Statement

My artistic practice is rooted in a deep, lifelong dialogue with nature. I do not see the natural world as separate from us, but as a quiet presence that reflects our emotional cycles, ancestral imprints, and spiritual longings. From the tall Ashoka trees of my childhood garden to the rhythmic chants of Buddhist monks in Bodh Gaya, my earliest memories are marked by an enduring sense of stillness and organic rhythm elements that continue to guide my creative process.

My work seeks to honour this language of stillness. I am drawn to forms that speak without urgency, seeds, foliage, layered landscapes and weathered textures. Through them, I explore themes of continuity, fragility, adaptation and regeneration. I often work with mixed media to build compositions that are slow, deliberate and sensorial. These materials allow me to layer thought and memory into surface, creating works that are both personal and open-ended.

Having lived across many cities, my practice is inherently adaptive. Each space I have inhabited, its culture, architecture and ecology, has left its trace in my visual vocabulary. My current body of work reflects this responsiveness while remaining anchored in a broader concern: how can we reimagine our relationship with the environment not as dominion, but as kinship?

Beyond the studio, I am deeply engaged with environmental awareness through public art and education. I have worked on community street art projects to transform neglected spaces and regularly conduct workshops for children and schools. These experiences ground my belief that art is not only a mode of self-expression but also a form of civic care.

This phase of my journey marks a deeper commitment to developing a visual language that is thoughtful, slow and alive to context. I see my work as an evolving archive of experience, a space where memory is not static but reinterpreted, and where the natural world becomes a partner in storytelling.

Biography

Puneeta is a self-taught visual artist whose practice unfolds at the intersection of natural symbolism, ecological consciousness, and memory. Born in Gaya, Bihar, her early years were immersed in the slow rhythm of small-town life marked by flowering gardens, the scent of Albizia and bottlebrush trees, and the meditative chants of Buddhist monks from the temples of Bodh Gaya. These surroundings, along with a home steeped in literature and quiet creativity, nurtured her love for introspection and nature's silent strength.

She recalls the rich fragrance of crayons from her early school days, collecting seeds with curiosity, sketching from fairy-tale books, and spending hours beneath the tall Ashoka trees in her garden. These tactile and sensory experiences foreshadowed the intuitive depth of her artistic journey.

Though she began her professional career in finance, Puneeta has devoted over two decades to her art. Her first exhibition was held while she was still in Grade Nine. Since then, her work has been exhibited across several Indian cities and internationally. After living in Delhi and Chandigarh, she has now been based in Pune for over twelve years.

Her work spans drawing, painting, mixed media, and large-scale wall art. Botanical forms, especially seeds, serve as recurring anchors in her practice, reflecting themes of continuity, transformation, and "embodied time."

An active environmentalist, Puneeta's green-themed works are part of the Griha 5-star-rated collection at the Pune Circuit House. She has painted across neglected and garbage-filled urban sites, often standing amidst garbage to create murals that raise awareness of environmental care. Her public art interventions, both social and corporate, speak of resilience, dignity, and regeneration.

In parallel, she is deeply committed to art education. Puneeta has mentored children through workshops in her studio, schools, malls, and cafés, and has regularly served as a judge for inter-school competitions. Her practice reflects a harmonious blend of activism, introspection, material sensitivity, and a deep belief in the transformative power of visual storytelling.