For the love of art

Amit Makwana is an artist with a unique quality. His paintings are depiction of the poems he writes

Mankind has developed art to simply express his emotions to life. Cityplus meets a man of similar passion-Amit Makwana, who turns his poems into sketches, brings them on clothes in the form of designs and now intends to create jewellery based on them. An interior designer by profession, Amit’s art instils positivity into one’s life.

Childhood endeavours
My father was a metal artist from Gujarat. Undoubtedly, I get my artistic skills from him. My first role model and inspiration, my father made a metal tree in one of the temples in Gujarat’s Mehsana district. The tree looks so real, that people would be shocked when we told them that it is made of metal. I think that incident inspired me and made me believe that dreams are achievable if we sincerely strive towards making them come true.

Creative connection
Even as a child, I would regularly participate in drawing and writing competitions in school, and win them too. Then in college, I used to script plays. But, I realised that more than writing scripts, it is the poems that made me contented. They made me instill positivity all around, and gave me strength to face everyday challenges.
 But, I do not really plan on writing poems. I write when I feel like. It naturally comes to me. I remember an incident when my daughter was in the hospital as an infant, and fighting for her life. I was going through a terrible face of life, and wanted to pen down my thoughts immediately. 

Current ventures
I presently own an interior-designing firm of my own. Even through this field, I try and adding colours in people’s homes and offices. Art in India is only developing, and people are not very open to experimenting. However, I try and make them escape from the boredom of the monotonous and repetitive art forms, and try something new. I own a website called ripples of art, that express my passion more clearly.

My motto of life
Be positive. Just follow your heart. Do not lose an opportunity wherein you have a chance to do what your heart wants you to. Do not limit yourself. Remember, a well-paid job can earn you all the comforts of life, but it may not give you peace of mind. So do what you really want to, and do not think of the hurdles.

Patronising budding artists
We have a great future of digital art in India; however, it only needs to be patronised. It should be understandable and profitable. I have flirted with success in my early days, and I certainly know that those taking up this profession will not find the kind of encouragement that other professionals receive. Thus, I thought of helping young artists in establishing their dreams. I try and help them in meeting corporate firms, so that their creativity finds a good channel to be presented before the people. In the coming days, I see Indian artists make it big on a global platform. 

My future goals
By next year, I would want to have a grand exhibition of my sketches. Besides that, I want to have a fashion show with some of the leading fashion designers of India. I could write poems, and they could create designs based on them. My wife Kruti is a fashion designer and she has already made some designs based on my poems.
I am also looking forward to make jewellery designs on anklets, bangles and necklaces on some of my best poems. This is probably one of the rare arts in India, but I hope to make it a regular trend by the coming decade.

--Divya Nair