Psychedelic pop-art patterns infused with raw kitsch and a pinch of hippie couture are what make Khyati Mehra Sharma’s Khyatiworks a winner among fashionistas. Started in 2011, Khyati, a spunky short-haired, free-spirited artist, realised that painting was going to be an integral part of her life and soon started creating abstracts with no intention of just exhibiting them. Khyati had bigger plans for her canvases.
“These paintings are vibrant and colourful and I wanted them to reach as many people as possible instead of being appraised by a select few,” says Khyati. Describing her paintings as the soul of all her merchandise, each piece is either hand-painted or created out of images of her artwork. “This is what makes Khyatiworks really special for me. Every piece is a reflection of me and how I look at life.”
Drawing inspirations
For Khyati, her inspiration came from within. Once she got working on these abstracts, the colours took her on a trip of her own. Khyati creates jewellery, footwear, coasters and knobs using images from her paintings. “These paintings are very intuitive. The inspiration is still internal, a strong desire to fill people’s lives with colours of joy!”
Khyatiworks’ unique selling point that their designs aren’t exactly the ones trending, or a design born out of computer graphics. Khyati focuses on creative makeovers, which means she gives a mundane, everyday object a colourful makeover. None of her products are bulk produced.
A challenge up her sleeve
Khyati’s first and most challenging project was the Dilli Haat in 2012, an open-air ambience that reflects a traditional setting. “Being in IT for the last 10 years, this field was very new for me and I had no contacts, no idea as to how to market products, who to trust, how to price the merchandise, etc. I learnt a lot from that exhibition. Also, as it was a three-day event, I had to ensure that the quantity of merchandise was good enough, so I worked late hours, weekends, after office, and created each piece myself. With the whole-hearted support of my family, the effort paid off.”
Of knobs and button shoes
Apart from mini pieces of her artwork, Khyati creates wooden knobs that are quickly turning out to be her favourite. A wooden cupboard may be brown, black or white but what makes it stand out is the quirky addition of a coloured knob.
“It fascinates me how a thing as small as a knob can brighten up a space so beautifully. Being an artist, I am always on the lookout for a new surface to paint on. It’s always fun to explore different media. One day, I happened to see these plain wooden knobs in the market. I was thrilled by the idea of painting them. After a bit of research on how to make them durable and withstand wear and tear, I rolled out the first batch and they came out great. I thought the best place to market them would be a furnishing store so what better than Fab Furnish! And that’s how Khyatiworks knobs became a hit!”
Khyati’s most unique work has been with a colourful mélange of buttons. “I made this pair of shoes that are completely filled with buttons! I stitched each button on myself. It’s very quirky, very unique and is one of my most treasured pieces.”
What next?
Much love and adulation has come Khyati’s way. With its own ecommerce store now (www.khyatiworks.com) their merchandise is now widely available.
“As Khyatiworks is all about unique and quirky, I plan to add more products that will enthral people. Each piece will be handcrafted and will have something that bulk production cannot copy. I love that each piece is special right from the inception to the packaging. It’ll be a haven for people who are always on the lookout for something that no one owns and is maintenance free.”
