Khushali Patel - All You Can Do Lies Within You and Only You Have the Power to Build on or Demolish Your Potential (Photographer & Painter From India)

Khushali Patel

My inspiration for creating art is the life I see around me and how I perceive it. Every small thing around me inspires me. Pursuing art has made me more observant towards details. The sunsets, sunrises, flowers, trees and leaves, small insects, human connections, mountains, water, sunlight, clouds, the list is endless. 

1. Tell us more about your background and journey.

I live in Ahmedabad with my family, we are a family of 6. Currently, I finished my first year in college. I am an ardent reader and love to paint/sketch and click photographs. Apart from all these, I love playing badminton. About the journey, I am still on my journey and even though there are thorns and pebbles the journey is always beautiful and worth it. It’s this journey that will teach the greatest of morals and things and lead to the best experiences.

2. When did you decide you wanted to be an artist? moreover, how did you realise your passion for photography?

I don’t remember an exact point in time when I decided I wanted to be an artist. I was highly inclined towards crafty things and going to an art supply shop was like a dreamland to me. My mom is the reason I fell in love with art. She’s a very creative person and loves doing art&craft. 

My love for art became more profound when I was in high school. My art teacher was the one who ignited the spark further. In my school years, all my art teachers have been very supportive and allowed me to bunk classes to finish my portfolios. I don’t inspire the readers to bunk classes. 

Khushali Patel

It was my dad who first got a proper DSLR camera. I have been using it since then. And I got interested in photography because of dad. He loved taking pictures and as a kid, I wondered how a black body instrument captured such beautiful memories and the next thing I knew, I was deeply in love with photography since then.

3. Do you aim to convert your passion/hobby into a career in the near future?

I am not sure yet if I want to make it into a career but my career option would definitely be influenced by art and photography as these are the fields I am most passionate about and I would. I aim to spread my expressions through art and want to inspire people. Not sure about commercialising it.

4. Who is your favourite artist/painter and why?

I don’t have a favourite painter per se but I have always loved Van Gogh. There’s a certain profound beauty about his paintings. A certain connection between him and the stokes he made. Whenever I observe his paintings I feel as if he’s drawn a part of his soul. I love the way he captured light with small strokes and his overall style of painting.

Khushali Patel

5. What is your inspiration for creating art?

My inspiration for creating art is the life I see around me and how I perceive it. Every small thing around me inspires me. Pursuing art has made me more observant towards details. The sunsets, sunrises, flowers, trees and leaves, small insects, human connections, mountains, water, sunlight, clouds, the list is endless. 

6. What piece of advice would you give to future aspiring artists and photographers?

I am no motivational speaker but only manifesting and visualising does not work according to me. One needs a high sense of determination, patience, perseverance to achieve anything. And know what you want to do in life. This is something important to know because if one doesn’t know the direction it’s going to be difficult to find a way. 

Khushali Patel

There’s no concrete stipulated advice to achieve anything. All you can do lies within you and only you have the power to either build on or demolish your potential.

7. Which is your favourite book and why?

I have a lot of favourite books but to choose one from them, “Jonathan Livingston Seagull” by Richard Bach is one of the books that has impacted me greatly. The theme of the book is about self-discovery through seeking a higher existence as a nonconformist. It talks bout determination, perseverance and patience. 

Additionally, it extols the value of striving for perfection when attempting to meet one's goals in life. It also addresses the theme of the importance of teaching others rather than being content with wisdom acquired for oneself. We all are unique and filled with infinite potentials and possibilities, the difference lies in how we find our call and how we master it. 

khushali patel

8. How do you manage your college and work-life balance?

I am in my first year of college and considering the fact that it's all online now, I m usually left with a lot of spare time, which I use to paint, click photographs, read or sleep. I have a habit of writing a to-do list and breaking the work at hand into smaller tasks. it helps me stay organised when I have lots of assignments and work to do. I do make sure that I spend some time outdoors every day. 

Speaking of work-life, I don’t work or have a job or something yet. But what makes one balance out between both is realising your priorities at a given situation in time and acting accordingly. Time managing skills are put to test when striking a balance between college and work.

khushali patel

Khushali Patel - Passionate Photographer | Budding Psychologist | Painter

Interviewed By: Nishad Kinhikar