A thing of beauty can be a joy forever. Gift giving can be memorable with Collectors’ Items. Who wouldn’t want something unique? Especially if it is affordable artwork on a different medium?

Gift giving has always been a part of our family tradition especially during the festive season.

During my husband’s career as a diplomat, there were numerous occasions when we used to give presents.

We formed a Gift Giving Policy where the gift we were giving had to fulfill 3 conditions. Otherwise, we had to find another option.

The first rule was that the gift has to be thoughtful. We’d make a note of the person’s preferences and consider what would make them happy to receive.

The second rule was it has to be something that we ourselves would be happy to receive.

The third rule was to set a budget and stick to it!

The festive season will be starting soon in India and people will be starting their gift shopping in earnest.

Gift Tip: The one thing you need to avoid & what to do instead

Over the years I’ve noticed that a one-upmanship has emerged in certain circles where a present is to show off one’s social status instead of letting the other person know that their friendship is valued.

When a present isn’t given from the heart or received with grace, then there really isn’t any point in carrying on this tradition.

For those readers who believe in the 3 rules of Gift Giving, I have a unique idea – give an artwork or merchandise item with artwork that will be appreciated.

If you can find a limited-edition item or a special artwork, that’s even better.

If original artworks aren’t within your budget, then prints work too.

To give you an idea of what I’m recommending, take a look at some of my artworks that are available at my page on Fine Art America.

These artworks prints can be purchased not only as prints but on different mediums too, like coffee mugs, iPhone covers, shower curtains and numerous options.

Visit Pixels for more art for lifestyle options.

Here are some examples from my Garden of Memories Exhibition

How about something unique Christmas?

Check out some more unique ideas for the festive season for yourself or others with my art. Click the images to select at Pixels.

Are my gift suggestions within your budget?

I believe they are!

Especially when you use the Coupon Code SHZAUT at checkout to get 25% off from now till 31 December 2024.

Go ahead and give a present that matches my 3 Gift Giving Rules!

Use Coupon Code SHZAUT and get 25% off at checkout here. 

Updated 29 November 2024.

Memories of my Paris exhibition at Galerie Elysee Miromesnil came flooding back. I was watching the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi being honoured at the Bastille Day celebrations this year on television.

That was 23 years ago and yet it felt like yesterday. As I reminisced about the exhibition, another memory came up – the gift of one free pizza in Paris!

This exhibition is very special for me in more ways than one. It was a learning experience about the challenges of getting a gallery to exhibit your artworks or to find patrons.

But where there is a will and faith in one’s art, doors do open. For me the door was Galerie Elysee Miromesnil.

Back in 1995, my late husband had been posted to Minsk in Belarus to open India’s first Embassy. He was the first Indian Ambassador to Belarus.

I expressed the desire to visit Paris and especially Giverny as I am an ardent fan of Monet.

After some discussion, my husband suggested I also visit some galleries and explore if I could get an exhibition of my works done. My trip to Paris was booked.

Finding a gallery to exhibit my art was far easier than said

Armed with my portfolio, I visited numerous galleries but was crestfallen when told they only exhibited famous artists or had their own artists.

At that time, I didn’t know that this is normal for galleries all over the world, including India.

Perhaps these galleries are averse to risk taking or maybe they want to make sure they get big commissions on sales. I agree that there are business considerations, but talent should also be promoted.

I had started my artist career just 6 years earlier and needed encouragement, not discouragement!

But Lady Luck favoured me when I visited rue de Miromesnil and entered Galerie Elysee Miromesnil.

The gallery owner was very kind and had a look at my portfolio.

I was offered dates which I immediately booked. The rest of my visit was spent touring museums and visited Giverny, my Mecca. I treated myself to seeing places there that I had only seen in paintings.

My exhibition took place in October 1995. The gallery owner told me that I didn’t have to sit in the gallery the whole day.

As he rightly pointed out, I was in Paris, and I should enjoy the city to the full.

The story of the free pizza.

I decided to walk around and see the sights. At lunchtime, I felt hungry and walked into a small and quaint restaurant and ordered a pizza.

After a while, I noticed that customers who had arrived after me were being served but my pizza was nowhere in sight!

I waited a little longer and then walked up to the manager and inquired about the pizza. The waiter was horrified that he had forgotten my order.

Apparently, it is quite common for people to go and sit in a restaurant without ordering anything. Perhaps he thought I was waiting for someone or just whiling away time.

In any case, a piping fresh pizza was served shortly thereafter. The restaurant refused to take payment for it. They wanted to make up for their error.

So, I got to eat a free pizza in a posh locality of Paris!

When my exhibition ended, the gallery owner gifted me a box of chocolates.

He was pleased with the way the exhibition had gone and I even received a positive review in the local papers.

The art critic had found my works interesting and noted the vibrant colours that I used with palette knives as well as my signature style.

Any artist who receives a sincere compliment is motivated to further develop their skills.

I left Paris with a sense of achievement.

Artwork from the Paris Exhibition

What I discovered about Galerie Elysee Miromesnil

Years later, I found out that the gallery owner had retired and moved to the south of France. I felt sad that I couldn’t tell him about how far I had come in my artistic journey.

