Each canvas from Mishael George feels like quiet meditation.
1. Tell us a little about yourself—who you are, what you do, and how art became a part of your journey.
My name is Mishael George and I’m an artist. I live in Bangalore with my husband and my dog. I work with acrylic paints and sometimes with watercolours colour pencils as well! I spent the summer after finishing my mass comm degree painting away and decided I’d like to get a degree in fine arts. That decision led me to Bangalore where I completed a four year fine art degree majoring in painting and here I am, 10 years later.
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?
Art makes the world an extra special place to live in. It’s all around us everywhere we look. I love having art around me all over my house. My workplace has artwork from different artists all around. So does the wall above my bed. And so does every surface in my house. I try to have as much art around me as possible even if in the form of post cards and stickers or illustrated books. It’s inspiring and it makes my life colourful and happy.
3. Why do you think handcrafted art matters today more than ever?
Creating with your hands is a calming and almost meditative process. In our world where everything is so very fast, where even art is churned out using digital media, handcrafted art with all its little imperfections and all the love poured into it makes it so very special. It warms your heart. It brings happiness both to the beholder and the creator. It shows you that slowing down and creating something with your hands adds that much more beauty and happiness to the world.
4. How many years have you been practicing this craft?
I’ve been painting away for a little over fifteen years now.
5. What makes an artist an artist? (like who can call themselves an artist/what counts as being an artist)
I'm not sure there is a right answer to this or even one that will make sense to very many people. Being an artist is such a complex thing. I guess the simplest answer would be that an artist is somebody who creates something with their hands, something that brings joy firstly to themselves and secondly to the people who see it.
6. What does being an artist/brand that sells art mean to you?
I don’t know if I could live any other way. Every morning, when I wake up, I’m itching to get to my table and start on something or continue with whatever I’m working on. It makes me happy. Art has my brain working in so many various different ways, it has me solving problems, sometimes keeps me on my toes, and at the end of the day, gives me great satisfaction when a painting is complete.
7. How long does it usually take to create one piece from start to finish?
It depends on the piece but it takes me anywhere between 2 days to 3.5 months to finish a painting.
8. What drew you to the medium(s) you work with?
Acrylic paints just are the best medium to work with. I’m sure every artist says this about the medium they love :) I love that it can be made to look solid but can also be made to look like watercolours.
I love watercolours for the drama that they bring to a piece of art. They’re moody and have so much character.
9. How do you see art products being perceived in an Indian market?
With my experience selling art at flea markets and art markets, I’ve noticed a lot of people prefer art that can be used more than just hung and seen on a wall. So most people that come up to me see my work and appreciate it but they prefer to own a magnet or a coaster or a notebook with my work on it more than a painting itself.
10. The gold outlining in your paintings adds such richness. What does gold mean to you in your art? Is it simply an aesthetic tool for something deeper?
Gold does bring a certain richness to the painting. Especially when looked at from different angles or when sunlight or any light falls on the painting, the gold adds a little bit of magic to the painting.
11. What role do cultural patterns (Islamic, Thai, etc.) play in shaping your artistic identity?
I love looking to old traditional patterns to create something new. I’ve been learning geometry online and via books for many years from a few teachers and I then use what I’ve learnt in my paintings. I create those patterns from scratch using a compass and a ruler before I paint and that helps me keep in mind the pains that artists and artisans went to to create magical objects and buildings of beauty all those years ago. It teaches me patience and focus and it also creates a bond between me and my work and I couldn’t ask for anything more.
12. Your Twin Nebulas paintings bring together night skies with geometric motifs and a touch of shimmer. What drew you to bring together the vastness of the cosmos with the precision of geometry in this series?
As a kid, my favourite book was one about the universe. In all honesty, I love the night sky, I love the moon, and I love the stars. I used to paint the night sky very often in almost all my paintings when I was younger and I wanted to marry my love for the night sky with my love for geometry.
13. Is there a song that captures the spirit of your work or something you love listening to while creating?
My music taste is very varied. A lot of rock and alternative rock. I either listen to that, or to classical composers or to history podcasts when I work. A tv series or two as well. My work day is filled with something running in the background. :)
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