Meet Sangeetha of Sangeetha Fine Art

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sangeetha.

Hi Sangeetha, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I was raised in India, a culture where structure shaped your life and expectations shaped your choices—especially for women. I was a math-loving science nerd, where success was measured by grades, a high-paying job, and “making it big” in the marriage market. In 2007, I moved to the U.S. for a graduate degree in electrical engineering, and back then, tech was all I dreamt of.

But the demands of my new corporate tech job caught up with me in 2010. Long hours at a desk led to a herniated disc and sciatica by age 26. What could have been a setback became a turning point. In trying to heal, I turned to the outdoors to counterbalance the sedentary nature of my job, which transformed my life completely. That was the beginning of a search—for something more meaningful and purposeful. I just didn’t know what it was yet.

As an Indian woman, hiking and exploring outdoors alone was uncommon and unheard of. But over time, I’ve made multiple solo trips across countries, hiking their trails and planning every step on my own. What once felt off-limits has now become second nature.

By 2019, the outdoors had become a powerful force in my life.Inviting a handful of friends, I started the OC Women’s Outdoors and Wilderness Group—now a thriving community of over 1,000 women. We share adventures, stories and gear. It became a space of connection, belonging, and freedom. Then, during COVID, I unexpectedly discovered a spark for painting. By 2022, I was painting every day. When I discovered I could combine painting with time in nature, it felt like solving that life puzzle. The calling grew so strong that in 2024, I left my engineering job to become a full-time artist.

Now I hike into the wilderness with my dog, painting what I see and feel on location. These become the foundation for larger studio works—meditative, dreamy pieces that carry the spirit of the wild into more expansive, quiet forms. I use only non-toxic materials in my art process considering the health of the collectors, the planet and myself.

I’m proud I trusted my inner voice, left the known path, and built a life that feels true. I’m just getting started.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Leaving a stable, well-paying career after nearly two decades came with doubt, fear, and guilt as afterthoughts. Friends and family questioned my decision. Even other artists said, “There are too many of us. It’s too hard.”

I had to get used to switching from steady paychecks to unpredictable income. I had no art background, no business experience, no exposure to the art world and no godparents in this world. It felt like jumping out of a plane and building the parachute on the way down.

Sometimes the guilt of leaving behind years of education, effort, and the sacrifices my parents made to get me there, surfaces. And even now, the inner voice whispers—You’re too late. You’re not trained. What are you doing? But I keep going. Because I’d rather live with uncertainty than stay in a life that doesn’t feel true.

This path isn’t easy. But it’s mine. And I wouldn’t trade that for anything.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
I’m a landscape oil painter based in Southern California painting in an impressionistic style. I hike or backpack into wilderness areas and paint on location, often with my dog. These small paintings inspire and evolve into larger studio pieces that are meditative, dreamy, and deeply rooted in place. As a former engineer, I like to approach the process like a creative problem-solver, immensely enjoying figuring out how to best capture what I see and experience, while staying in touch with my creative flow.

What set my work apart are my journey as an artist, the subject matter, and the way I create it. I use only non-toxic materials, skip chemicals in oil painting, and minimize waste in every part of my process. My art business is California Green Business Certified, something rare in the art world.

I create original paintings, special-order pieces and prints. My large paintings offer a view like a window into a land you want to step into. The light and colors in my work have earned me recent accolades. Since I did not learn art in a formal setting, I am told my paintings bring freshness, originality, and dreaminess. My work reflects what I see and live. For anyone looking to bring the spirit of the outdoors into their space, my art offers something personal, soulful, and lasting.

We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
One of my favorite childhood memories is coming home from school during monsoon season and heading straight to the swimming hole with my sister and cousins at my grandparents’ place. It was this natural pool built with porous rocks collecting rainwater and filtered groundwater – with steps leading down into the water—it kind of looked like a stone fort that had filled up with greenish-blue water.

We’d spend hours there—splashing, diving, soaking, chatting, and laughing. The air would be hot and sticky, but the water felt amazing with tiny fish and tadpoles swimming around. Sometimes a water snake would glide by and we’d all scream and scramble out, only to jump right back in. The far end was over ten feet deep, and we’d never swim that far—too spooked by the unknown.

It was messy and loud and full of joy. Easily one of the best parts of childhood.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sangeethag.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sangeethagartist

Image Credits
All photos credited to Sangeetha Gopalakrishnan