Welcome to “Get Inspired”. A series of interviews with our Studio Class instructors.
For this month, we’ll be talking to Vaishali Mehta. She’s a multi-talented art teacher here at the Tampa Museum of art. Vaishali is currently teaching our “Remix” classes on Mondays and will be teaching a Henna Art Summer Camp.
If you’re looking to get inspiration from a local artist, read on!
TMA: Thanks for taking the time to chat with us, Vaishali. For starters, how did you become interested in art?
As a child, you do things that either you are good at, or you are not. At an early age, I discovered I was good in art – drawing and coloring. That was where I gained confidence, and compliments from friends, teachers, and family. That was my inspiration to improve myself and learn technical skills in something I enjoyed doing. It has always been a meditative process for me, and I have always explored the works of different artists to understand their perspectives. It has a powerful ability to tell stories, evoke emotions, and challenge our perceptions. It is fascinating how art acts as a universal language that transcends time and space.
TMA: Who are your inspirations?
Vaishali: A particular artist whose work I am fond of is Amrita Sher-Gil. Her paintings capture the lives and struggles of Indian women with deep emotional insight. She beautifully mixes Western and Indian influences, producing a blend of cultural narratives that continue to resonate and provoke thought.
TMA: Your resume has an impressive roster of qualifications. From Photoshop, to clay, to Henna art. How have you balanced learning all those different art disciplines?
Vaishali: It was the exposure I was provided through my cultural background: henna through weddings, clay through the tuitions I provided my students, and Photoshop through the art degree I earned when I moved to the US. Though I am proficient with different skills, these are the ones I have enjoyed and able to practice on a regular basis.
TMA: And you’ve gotten quite a bit of teaching experience as well. Being a teacher is often a difficult career, but what would you say is your biggest joy in teaching?
Vaishali: It is the joy and contentment in the eyes of my students, their focus on how they want to express themselves, their effort to get what is on their minds to translate to the medium of their art. Every experience and every work are different, and it has a different meaning, governed by the emotions of the individual when they were creating it. Though the technicalities can be graded, the expression is always free and based on the creator.
TMA: How did you start teaching here at Tampa Museum of Art?
Vaishali: Visiting the museum, I have always appreciated the works that have been displayed here. There is a great collection that caters to your imagination. I have always been an admirer. When I presented my portfolio and there was an interest reciprocated, it was a perfect match, especially because I would get a chance to instruct students in an environment immersed in art.
TMA: Lastly, is there any advice you’d give to someone who is new to art and skeptical about taking an art class?
Vaishali: Art is open to interpretation. It is a way for other people to guess what was going on in your mind when you were creating it, it intrigues people about you without you uttering a single word. Even, in the future, when you look at your old work, it will help remind you of the thoughts you were experiencing at that moment. It’s an everlasting way of remembering yourself, an imprint left behind. So why not enjoy exploring that side of you? It is worth a try!
TMA: Thanks so much for having this little chat with us, Vaishali! We look forward to all the classes you’re teaching this season, and many more in the future!
