Today, I am delighted to introduce you to the artwork of Smitha Vishwanath. Smitha is also a talented poet and author.
Tell us a bit about yourself and your background in art. Where you influenced by any specific artists? If yes, what is your favourite artwork by another artist and why.
Hi Robbie, Thank you for having me here. I’m excited about this new series that you’ve started, and I’m honoured you chose me to kickstart it. I look forward to seeing the work of other artists. Thank you for these questions which reminded me of my journey so far and helped me see how far I’ve come since I began.
I don’t have a background in art. My experience with art is a few hobby classes I went to in Grade 11. Then twenty years later, in 2011, when I took a sabbatical from work, I went for art classes again. It was a way to keep myself busy. The classes, however, were far from home and far too expensive in Dubai, so I stopped after a month. But I got myself some canvases and began trying a few paintings. However, when I rejoined work a few months later, I set my paintbrush aside and forgot all about art. The funny thing is I didn’t even miss it.
Seven years later when I quit my job and moved to India, I joined an art class close to my children’s school. It was an opportunity to meet people as I knew nobody in Mumbai and do something I knew a little about. I went twice a week, for four or five months. I stopped because I got busy with writing. Then in 2020, during Covid, I began painting again. I picked up the brush as an escape from the lockdown and all the losses I went through during the time, but I soon realized that I enjoyed painting.
When I look back at all my paintings now, I realize that I paint pictures which show the play of light and shadow and those which appear real. I realize I am naturally drawn to the impressionist style of art. I’m in awe of impressionist artists like Monet.
What is your favourite medium to work in? I’ve seen artworks in watercolours and acrylic. You’ve also tried your hand at sketching.
That’s true. I’ve tried my hand at sketching and painted using oil, acrylics and watercolours. I love watercolours because of the transparency and because it’s quick. But it’s tougher than the other 2 mediums which are far more forgiving and allow you to fix mistakes.
I mostly use acrylics or watercolours as I don’t have the patience that an oil painting requires.
You and your husband get to travel and experience life in different countries fairly frequently. Do your experiences in these different countries influence your artworks?
That’s such an interesting question, Robbie. I hadn’t thought of how my travels influenced my art until you asked the question. Now that I think of it, travel plays a huge role in my artwork. For instance, during Covid, when I began painting, I did a series of artwork, called, ‘Places I want to visit’. It allowed me to travel, to dream within closed doors.
When I went to Benaras, a holy place in India, I painted temple bells, priests with the oil lamps and the ghats (steps) on the river Ganges. After moving to Kenya, my artwork is full of bold and bright colours.
Do you have a particular method you use when you start a new painting or design? You create still life artworks, landscapes, and paintings featuring human figures. Do you have different processes for each type of creation?
I draw the picture free hand using a pencil and then begin painting for still life and paintings with human figures. However, for landscapes, I use my paintbrush to do a basic sketch of the photograph I’m painting.
Tell us a bit about your favourite artworks and what they mean to you. Please share a few of your favourite artworks and a little about them.
Robbie, one of my favourite pieces of art was inspired by a Russian painter, and a friend purchased it as a gift for her mother’s eightieth birthday. That made it even more special.
The sweetest joy is knowing your painting hangs on somebody’s wall and years later, they still say they love it. You were one of the first people who bought my art and I remember feeling extremely proud that my art was on a wall in S. Africa.
It is hard to choose which ones to share here because I love all of them except a few. It would have been easier to tell you the ones I don’t like.
This was one of the paintings I sold and gave the proceeds to a charity.
I painted this after reading Elif Shafaq’s ‘Forty Rules of Love’
I hadn’t painted for three months because of all the travelling and also because I have a lot of starting trouble once I stop. So, I decided to begin with something simple. I liked how the apples turned out.
This is my first attempt at painting one of Monet’s paintings. I did this recently.
And this is my latest piece.
About Smitha Vishwanath
Smitha Vishwanath is your quintessential ‘bored banker’ turned writer. After a rewarding career of two decades in banking, she quit in 2018. Therein, began her writing journey, which she did through her blog: https://lifeateacher.wordpress.com.
Smitha’s poem, ‘Omid’, was nominated ‘Best of the Net’ in 2019. Her poems, ‘Do you Have Dreams’ and ‘Forgotten’, written for the National Poetry Writing Month challenge hosted by Maureen Thompson, won recognition on an international level for two consecutive years, 2021 and 2022. She was nominated as Author of the Month by SpillWords Press for her poem ‘Ye Birds on my Window Sill’ in May 2022. She was recently voted Author of the Month for the months of January and February 2023 for her poem, ‘Two years since you left’ by Spillwords Press. Her poetry has been published by several online publications, including Thieving Magpies, Spillwords Press, MasticadoresUS, Silverbirch Press, Rebelle Society and has found a place in several noteworthy anthologies.
‘Roads- A journey with Verses’ is a book of poems she co-authored and published in July 2019.
‘Coming Home’ is her debut novel released in March 2023.
When she’s not writing, you’ll find her reading, writing book reviews, sharing her experiences through her blog, painting, walking travelling, or just being. She currently resides with her husband in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Her poems and writing reflect the experiences that come with having lived with people of different cultures.
You can find Smitha’s books on Amazon US here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B07VG1ZGS9
You can find Smitha on her blog here: https://smithavpennings.com/2025/12/05/art-doggie-in-the-window-and-looking-back-at-2025/
About Robbie Cheadle
South African author, photographer, and artist, Robbie Cheadle, has written and illustrated seventeen children’s books, illustrated a further three children’s books, written and illustrated four poetry books and written and illustrated one celebration of cake and fondant art book with recipes. Her work has also appeared in poetry and short story anthologies.
Robbie also has two novels and a collection of short stories published under the name of Roberta Eaton Cheadle and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.
You can find Robbie Cheadle’s artwork, fondant and cake artwork, and all her books on her website here: https://www.robbiecheadle.co.za/
Social Media Links
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/robbiecheadle.bsky.social
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVyFo_OJLPqFa9ZhHnCfHUA
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15584446.Robbie_Cheadle
TSL Publications: https://tslbooks.uk/product-tag/robbie-cheadle/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Robbie-Cheadle/author/B01N9J62GQ
Unsplash profile: https://unsplash.com/@r_cheadle
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