But I discovered something else which has made that exhibition even more precious.

This gallery had exhibitions by many leading artists and movement creators!

There was Ernst Fuchs, an Austrian painter, draftsman, printmaker, sculptor, architect, stage designer, composer, poet, and one of the founders of the Vienna School of Fantastic Realism.

Fitzia, who was one of the most brilliant masters of collage, Gilles Marie Dupuy and France Zieseniss, the wife of the famous art historian Charles-Otto Zieseniss.

Each of these artists was famous in their field and I realized, this gallery was owned by a true connoisseur of art and talent.

He had seen a spark in me and gave me that opportunity of a lifetime without letting me know he showed stalwarts in the art field.

That encouragement helped me build a career and for that I am grateful. And for the free pizza in Paris!

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There’s a big difference between art that is commissioned and people telling the artist what to create without a thought to what the artist feels passionate about.

For one, commissioned artworks are paid for the other one is just free advice with no intent to buy or to support the artist in selling their works.

I’ve experienced both and this post is for younger artists who feel compelled to follow the dictates of others in order to get a foothold in the art market.

There are exceptions to the rule of course, when a fellow artist makes a suggestion keeping the style of the creator in mind.

During my exhibition at ICCR, Sonal Mansingh, the prominent Indian classical dancer who specializes in Bharatanatyam and Odissi who has known me for years made a suggestion.

It was a valuable suggestion and one that I have since explored – to transfer my art to other mediums and especially silk scarfs. You can view the use of the idea at the below link. (Use promo code XLEGXD before 31 August 2022 for a 15% discount. The offer is limited to the first 20 buyers).

Kusum Shukla on Fine Art America

This is in stark contrast to a curator of repute who told me to paint animals and figures because that sells!

If I had followed his advice, there would have been no difference between my art and the creative process that I use and that of fresh out of art school graduates who paint Buddhas and sell by the bulk.

As a senior artist, I feel it is my duty to encourage younger artists to allow their creativity to flourish and follow their passion.

The truth about allowing others to dictate your creativity and suffocating your passion

I read an article sometime back that addressed this issue of freedom of creativity.

Sadly, modern capitalism does trap artists into constantly being productive and making money wherever possible in their spare time. They feed into the idea that working in a hobby wouldn’t feel like working at all.

But that doesn’t really work.

Imagine having to clock into a job daily that you hate. The work is mundane, the commute is long, and your supervisors are careless. Would you enjoy waking up every morning?

While we all have to make money to survive, we all deserve to feel fulfilled after completing a hard day’s work.

Sure, we may receive a paycheck at the end of the week, but does that really make up for all the unhappy moments? Surely, the answer to that question is a resounding no.

Many blogs, books and articles are dedicated towards helping people find their passion. In fact, the self-help community is worth billions of dollars.

This statistic alone proves that people all over the globe are searching for a life of purpose. Individuals who are unhappy in their jobs are especially susceptible to soaking in as much information as they can on how to improve their life.

In order to really live a life of fulfillment and walk in your truth, you must follow your passion.

Although this sounds like a far-far-fetched idea, it’s actually quite attainable. All you need is a willing attitude, a bit of determination and a positive spirit.

Those, along with consistent hard work will help you live a life of passion. The advice that I’m sharing is relevant to everyone and not just artists.

Let’s consider how.

Determine Your Passion

Do you know what your passion is? If you want to start living a more fulfilled life, you must identify what drives you.

Ask yourself, is there an activity that gives you excitement?

Do you find yourself daydreaming about a particular field of interest?

What motivates you to get up in the morning?

The underlying answers to these questions will help you determine what your passion truly is. Once you uncover that, you’ll be able to make the necessary steps towards achieving it.

Learn Your Passion

My passion was to capture nature through my vision and put it on canvas. Maybe your passion is to become a chef?

Before you blindly pick up the pots and pans, learn your craft. Study from the greats and imitate their actions. Read and soak up as much information as you can on your particular interest.

This will help you improve your skills and train you to be the best chef you can. Then, you’re more likely to find employment or start a business revolving around your passion.

Remember, you can have a dream all you want, but it takes practice and hard work to turn it into a reality.

Start Taking Steps

After you’ve determined your passion and gathered enough information about the topic, now it’s time to put your work to the test. Take the necessary steps towards changing your current position and landing that dream job.

Take up an internship or shadowing job. Perhaps change your resume to reflect your new venture. Then, begin applying for the jobs that’ll get you one step closer to your passion.

When you put in the necessary work, it’s imperative that you get out of your comfort zone and really try to find your place. This will help you to lay the foundation for your future career.

Following your passions will make you a happier and more fulfilled person. Although I’ve focused primarily on employment, developing your passion doesn’t have to be within a job.

If your passion is to be a better artist, person or writer, then follow those dreams even if they’re just for your own personal development.

One of the best pieces of advice one could hear is to do everything with passion. From the smallest gesture to the biggest action, acting with passion will make you stand out in the crowd.

In turn, you’ll live a happier, more fulfilled life.