Priyanka Pathak
Priyanka Pathak (she/her) is a South Asian immigrant residing and painting in the ancestral homeland of the Kumeyaay, the indigenous people of San Diego County, CA, USA and northern Baja California, Mexico. An enthusiastic learner, Priyanka has degrees in the fields of Environmental Studies, Public Health, and Social Work. She is passionate about social and environmental justice and is a devoted dog parent.
Priyanka primarily works with acrylics, including in her mixed media excursions. In the realm of abstract art, she uses seemingly simple shapes to play in the tensions of chaos and order, occasionally incorporating found objects. Her evolving style is influenced by legends Wassily Kandinsky and Joan Miró. In portraits and still life studies, she glorifies her subjects' confidence and vulnerability. Her inspirations include the awe-inspiring works of Bisa Butler and Kehinde Wiley, as well as the great Georgia O'Keeffe. In 2024, she completed Art on 30th's 6-month career coaching program for artists, during which she was mentored by artists Kristen Guest and Sissy Alsabrook. Her paintings are displayed in private collections in North Carolina, Michigan, California, and India. Her current abstract series is on display at Ashton Gallery in San Diego, CA
About the Artist
Artist Statement
When I engage in my artistic expression, I feel directly connected to generations of art lovers in my family, especially my elders who patiently helped me build my drawing and painting foundation throughout my childhood. I grew up to embrace the artist in me more seriously after recognizing how much I enjoy the challenges and struggles of the creative process, in addition to beholding a completed project.
After a lifetime dedicated to painting people, plants, and animals, I am indulging my curiosity and wonder in attempting to evoke emotional responses to free floating forms. I am allowing myself to be playful with rich colors and textures as I treat each piece as a window into an unreal world in which the unanticipated reveals itself.
This is an important year for me as an artist. I have only ever shared my paintings among known circles. After completing Art on 30th's Mentorship Program in 2024, the creative recluse in me took a plunge into building a community around sharing my creations.
~ Priyanka Pathak
