There are only a few weeks left to see illustrations by Neha Kulkarni, a sophomore majoring in architecture. 

The William R. Jenkins Library exhibits artwork by UH students throughout the year.  Ms. Kulkarni’s exhibit, Velvet Interiors, aims to capture ordinary environments through a colorful and exaggerated lens. The artworks ‘A Crisp Morning’ and ‘Over the Hills’ have a very warm, cozy, and inviting atmosphere which were created with prismacolor pencils on paper to optimize the variety of textures ranging from the smooth sofa fabric to the coarseness of a knit throw. The vibrant colors and textures aim to amplify the already existing harmony of details and scenery, transforming mundane rooms and objects into dreamlike landscapes. The generalization of the spaces invites the viewer to seamlessly insert themselves into the art and imagine occupying and interacting with the world around them.

“We often overlook our surroundings and fail to realize just how healing and beautiful these environments can be if we give them a chance,” writes Ms. Kulkarni, “How many times have you slowed down and just taken in, for instance, the beauty of when the light hits an object a certain way? Or how a reflection projects onto a piece of furniture so perfectly? Life comes at us too fast and too aggressively for us to really pause and enjoy these seemingly insignificant details, so I wanted to permanently capture these fleeting moments. My art centers on common interior spaces, focusing on ordinary elements like a regular couch or window. I then transform these objects and their surroundings in a way that entices the viewer to find the space not only attractive, but also wish to be present in that moment to experience it themselves.”

Students who wish to submit work for consideration, may apply:  https://libraries.uh.edu/jenkins/student-art-exhibit