There is an old saying — ‘Love is in the air’. But have you ever heard of the saying, ‘Love is on the canvas?’ Imagine sharing life with someone who understands not just your words, but the language of your silence, your colours, and your unfinished sketches. Adding an artistic stroke to Valentine’s Day, CE speaks to artist couples, who reveal how their artistic backgrounds influenced their love and how love, in turn, has become their greatest muse.
'Our journey — a balance of love, growth, and creative synergy’
Pavan: Our story began in 2007 as colleagues when we were teaching at a fine arts college after completing our master’s degrees. Our artistic styles are quite different — my bold, vibrant strokes, influenced by my JJ School of Arts background, contrast Sweta’s pastel, earthy, layered acrylic renderings, which are shaped by her time at Santiniketan. These diverse influences allow us to exchange ideas, blending the dynamic energy of city life with the delicate sensitivity of human experiences. She’s extremely supportive, always pushing me to do my best.
Sweta: When I met Pavan, his energy and passion for art were truly inspiring, pushing me to experiment and grow alongside our students. As time passed, our friendship evolved, and we chose to walk together in life, sharing our artistic aspirations. Being a full-time artist demands patience, resilience, and mutual support. Throughout our journey, we have stood by each other, and whenever I slowed down due to family responsibilities, Pavan always encouraged me to push beyond my limits and pursue my dreams. Pavan’s spontaneity is often complemented by my steady, introspective nature. This dynamic inspires him to refine his wooden assemblages and drawings with intricate details. Our journey so far has been an exciting balance of love, growth, and creative synergy.
‘Love for art has kept us together for 30 years’
We’ve been married for 30 years, and like any marriage, it has been an interesting journey. But rather than saying that our artistic backgrounds influenced our love — though it might have been the reason to make us fall in love as young adults — we can today very assuredly say that it is our love for art that has kept us together, rejuvenating and taking our love to greater heights. Despite having very different personalities, we come up with new ideas and initiatives together. Today, we are surrounded by love, the fragrance of art, and of course, two children who are busy in their own worlds!
‘For us, love and art are inseparable’
Koeli: Anand and I met at Kala Bhavan, Santiniketan. Fair, handsome, and effortlessly charismatic, he was one year senior to me and I often saw him playing the guitar with friends. At the time, I had no idea he was from Scotland. One day, a classmate took me to the second-year painting studio, where I was struck by a composition of a lone figure gazing at a muted cityscape, painted in shades of blue, cream, ochre, and deep red. That quiet intensity stayed with me. Much later, I discovered the artist behind those works was Anand. We became close friends, exchanging advice on drawing and painting, discussing books, and learning to read a work of art together. My parents liked Anand, and we got married. Even our arguments were over aesthetics. In 2018, Anand curated my exhibition ‘Crux’ at Goethe Zentrum. He was deeply involved and his insights pushed me to explore deeper, making the show a great success.
Anand: Koeli was always confident and professional, capable of starting and finishing a piece to great satisfaction. Back then, her waist-length braid, kohl-lined eyes, and vibrant drapes exuded vitality and discipline, and she always cracked mischievous jokes. Her commitment to her work is unwavering and she is true to herself. I’m glad to have her as my partner, with a deeply compatible aesthetic sensibility between us. For us, love and art are inseparable.