Kala Curry Radio at Kosha Shah's Studio

The artist who never met a medium she didn’t want to befriend. Kosha Shah’s art is handmade, heartfelt, and wildly human.

1. Tell us a little about yourself—who you are, what you do, and how art became a part of your journey 

I’m Kosha, a multidisciplinary artist working across mediums like clay, watercolor, embroidery, and paper. Art has always been at the core of who I am. I began with a background in fashion design, spent a decade as a jewelry designer, explored photography, studied design in Florence, worked with design firms, and eventually moved into freelancing. All of that led me to founding Mitti Space, my pottery studio where I now create and teach. For me, art was never just a part of the journey, it was the journey. And it continues to be.

2. Art isn’t just something we see—it’s something we live with. How does art seep into your daily life? And what does art mean to you?

Beautifully said! art truly is something we live with, not just something we see. It’s all around us. For me, nature is the greatest artist, and I constantly draw inspiration from its forms, colors, and quiet rhythm. I’m also deeply moved by architecture, the kind that tells stories through structure, and you’ll often find echoes of that in my work. Art, to me, transcends language and borders. It’s a universal expression, a way of grounding ourselves in beauty, and a foundation for how we experience and appreciate life.

3. Why do you think handcrafted art matters today more than ever?

Absolutely. Especially today, with AI making high-resolution, polished visuals so easily accessible, it’s even more important to recognize the value of the handmade. What makes handcrafted art truly special are the imperfections, the human touch, the slight asymmetry, the flaws that give it soul. These nuances can’t be replicated by machines. They carry the artist’s presence and story, which is what makes handmade work not just beautiful, but priceless.

4. How many years have you been practicing this craft?

Honestly, I’ve been making art since I was a child. I’ve always identified as an artist, and I’m grateful that my parents supported and encouraged that path from the very beginning.Professionally, in terms of focusing on illustration as a core part of my practice, I’ve been pursuing it more intentionally since around 2018.

5. What makes an artist an artist? (like who can call themselves an artist/what counts as being an artist)

I don’t believe being an artist is about ticking off a checklist of achievements or qualifications. To me, anyone who creates with honesty and intention is an artist. Even someone painting words on a road with care and precision, that’s art.If your work carries sincerity, if it reflects something real within you, that in itself is enough. Art isn’t about status, it’s about expression.

6. What does being an artist/brand that sells art mean to you? 

For me, being an artist was never about building a brand or selling art. I simply created every day because it brought me joy and meaning. Over time, people who connected with my work started reaching out, and that’s how the process of selling began, very organically. Even today, I still create primarily for myself. I don’t shape my work around a ‘market’ or trend. I believe those who resonate with my visual language will find it, and that connection feels far more meaningful than any strategy. So, if anything, being an artist who sells art means staying true to my practice and letting the right audience find me.

7. How long does it usually take to create one piece from start to finish?

I’ve always been a fairly fast artist, not in a rushed way, but because it’s quite natural for me to translate what I see in my mind directly onto paper. Even as a child, I found it easy to express my ideas visually, and that’s stayed with me. Most of my paintings take about 2–3 hours to complete. That’s also why I’ve never really gravitated toward oil paints—they move too slowly for the way I like to work

8. What drew you to the medium(s) you work with?

I travel a lot and make it a point to visit galleries wherever I go. Seeing the incredible variety of mediums artists use always sparks my curiosity, I’m often drawn to wondering how something was made. That curiosity leads me to experiment. Some mediums click instantly and become part of my practice, while others don’t stay with me for long. It’s a very intuitive process, what resonates, stays and finds its way into my work.

9. How do you see art products being perceived in an Indian market?

I see the Indian art scene expanding, which is exciting, but I also find it frustratingly elitist. Value seems tied more to association than to artistic merit. If your work isn’t endorsed by the right people or spaces, it’s as if you don’t exist. It makes me wonder what we’re really celebrating—art, or access?

10. You work with multiple mediums including watercolours, gouache, graphite and even embroidery, integrating them seamlessly in your artwork. What inspired you to try this overlap? 

Curiosity is really at the heart of my practice. I’m constantly drawn to the idea of seeing how different mediums interact. How watercolor behaves next to gouache, how graphite lines soften or sharpen a composition, or how embroidery adds texture and dimension.

It’s an ongoing exploration for me. I love discovering new ways materials can speak to each other and create something unexpected. 

11. There’s a beautiful balance of playfulness and precision in your style. How do you approach the tone in your pieces?

It’s really just my voice translating into my work! that’s who I am in real life, and that naturally comes through in my pieces. The precision you see is something that has come with time and experience; it wasn’t a conscious goal or something I intentionally set out to achieve. It just started appearing in the work as I grew. As for the playfulness, that comes from a place of deep curiosity. I get so excited by the idea of creating something new and sharing it with the world. That spark of joy, of experimentation, keeps my work feeling alive

12. Scent plays a huge part in blending nostalgia, whimsy, and elegance in a single expressive form. How do you translate it visually?

Just like scent can instantly transport us to a memory, a moment, or a feeling, I wanted my paintings of vintage perfume bottles to do the same visually. Scent is deeply tied to nostalgia, and I think we all have certain fragrances that bring people, places, or times rushing back.When I began painting these vintage bottles, it wasn’t just about the object—it was about capturing the emotion that comes with it. I try to translate that by focusing on subtle textures, delicate forms, and color palettes that evoke a sense of familiarity. I want the viewer to feel a kind of connection, like they’ve seen it before or felt something like it. That’s how I try to bring the intimacy of scent into a visual form.

13. The Geisha in Pichwai brings together the intricate detailing of Japanese aesthetics and the architectural framing of Indian Pichwai art. What inspired this cross-cultural art, and how do you ensure each culture retains its identity?

This kind of cross-cultural work comes from a place of deep curiosity and respect. I do a lot of research, studying the details of Pichai art and the traditional elements of geisha attire, like kimono patterns and posture, to ensure authenticity.My aim is to let each culture retain its identity while finding a way for them to complement each other. It’s about creating a dialogue between the two, where they don’t overpower but instead enrich the story together.

14. Your Scented Selves series reimagines historic perfume bottles as characters with personality and narrative. What draws you to this style and how do you choose which bottles to reimagine?

With the Scented Selves series, it’s really the designer in me who takes the lead. I’m especially drawn to vintage bottles with beautiful, hand-painted typography, something that feels so full of character compared to the sleek, minimal packaging we see today.I also look for unique shapes, bottles that stand out because of their form, ornamentation, or detail. There’s a sense of individuality in those older designs that feels almost like personality, and that’s what makes me want to bring them to life on paper

15. Your works from Azurea to Jasmin d’Asie to Narcisse are an ode to 20th-century French perfumery. What draws you to this specific period and place, and how does it shape your art?

What drew me to early 20th-century French perfumery is the same thing that inspired the Scented Selves series overall, the elegance of the typography, the uniqueness of the bottle shapes, and the sense of character each piece held. While that era doesn’t necessarily shape my broader art practice, it deeply defines this series. It connects me to a time when design felt intentional and everything, from the label to the bottle, was crafted with care. There’s a quiet luxury and grace in those objects that I find incredibly inspiring.

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