Custom art for your home. That’s what advertising exec-turned-artist Amrithaa does for a living. And stepping into the splash of green of her living room at T Nagar, it’s easy to understand why. You see that in this designer’s home, every room is a canvas. From her nature-fresh sofa cushions that make you feel a bit like you’re in a Lyril ad to digital art, custom-made to fit into different spaces — there’s even one above the commode in the bathroom! More importantly, every art indulgence is as personal as they come. There’s a large canvas of suspended motorbikes in one bedroom (a passion of her son’s) and a collage of neon yellow touched photos of a memorable New York trip with Amrithaa and her husband in another. “I think I’ve actually been customising art all my life,” she admits. And after a degree in Fine Arts and 22 years in the ad business, creativity is a given.
Ironically, Amrithaa’s venture of creating canvases for aesthetic homes began last year while remodelling her own apartment, when an argumentative architect told her that ‘some of her design ideas just weren’t possible’. Her husband smiles as he recalls, “So she asked him, if I do it and show you, will you shut up then?”
Needless to say, every guest, friend or relative who visits the space now can’t stop piling on the praise. Back then, it was impossible fittings. These days though, it’s about impossible-to-find art. “I have one client who recently asked me for erotica,” she tells us. “And another one who has given me a project for a 20-foot piece metal mural that starts on the ground floor and goes as high as the first floor of the building!” Of course, some art enthusiasts just want to keep it simple. Compact canvases in sizes that are made-to-fit, are often painted on request to match or contrast the room’s interiors. “This is something you will never find,” says Amrithaa candidly. “First of all, if you go shopping for art – it’s up to you to find a way to weave the frame into your home space. It’s not like you can commission an artist for one piece that matches the colour scheme of your dining room!” she adds.
With a creative team that handles everything from photography to fibre glass work and graffiti, this home designer promises a dose of colour to suit just about any palette. “And we use archival quality canvases that are guaranteed to last 150 years,” she points out, upping her proposition a notch. One has to wonder out loud though — with a passion for art, why not just start a gallery? Amrithaa takes a moment before she responds. “That would mean getting into the retail business,” she states simply. “I just want to focus on what I love most, my art.”
Amrithaa’s made-to-order art pieces are priced at `5,000 upward, depending on size. For details, log on to her website www.haute-arts.com
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities>Chennai / by Sonali Shenoy / ENS – Chennai / December 02nd, 2013
