The Roots
My story begins in the quiet, rural landscape of Karnataka, India. Growing up in a lower-middle-class household, life was defined by a simple, honest reality: we always had enough to eat, but there was very little room for anything else.
As a student, I wasn't the one breaking academic records; I was comfortably "average," but my mind was always elsewhere—usually lost in the lines and colors of a drawing or a painting. Art was my first language, even if I didn't yet know how to make a life out of it.
The IT Odyssey
Like many of my generation, the practical path led me toward technology. I found my way into Computer Science, a move that would eventually take me far beyond the borders of my village. I spent ten formative years in the bustling energy of Mumbai, building the foundation of my IT career.
That career soon became a passport. Short-term projects took me through the historic streets of Germany, Belgium, and France, before I finally settled in the United States in 2007. For the past decade and a half, I've worked behind the scenes of complex systems as a Sys Admin and PeopleSoft Specialist. While my days were filled with servers and logic, that childhood spark for art never truly faded.
The Artistic Reawakening
It was in the U.S. that I finally picked up the brush again—this time, exploring the rich, tactile world of oil painting. Without a formal fine arts education, I turned to the greatest classroom available: the internet. I spent countless hours studying the masters of light and form—Richard Schmid, Morgan Weistling, Daniel Gerhartz, Laura Robb, David Leffel, Abbey Ryan, and Qiang Huang.
The journey wasn't easy. I faced every "beginner's struggle" in the book—from muddy colors to frustrating compositions. But being a systems administrator by trade, I look at problems through a unique lens: I look for the logic in the chaos. I realized that the hurdles I faced as a self-taught artist could be smoothed over with the right tools.
Bridging Two Worlds: Kumkum & AI
This realization led to the birth of Kumkum. I decided to leverage my IT background to build an app designed specifically for beginner and intermediate artists. Named after the traditional Indian powder that symbolizes focus and creativity, the Kumkum app is my way of giving back to the community that taught me. It's a bridge between the precision of technology and the fluid beauty of art.
Explore Kumkum StudioMy exploration hasn't stopped at the canvas. Today, I am fascinated by the intersection of AI and Storytelling. I am currently working on a series of short videos that bring the ancient wisdom of the Panchatantra to life using modern AI tools. It is my way of honoring my roots while embracing the future of digital expression.
Watch AI Storytelling SeriesWho I Am Today
I am a Sys Admin by day and a painter/developer by night. I believe that whether you are debugging a server or mixing a palette of oils, the goal is the same: to find harmony, solve problems, and create something meaningful.
