PV Siva Kumar Reddy, an IT employee turned artist, is shaping the art world with a new dimension CE speaks to the self-taught artist who has been devoting his free time to his passion for painting and carving sculptures
HYDERABAD: An IT employee by profession and an artist by passion, PV Siva Kumar Reddy has been devoting his best to the art of painting, and carving sculptures. This artist has a unique story to share about blending colours and his tireless efforts have made him one of the best-selling artists online. Siva Kumar's passion for art began a few years ago when he fell into depression due to marital issues. He turned to sketching as a form of therapy and gradually began to create more complex artwork. With the encouragement of a friend, he started working on sculptures and selling them online.
"I thought it was a great idea to sell my works online, and I started considering it. Soon after my issues got resolved with my wife, I started painting on wooden sculptures, which are carved shapes like peacocks, elephants, horses, cows, and some goddesses. I started posting my work online in 2020. Surprisingly, I have been getting a great response ever since,” says Siva Kumar who has worked for over 13 years as an IT employee.
The artist sources wooden sculptures from Rajasthan and customises them, adding a smooth finish and then applying primer to the wood. "Once I receive them, I find if there are any cracks, I fill them up and then shape them with sandpaper to give them a smooth finish. Then, I apply primer to the wood and allow it to dry for a day or two," says the artist. Thereafter, he says, he sketches a layout and adds colours using acrylic paints, which he blends to get the perfect texture for each piece. The artist finishes each sculpture with varnish to give it a 3D effect. Despite having no formal training as an artist, Siva Kumar has learnt everything he knows through YouTube tutorials and his experimentation. “I first started with doing pencil art, and then I started to paint on a canvas. Soon, I started doing sculptures. I have done it all by myself without anyone’s help. While doing this, I feel independent and free to create anything through my paintings,” says he.
His work has caught the attention of people across the country, including a mi n - ister and the mayor’s brother. “I have received orders from Gujarat’s minister for the elephant head sculpture. He has ordered around 8 to 10 of them for decorating his house. I have also sold my artwork to Hyderabad Mayor Gadwal Vijayalakshmi’s brother. He approached me for the same sculpture that was given to the Gujarat minister. So far, there has been a great response, and I will continue to do my best for my customers.” Reddy’s passion for art has also helped him balance his work and personal life, as he makes time outside of work to paint and fulfil orders. “Balancing his work life and passion with each other. I give equal importance to both things. Whenever I get time outside of work, I paint and finish my orders. My wife helps me with painting the base, and then I sketch the layout and add colour to it. There hasn’t been any problem for me to complete work,” the artist said. When asked about his plans to open a store he said, “I would like to stick to the online sales right now. I have tried putting up them in an exhibition but that did not profit from my artwork. I have decided that I would just be sick of selling them online. People can find me on social media platforms with the name ‘eswarvintage’. I also have a website with the same name.”