Colleena Shakti

"Artist of Life." This painting is my humble effort to convey the beautiful spirit of my beloved dance teacher and internationally renowned artist Colleena Shakti. While I only got to meet Colleena in person October of 2019, she has inspired me for many years. Growing up in California and now living in India, Colleena has devoted to the learning and teaching Indian Classical Odissi dance for nearly two decades. She helps me understand that creating art is not a fantasy, but requires sacrifice, discipline, and hard work. Such wisdom helps me through many challenges, especially during the very tough time when I work with marginalized people to create authentic art together. Thank you Colleena, and women like you, for showing me how to live in truth, beauty, and love.