Today we’d like to introduce you to Kajal Zaveri.
Hi Kajal, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Art has always been part of my life, even though it wasn’t always my profession. I grew up in India in a house full of color — folk art, festival colors, celebrations that seemed to demand a certain visual language all their own. There was no art school in the picture, just a local hobby class and an environment that made noticing beauty feel automatic. I kept painting quietly on the side even while I followed a more conventional path academically.
After moving to and earning my MBA in California, I worked in finance for several years. But I found myself constantly drawn back to painting. Living in California introduced me to breathtaking coastlines, expansive skies, and an incredible variety of landscapes, and I felt compelled to translate those moments onto canvas. Eventually, I made the leap, leaving my corporate career to become a full-time artist.
That decision changed my life. Over the years, my work has been collected internationally, featured in publications including Elle Décor and Popsugar, displayed on Times Square billboards, and exhibited at major art fairs including VOLTA New York, CONTEXT Art Miami, Hamptons Fine Art Fair, Red Dot Miami, and Art Market San Francisco. Recently, moving to New York has opened an exciting new chapter, inspiring me with the city’s energy, diversity, and resilience while deepening my appreciation for nature as my constant source of inspiration. Today, I paint full-time from my New York studio, creating work that celebrates beauty, joy, memory, and the emotional connection we all have with the natural world.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
This has not been a smooth path at all. Like many creative careers, there have been plenty of uncertainties and challenges behind the scenes.
One of the biggest challenges was finding my own artistic voice. That didn’t happen overnight—it took years of experimenting, painting consistently, and allowing my work to evolve naturally. Learning to balance creativity with the business side of being an artist was another steep learning curve. Marketing, gallery outreach, art fairs, pricing, and simply getting your work seen require just as much dedication as creating the paintings themselves.
Rejection has also been part of the journey. Every artist experiences exhibitions they aren’t accepted into or opportunities that don’t work out. Rather than seeing those moments as failures, I’ve learned to view them as part of the process. They have encouraged me to keep improving, stay authentic, and continue creating work that feels true to who I am instead of chasing trends.
Looking back, I realize that every challenge has made me a stronger artist and helped me build a career that is deeply meaningful and sustainable.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I create colorful, textured, semi-abstract paintings inspired by nature. My work ranges from expansive landscapes and seascapes to expressive florals, each exploring the same idea from a different distance. Landscapes capture the feeling of standing inside a place—the hush of dawn, shifting light, endless horizons, or the rhythm of the ocean—while my florals invite viewers to experience nature up close, where blooms become its own celebration of color and life.
Working primarily in oils and acrylics with expressive brushwork and rich texture, I paint intuitively rather than from photographs or detailed sketches. I’m less interested in documenting a specific location and more interested in capturing how a place feels. My hope is that each painting becomes personal to the viewer, reminding them of a cherished memory, a favorite destination, or simply offering a moment of peace and optimism.
What I’m most proud of is creating work that genuinely connects with people. Hearing collectors tell me that one of my paintings brings calm into their home or reminds them of a meaningful place is incredibly rewarding.
Beyond painting, I’m also proud of using art to give back. I’ve volunteered teaching art to children of all abilities, and continue supporting charitable organizations through workshops and artwork donations. Those experiences have reinforced my belief that art has the power not only to beautify spaces but also to bring people together, inspire hope, and create meaningful human connections.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
Most people are surprised to learn there’s an MBA in finance in my background, and several years of an actual corporate job with nothing to do with art. My path into the arts wasn’t traditional, but I believe that background has given me resilience, discipline, and an entrepreneurial mindset that has been invaluable in building an art career.
Also, my real studio ritual is almost embarrassingly simple — a cup of Indian masala chai, the light off the Hudson River, and a short pause before the first mark of the day.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.kajalzaveri.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artist.kajalzaveri/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KajalZaveriArt/
