Today we’d like to introduce you to Swetha Kalluri.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Swetha. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Hello Friend, I am Swetha Kalluri, and I encourage people to indulge in art and live inspired. My take on art is a little different, though. I believe that it is a great tool for all of us to relax and enjoy life while learning some skills. I have worked as a Financial Planner for once I was out of college but left that behind for my creative calling- art a childhood passion of mine. I clearly remember with pride my loving mother encouraging me to be creative while I spent several hours dabbling with chalk, ink, brushes and tons of paper. I made my first chalk and paper vases at the age of 11 to sell out at a local craft sale.
I want everyone to try and play with art, in particular Watercolors and Modern Calligraphy. I teach these two skills for the only reason that they are addictive and illusive. Both of the skills demand attention and hence the most mindful activities.
I have been blessed to teach and inspire close to two-hundred students in just this past year. The feedback has been very pleasing and I strive to improve and take my in-person workshops seriously. I endeavor to have them have a blast in those two hours I teach. The world is filled with several stressors and this is the place one needs to spend some time daily to harness the better deep inside oneself. In addition it’s worthwhile to mention how from an artist I also have turned into an entrepreneur. Now, that’s a twist is it not? Well, this teaching style of mine and ideas got into a box. We can say, ‘ Tiny Treasures’ of inspiration. I have curated DIY-Kits as well, which have been quite popular and have sold several of them. The kit is like a workshop in a box kind of thing. This concept was born just from students asking me if I had something for them to take back home and continue the creativity. A simple question, but a great building block for a small business to flourish! So I curated these products, which now reach all parts of the world, predominantly sell here in the United States. A total de-stressor and fun time creator kit.
At this point, all my efforts are to reach more folks out there and debunk the myth that art is only for children or that they need to be artistically inclined. A few minutes of art activity with no pressure and just fun is what I recommend. It is just for you and only you. Let yourself some time to rest and grow. The mind needs a break and that will only happen when you indulge in some creativity and that’s my conviction.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The journey has always been attractive. It has always been encouraging as I indulged in art and was so much into it, that I never set targets to achieve much. But, when I started teaching art and inspiring students, the road got a little bumpy as I looked at it as a business to grow and reach more people. Things are unfolding slowly but surely and I am happy that I have found my niche- this was tough initially. Now, the road looks clear and I am focusing on what I want to teach and inspire for sure.
Please tell us about your business.
The ideas that I have surely needed a platform. A place to bloom and grow, hence initially all I wanted was to share and sell my pieces of art. I jumped on the art selling path, only to be frustrated and jaded. The struggle continued, technology , online markets and alike. Soon I realised I would spend my whole life trying to sell my art, which was nothing compared to what was out there. But without despair I decided to go down the rabbit hole to find my niche. I invested in several online courses and became a student once again, slowly I learned the ways of marketing and focussed on my strengths to narrow down what I really could do. One day, in 2018, I named my efforts Printable Ink Art and registered it as a small business.
Fast forward, currently I specialize in Modern Watercolors and Modern Calligraphy. I am known to be an inspiring instructor of art with a non- traditional approach. I am self-taught on both the skills and enjoy it with a more carefree attitude. I am proud as a company that promotes art for enjoying, inspiration, and healing. It should be looked at as a meditative and therapeutic activity.
The fact that I teach the non- traditional way, to trigger creativity and not fine tune art skills is what makes my brand different for sure. There are no pressures or targets to achieve, in my opinion. Art is something for everyone and it has several benefits that everyone could harness.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
This is a great question. I can instantly jump into the past where I can reminiscence those hours I spend sitting at my desk, beside my window—staring at the tree outside and the blue sky while painting canvases, vases, and creating a complete mess on my desk. My mother would bring me something to eat and pop it into my mouth, as my hands would be busy.
Pricing:
- Most of my in-person workshops are priced at 60$, all material included and some tea
- Private parties and workshops are priced at $40 ,all materials included with a tw0-hour instruction
- DIY Watercolor Kits are 40$ and DIY Modern Calligraphy Kits are 35$
Contact Info:
- Website: https://printableinkart.com/
- Phone: 2484978758
- Email: hello@printableinkart.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/printableinkart/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/printableinkartfrisco/?modal=admin_todo_tour
- Other: www.etsy.com/shop/
printableinkart
Image Credit:
Some pictures were taken by foto @rajanibalasubramanium
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