Sakshi Khullar Interview
Q. You describe yourself as someone who 'followed your calling.' Do you think art found you, or did you have to go looking for it?
I think it was both ways. I did take the first step. I started looking for art. I picked up a brush and began painting without really knowing where it would lead. There was no big plan, no roadmap; I was just doing what felt right in the moment.
And then, somewhere along the way, art found me. The kind of response, love, and direction that followed, I honestly didn’t see it coming. It’s almost like I took one small step toward art, and art took ten steps toward me.
So yes, I think I found art, but art also found me, just when I was ready for it.
Q.When you paint, are you capturing what you see or what you remember feeling?
I’m a nature person, so I absolutely love doing plein air paintings, just sitting amidst nature and painting what I see. There’s something so grounding about that experience; the light, the breeze, the sounds and all of it becomes part of the artwork.
So yes, I see it and paint it, but also to remember it, the feeling of being there. And when it comes to my Indian contemporary pieces, I do work with references. I like to interpret and reimagine them in my own style. Everything first takes shape in my head and then it slowly finds its way onto the canvas.
Q. Your art feels rooted in both solitude and connection. Do you think creativity thrives more in silence or in conversation?
I think creativity begins in silence but grows through connection. You need the quiet to listen to yourself, and the world to give that voice meaning.
Q. If your palette could speak, what emotions would it say you use most often?
If my palette could speak, it would definitely have a warm, earthy voice. I naturally gravitate toward tones that feel grounded, ochres, siennas, and muted blues. They reflect a kind of calm warmth that runs through most of my work.
Q. You founded SKA Studio — a space born from imagination. What does the word 'studio' mean to you beyond the four walls?
For me, SKA Studio is my second home. a place where countless creative buds have bloomed. Many artists have found their path, started their journeys, and discovered their voice here. It’s more than just a studio; it’s my temple, my safe space, and something that has truly given me a new life.
Q. Every artist has a moment when a painting teaches them something unexpected. Has one of your works ever spoken back to you?
All of my work. I have continuously learned something from every piece that I have created till date. It’s a learning process everyday .
Q. Jammu’s hills and colors seem to live inside your work. Do you think your art would look different if you lived by the sea instead?
I don’t think so. The hills and their earthy tones are part of who I am, they’ve become my colour language. I’ve been to beaches and seen the blues, but at the end of the day, I always find myself drawn back to the mountains. It’s the calm I find in the greens, in that stillness, that truly defines the soul of my work.
Q. You often paint from intuition — but if logic had a color, what shade would it be in your world?
I think logic, in my world, would be a soft grey- balanced, neutral, and quietly present. It doesn’t overpower the colors around it .
Q. As your work finds more eyes through digital spaces, how do you keep your art human — something that still smells of paint, breathes, and feels?
I’d say my work doesn’t really find eyes through digital spaces. That would be inappropriate because most of my commissions come through social media, the art itself is created far away from the digital world. Every piece is handmade.
My colours are mixed by hand, and my brush follows its own rhythm. So yes, each of my works truly belongs to a canvas, one that breathes, smells of paint, and holds the warmth of human touch.
Q. And a whimsical one, if you could paint a memory so vividly that stepping into it would be possible, which memory would you choose?
I wouldn’t say there’s a memory I haven’t painted yet, but I’d love to create one. I’d like to paint an artwork that captures a glimpse of my future( where I see myself ) something I could one day step into. And who knows, you might just see that vision take shape in one of my upcoming works.
Bio:
Sakshi Khullar is a self-directed artist and the founder of SKA Studio, Jammu who left a stable corporate career to follow her true calling- art. What began as a small creative space for others to explore painting has now become her sanctuary, where she creates and ships bespoke artworks to collectors around the world. Her work draws deeply from nature and Indian contemporary themes, reflecting culture, emotion, and individuality through every brushstroke.
Over the years, she's had the honour of representing Jammu & Kashmir at prestigious national and international platforms like Kashiyatra at Banaras Hindu University, the International Film Festival Dharamshala, and the Himachal Art Festival. Her artworks have been commissioned for government institutions and are now part of private collections in over 20 countries. Recognised with awards such as the Sushma Swaraj Award, WADE Asia Excellence Award, and the Big Nayika title by 92.7 FM. She believes that art knows no boundaries, and neither should the artist. She paints everything that moves her, from skies to stories, architecture to emotion, always striving to make art that feels alive and personal to every home and every heart.
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