Piya Samant
I got to interview Boston-based painter Piya Samant who left a career in the tech world to pursue her art.
Can you share about your background?
I am a self-taught visual artist and art curator. Born and raised in India, I now reside and work out of my home studio near Boston, Massachusetts. I received my Masters and MBA in technology and after working in the tech world for well over a decade, I decided to pursue my career as a full time visual artist in 2014.
What ideas are you exploring in your work?
I'm currently researching works by Italian Masters like Caravaggio, Rembrandt, and DaVinci as well as exploring painting techniques like Chiaroscuro and Tenebrism in my figure paintings. I'll be incorporating these techniques while using a combination of self portrait photo references and Indian figures - from my experiences in my birth country.
Tell me about your artistic process.
I spend days, sometimes weeks, deciding on the composition of my upcoming piece. This can involve photographing myself in different poses under different lights, going through several hundred reference photos and sketching out ideas. Once the composition is solid, I do value studies in 3-4 keys (high, medium, light) either in pencil and sharpie or in oil. Next comes the actual painting. Doing an underpainting in raw umber and titanium white helps solve the painting upfront. Values are the secret sauce of any painting. Last but not the least is the actual painting. I try to do alla prima except if the painting is medium to large size. I can spend days in my studio when working on a piece before needing any social interaction.
Can you talk a bit about the evolution of your practice and work?
Painting is a constantly evolving process hence my goals evolve with it. I’m motivated by my clients’ reactions when they see the finished piece; portrait of a beloved pet or a family portrait for the holidays and in some cases a cherished classic car that was passed down in the family. Brainstorming with clients and coming up with the best design for a new painting for their home or office space and then seeing it come to life in paint motivates me to create more and often.
I was trained in Information Technology and spent the majority of my adult life workingin tech so the transition to becoming a full-time artist was a big leap of faith. As a self taught artist, it can be challenging at times to navigate the art world alongside formallytrained artists. In an effort to grow, I am constantly learning and evolving my techniques.I have been fortunate to be surrounded by an incredible circle of people in myprofessional and personal life who have encouraged me to chase my passion and offeredopportunities for my growth as a full-time visual artist.
Floral by Piya Samant
Share a favourite quote.
“When you start working, everybody is in your studio- the past, your friends, enemies, the art world, and above all, your own ideas- all are there. But as you continue painting, they start leaving, one by one, and you are left completely alone. Then, if you are lucky, even you leave.” - John Cage
Which artists do you enjoy at the moment?
At the moment:
Nicolas Uribe @nicolasuribeb, Stanley Bielen @sabielen, Julian Merrow Smith @julianmerrowsmith
Masters:
Caravaggio, Rembrandt, Lucian Freud
What is the most memorable thing someone has said about your work?
"I came across Piya's work by happenstance one day. The more I looked at her work, her pieces unlocked a cascade of emotions within me I didn't know existed. Her pieces come off the page as expressions of my feelings about different things in my life. It's hard to describe but I find her work to be brilliant". - C. H.
What are you working on now?
I work primarily in oil on wood and paper but also enjoy working in graphite, ink and gouache. I paint commissioned portraits of people, pets and homes. My current body of work features two ongoing series: HOPE, a floral still-life series and LIFE, a figurative series. My work is available to view and purchase online and in local museums, galleries and cafes in Massachusetts. I am represented by PXPContemporary and ArtsPlus galleries.