Svara Shah
I’ve been an artist my whole life, but over the last four years, my art has evolved from a simple application of techniques to an in-depth exploration of who I am. My early work was conventional: replicas of images I found online. I often depicted subject matter that I viewed as pretty but rarely reflected who I was.
As I became more immersed in the arts, I began to open up to different styles. Many of the art classes I took pushed me to make use of unusual media and create art based on unique themes, to ultimately create art that was truly meaningful to me. Slowly, my ideas and preconceived notions of beauty and art unraveled and I became more open-minded towards the world and artistic creation. I was further challenged by the creative work of my peers and teachers and inspired by other professional artists to push my limits of art creation.
I began to see art as a means of self-expression, and started to experiment with depicting my own values and views of the world. My artwork is now an exploration of my layered identity, as a South Asian girl, a lover of nature, an innovative and philosophical thinker. Each artwork depicts various parts of that identity.
My future plans…
While I don't plan to pursue art in the future, I know that it will remain a large part of my life. As an artist, I have become more creative, embraced my individuality, and have become more open minded about the world, which I will take with me into any career I pursue.
My advice for my younger OCSA Classmates-
Do the things that are meaningful to you, not just what others say is important or you think might look good on a resume. Also, don't stress too much about high school. Enjoy it, because you only get one high school experience!
Project Gallery
