supportive family and my parents encouraged all my artistic pursuits. I continued painting as a hobby, honing my skills by practicing whenever I could. I never went to formal art school, but a local art class was enough to ignite my love for painting. After graduation, I moved to the USA for my MBA. With my new degree, I started working in the financial sector and even though I was good at my work, I soon realized that I was not really enjoying looking at numbers and spreadsheets. I was, however, mesmerized by the diversity and beauty of California which I had started to discover through my travels within the state. I felt a deep connection to my real self and started painting again, with a great sense of joy. Soon after, I quit my day job and focused my energies on my first love – painting and pursuing art as a full-time career. Beside my daily inspiration from nature, I have had the with the good fortune to travel to some beautiful places in the world. encounters have left lasting impressions. I have now moved to New York and love the energy and the vibe here that is making me get inspired anew and shaping my perspective and point of view as I journal that through my art onto the canvas.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am a full-time artist based out of San Francisco and very recently, moved to New York and working on a mix of abstract and semi-abstract portrayals of nature in rich, lush colors. I mainly work with oil paints, and my landscapes are free-flowing, expressive, and lyrical and fall in the realm of Abstract Realism. Nature in all its manifestations inspires me and its magnificence and beauty always gives me a lot of things to paint. The aesthetics and the sensation of a fleeting moment carefully collected impressions, or vivid memories of various places and encounters is what I try to journal and visually translate onto canvas. Since the viewer doesn’t know of my point of inspiration, it is my hope that when they view my work, it ignites their own fond memories of special places and times and entice nostalgia and dreaminess and a sense of commonness and shared experiences. I think my viewer connects with my work since, by embracing my unique life journey of my perspective, my life experiences and cultural influences allows my art to be authentic and a true reflection of who I really am. My art comes from a positive and happy place, and is a culmination of my memories, experiences, and emotions, both past and current. Being authentic and communicating my unique point of view and voice is important Authenticity resonates with audiences, fosters connection, and distinguishes work in a crowded artistic landscape.

. I am very excited about an upcoming art fair in NYC in May and working on new artwork that I can showcase to new collectors and art lovers. I feel very privileged and humbled when my art speaks to and resonates with my collectors, and they allow my work to be a part of their lives and homesI am so blessed to have my work well received and sold on Williams Sonoma home, One Kings Lane, featured on Times Square Billboards and featured in magazines like Elle Décor and Popsugar.com. I have been able to exhibit and sell at major Art Fairs like Art Market San Francisco and Spectrum, Miami and Red Dot, Miami.

I am most proud of using my art and related skills to mentor the next generation of artists through my volunteering efforts in teaching art sessions to kids of all abilities and seeing them blossom, and now through classes for the budding young artists, to share the love and power of art and creativity. I hope that I can pass on my love and belief in the strength of art to the next generation of artists in my own small way.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.

New York City offers a plethora of fun things to see and do and I would make sure to take my best friend to experience some of this to get a feel of all the many things that the city has to offer. With a good timeline for a week-long visit, we could probably do a lot of things on the list. We would put on comfortable walking shoes and go and explore Central Park, maybe have a picnic if the weather is nice. We would wander through Chinatown and Little Italy, exploring the unique shops, markets, and cultural sites. Also, it would be fun to take a stroll along the High Line, an elevated park built on a historic freight rail line and enjoy the greenery, some lovely art installations, and cool city views. We would make sure to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge for stunning views of the Manhattan skyline and the Statue of Liberty and take a free ride on the Staten Island Ferry for fantastic views of the Statue of Liberty and the Manhattan skyline. I would take my friend window shopping on Fifth Avenue, stopping by Rockefeller Center, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and The Plaza Hotel. I would also take them for a quick stop at the Grand Central Terminal, to check out its impressive architecture.
At night we would head out to experience the bright lights of Times Square. If possible, we would also go and see a Broadway show and then a stop at Ellen’s Stardust Diner where aspiring Broadway singers are the waiters and waitresses who sing while you eat. I would also make sure to keep a day or two to go to at least the MOMA, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Natural History. No trip with me would be complete without some museum tours.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I believe many factors need to come together for an artist to be successful. For me personally, I am lucky to have a strong support system around me that has been a huge part of where and who, I am today. I looked up to my dad for his passion and zeal for knowledge, his zest for life, his curiosity, strong work ethics and a can-do attitude and he inculcated in me a strong belief in myself and gave me the wings and the freedom to fly. My mom has always been there for me and made sure I got the opportunity to experiment and try different things in my search for discovering my interests and source of joy. I have always been inspired by her calmness, kindness, and her immense strength. My brothers have always made the time to listen and been a sounding board for my creative and sometimes crazy ideas. I am very lucky to have the same support from my husband who has been my best friend and loudest cheerleader in my journey as an artist. He helps me with photographing my artwork, helping with packaging, and shipping logistics. My journey as an artist has not been in silo, but has been greatly influenced positively, due to my family and friends. This blessing allows me stay motivated and work hard and give it my very best.

Website: www.kajalzaveri.art

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artist.kajalzaveri/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kajal-zaveri/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/home%20kajal%20zaveri

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KajalZaveriArt/

Image Credits
Sandip Parekh