RILEY (Series: We Touch Our Seas) Painting

Indian-born artist Janavi M Folmsbee settled her roots in the beautifully diverse city of Houston, Texas in 2012. She has moved between countries and cities to find her own space in this world and to hunt for the universal and global connection amongst us. After crossing continents, this hunt has propelled her to search in an element that physically connects us all – water. She draws inspiration from experiences through her scuba diving expeditions and is strongly influenced by marine life. She creates ethereal, intricate shapes she calls characters that are meant to invite the public into something very private. These characters she conceptually conceives live in their own world and space, but are somehow in ours. The spatial relationship between the work and the viewer creates a sense of closeness. This year, Janavi has become more involved in the marine community by working with conservation organizations such as the Galveston Bay Foundation with the hope to create awareness about the marine world and the struggles it faces. She has faith that with art, awareness and beauty we as humans are capable of doing so much more for our oceans and our environment. JANAVI MAHIMTURA FOLMSBEE: / / Houston, Texas, U.S.A.