Today we’d like to introduce you to Alpana Mittal.
Hi Alpana, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I grew up in a family that deeply appreciated art. My mother was an exceptional artist and art teacher, and I admired her work from a very young age. Looking at her paintings, I often dreamed of becoming an artist like her.
She conducted art classes in her home studio, and I would often sit quietly in the corner and paint alongside her students. To keep me occupied and prevent me from distracting the class, she would give me paper and colors so I could create my own artwork. During those years, my favorite summer activity was sketching cartoons.
During college, I was greatly influenced by one of my professors, and it was then that I decided I wanted to pursue a career as an artist. However, life did not unfold exactly as I had planned. After graduation, I pursued a master’s degree in economics because a Fine Arts master’s program was not available in my city. After completing my degree, I began teaching. Within a few years, I got married and started a family.
Despite these life changes, earning a Master of Fine Arts remained a dream close to my heart. Ten years after completing my first master’s degree, I finally decided to pursue it. I earned my MFA while raising my two children, a milestone that was especially meaningful to me. Shortly after completing the program, I moved to the United States, where my husband had already been working.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
My journey to becoming an artist was not a smooth one. The first major challenge came after graduation when I realized that there was no Master of Fine Arts program available in my city. Pursuing the degree elsewhere would have been financially demanding, and my parents were not comfortable with the idea of my living in another city. As a result, I had to take a different path and pursue a master’s degree in Economics instead.
Although I fulfilled my responsibilities as a student, teacher, wife, and later as a mother, my passion for art never left me. Deep down, I felt a constant sense of incompleteness. It seemed as though an important part of my identity was waiting to be realized. For nearly ten years, I carried that unfulfilled dream with me. While life moved forward, I often felt a void that affected my overall sense of happiness and fulfillment.
When I finally enrolled in a Master of Fine Arts program, a new set of challenges emerged. By then, I was the mother of two young children, aged two and four. Around the same time, my husband was assigned to a project in the United States, leaving me to manage both my studies and the responsibilities of raising my children on my own.
Balancing academic work with the demands of motherhood was far from easy. There were moments of exhaustion and self-doubt, but I remained determined to pursue the dream I had postponed for so many years. Throughout this period, my mother’s unwavering support became my greatest strength. Her encouragement and help enabled me to continue my studies while caring for my children.
Through perseverance, family support, and God’s grace, I successfully completed my degree with distinction. Earning my MFA was more than an academic achievement—it was the fulfillment of a lifelong dream and a deeply transformative milestone in my personal and artistic journey.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I consider myself a versatile, multidisciplinary artist. During my Master of Fine Arts program, my primary focus was oil painting, a medium that I continue to love and work with today. However, my artistic journey took an unexpected and unconventional turn when I discovered a completely new form of expression.
A few years ago, I purchased an art kit for my daughter that contained thousands of colorful beads and a small 6 x 6-inch pegboard. While she was creating simple designs such as birds and flowers, my mind began envisioning larger, more complex patterns and compositions. Curious to explore the possibilities, I created my first artwork using the beads and was amazed by the result. What started as an experiment soon evolved into an entire body of work.
This led to the creation of my series, Dream Reflections: The Beginning of an Era. Through this work, I developed a unique artistic practice that I call Beadism—an innovative approach that transforms ordinary beads into intricate, large-scale works of fine art. To the best of my knowledge, I am the first artist to establish and practice this distinctive art form. My contribution has been recognized by the India Book of Records, where I am registered as the first artist working in this medium.
Today, I am widely recognized in the art world for my beadwork. The work has received international acclaim and has been featured in publications and magazines across the globe. Beadism has become a defining aspect of my artistic identity and a significant contribution to my creative journey.
In addition to my beadwork, I continue to explore and exhibit work in other mediums. One of my notable public art projects involved painting a piano for a community arts organization in the traditional Indian Kangra style. The piano is currently displayed at the Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York City. Another significant milestone was the selection of one of my abstract oil paintings for the Flag Project RC 2022, curated by Rockefeller Center in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme and The Climate Museum. The artwork was transformed into a flag and displayed throughout Rockefeller Center for a month as part of the public installation. The flags remain part of the project’s collection.
Looking back on my journey, I feel grateful for the opportunities, recognition, and accomplishments that art has brought into my life. What distinguishes my practice is not only the originality of Beadism but also my willingness to move fluidly between different mediums. While many artists dedicate themselves to a single artistic path, my creative process is shaped by a lifetime of exposure to diverse cultures, artistic traditions, music, and the natural world.
Everything I encounter leaves an emotional impression and sparks new ideas. Some visions emerge naturally in beads, while others find their expression through oil paints or acrylics. Rather than limiting myself to one medium, I embrace the freedom to choose the form that best communicates each idea. This versatility allows me to continually evolve as an artist and keeps my creative practice dynamic, exploratory, and deeply personal.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
Many people might say that luck played a vital role in my artistic journey, but I see it differently. When I was planning my future, all my dreams were centered around Bharat, the country where I was born and raised. I had ambitious goals and wanted to explore the world, but I always imagined remaining based in Bharat.
Life, however, unfolded in a way I had never anticipated. My husband and I come from the same city, yet his professional career brought us to the United States. This was never part of my plan. At first, it was an unexpected turn, but I chose to embrace it because I have always believed that God has a greater plan for us than we can envision for ourselves.
Whenever life takes me in a direction I did not choose, I see it not as a disruption, but as divine guidance. If something happens that was not part of my plan, I accept it as God’s plan and move forward with faith and gratitude.
Living in the United States transformed my artistic journey in ways I could never have imagined. My practice evolved in a completely different direction, opening doors to opportunities, exposure, and recognition that were beyond my expectations. The reach of my work expanded internationally, allowing my art to travel farther than I had ever dreamed.
Some of the honors I have received still feel surreal. This year, I was awarded the Universal Genius Award by the Effetto Arte Foundation in Italy. In 2024, I was included as an Honored Listee in Marquis Who’s Who in America, a prestigious biographical publication recognizing accomplished individuals from diverse fields. These achievements were never part of my original vision for my life, yet they became part of my journey.
That is why I do not describe these experiences as luck. To me, luck is receiving something without effort. What I have experienced feels different. I worked hard, remained committed to my passion, persevered through challenges, and continued moving forward with faith. In return, life gave me opportunities and accomplishments far greater than I had imagined for myself.
For me, that is not luck. That is God’s plan.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.tejaswiniart.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tejaswini.ap/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Tejaswini2006/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/notifications/
- Twitter: https://x.com/AlpanaTejaswini
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@tejaswiniart6373
- Other: https://hmvcgallery.com/artists/tejaswini-alpana-mittal
Image Credits
Nupur Nishith, Sanjay Mittal, Rangoli Mittal, Alpana Mittal, Cheryl Gross
