Kartikey Sharma Interview
After a terminal cancer diagnosis interrupted his engineering degree, artist and entrepreneur Kartikey abandoned conventional expectations to build a thriving mural enterprise from scratch. Leveraging commission advances and a strict corporate structure, he transformed personal anger and survival instincts into a sustainable business model that now supports a full team of creators.
Q. To begin, could you tell us about your journey as an artist and entrepreneur? What first inspired you to pursue this path?
I decided to pursue art as a career in the third year of my mechanical engineering degree. I was not struggling in studies, in fact, I was doing well and it seemed like I’d easily make a career in engineering. I was struggling with developing interest to learn more. After a point, it stopped making me want to learn more and became a chore. I was looking for something that I was remotely good at and could do for the rest of my life.
When I was an intern at Thermax, I saw my future, and that was the final nail in the coffin. I thought if I have to work hard, I’d rather work hard in something I love doing. Mind you, I was not a good artist. Back then, there were engineers in my class who could paint a portrait or a landscape much better than me.
I think I was also burnt out. I was always top of my class and disciplined since I was little, not just in studies, but in sports, extra-curriculars, reading, and staying fit. Despite following all the rules, I got diagnosed with cancer in 11th grade. During college, I always used to reflect on how cancer can happen to anyone at any time. Why should I live a life I hate? So, I basically said, "To hell with all the rules," and decided I’ll do what I want.
I was not on good terms with my father once I discovered freedom of my mind. The quiet, rule-following kid had suddenly started to have an opinion. The only control my father had was money, and he was not shy to remind me that I was living on his expenses. This was my inspiration to make money, but I pledged that I’d only make money through art.
Most of my career is built on anger, if I am being honest. Maybe because I am a sensitive man and cannot let go of things. I left my house for good in my third year of college. I had to make money, I had no other choice. Money didn’t come easy because no one knew how to sell paintings, and making a painting itself needed investment. That’s when I started pitching the idea of commissioned artwork, especially big murals, so I could use an advance to create the artwork and turn a profit post the final payment. That became the basic business model that now sustains a whole company.
Q. Your work has represented India across several countries. How has showcasing your art internationally influenced your perspective as a creator?
I was truly humbled when I started travelling. It wasn’t just the quality of art or the kind of money they make, but the sheer passion of creating art no matter if someone is watching or not. I realised that my frequency of producing art was rather slow and lazy. That’s one thing that changed in me, I came back and started painting more than I ever did before.
Q. What does "representing India globally" mean to you beyond exhibitions and recognition?
I learnt that most of the general public in the West still has no idea about India. Even though a lot of artists have travelled the world before, the general public couldn’t even place us on the map. Their idea of Indian art came from a few Bollywood movies. Some people wondered how I could afford to reach their country because Indians are perceived as very poor in their minds.
I did meet a lot of artists who didn’t have preconceived notions, and talking to them about India was fun. They were amazed at the life we live here and how vast the country is. They were surprised that, like any other country, our parents wanted us to become doctors or engineers.
I wanted to share more stories through art. I painted mural pieces that generally no one does, taking inspiration from Indian architecture, which was very unique for them to see. They had questions, and answering them felt like I was representing my country correctly. We as artists have learnt from the West and brought it to India; I just wanted to do the opposite going forward.
Q. As both an artist and a founder, how do you balance creativity with the responsibilities of running a business?
I am blessed with a good team. I made it a point to bring in team members for the exact jobs they are good at. For example, our operations head is not an artist, and our illustrator doesn’t have to handle sales.
That way, my responsibility is to keep the vision going, encourage people to do their jobs in peace, and make sure they are able to perform to the best of their abilities. When the designer designs, the execution team paints the mural well, and the operations head takes care of all necessary vendors like scaffolding and paint, I have plenty of time to work on my own skill development and creative thinking.
Q. Every artist has a signature style. How would you describe yours, and how has it evolved over the years?
The general term for my style is surrealism. Although, what I am always trying to do is create a world of my own. Growing up, I never felt safe in the world I was living in and was always anxious. I always wanted to change things that I couldn’t.
Painting gives me a chance to create a world where I have complete control. As my skills developed, the artwork started to look more refined, but the essence remains: I am creating a world of my own, one painting at a time.
Q. What has been the most memorable response you've received from someone experiencing your art?
The best response I have ever gotten was just yesterday. I met a doctor in a medical college, and when she saw the Paper Plane website, she said, “This was my dream, to do exactly this. You are living my dream.” She told me she had tried to convince her parents to let her join an art school, but she had to become a doctor instead.
It was even more special because just a few moments before that, a professor had assumed I was poor and insulted me for it. I was glad I didn’t have to react because her response did that for me instead.
Q. How do different cultures influence your creative process when you travel or exhibit abroad?
Travelling and exposure to other artists humbles me and makes me more disciplined and passionate. It reminds me that I have to paint just to paint, not to impress anyone, and that being famous on social media is no measure of success.
Success is being able to paint or make sculptures for the rest of my life while sustaining a healthy, good life at home with my wife and cat.
Q. Entrepreneurship often comes with uncertainty. What has been one of the biggest lessons you've learned while building your brand?
Every profession is uncertain. A doctor can lose their job at a hospital if they don’t update themselves, and the same goes for an engineer, a chef, or the owner of a local grocery store. The only certainty is that one has to be good at what they do and constantly improve.
I am an avid reader and mostly read books written by other business leaders. The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that only persistence and consistency can keep your business going. Entrepreneurs who suffered unimaginable financial losses and debts survived because they kept going despite it all. I don’t get bothered by small failures anymore, it’s a long game, and we have to treat it like one.
Q. In today's digital world, how important is social media for artists, and how do you use it without letting it define your creativity?
The best thing social media gave us is affordable advertising, and I use it exactly for that: to reach clients who appreciate my work. I do not let it define my creativity. The idea behind posting often is simply to bring in business.
Q. Many aspiring artists struggle with turning their passion into a sustainable career. What practical advice would you give them?
Play the long game and dream with short-term goals. Regardless of how much or how little you are making right now, keep working daily. I read about a writer who said he experiences writer's block every day, just never between 9 AM and 5 PM. He would write whether or not he was selling books.
Q. If you could have dinner with any artist, living or from history, who would it be and what would be the first question you'd ask them?
I would love to have dinner with Van Gogh and tell him that I learnt the discipline to paint every day from studying his life. And, of course, ask him if he really cut off his ear to gift it to a girl.
BIO
Diagnosed with cancer and a heart abnormality at age 17, Kartikey discovered a passion for art during a forced pause from his studies. Though he initially pursued mechanical engineering, he ultimately left the field to commit fully to a creative career. After learning the craft through graffiti, he founded his own art company, Paper Plane, in 2016. On the day of its incorporation, he faced a severe cancer relapse that led to years of medical treatments, temporary paralysis, and avascular necrosis. Treating his artistic pursuit with the discipline and strategy of a business, Kartikey structured a sustainable model centered on large-scale commissioned murals. Now celebrating over seven years of complete recovery, he leads a full-time team executing major commercial collaborations across India and internationally, dedicated to creating a viable ecosystem where artists can thrive professionally.
Interviewed
By Vanshika Gupta
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