Vishal is a Fine Artist, he was born and raised in Leicester, he attended and studied at local school, Soar Valley Comprehensive Secondary School (now College) and Gateway Sixth Form College. Vishal started drawing at a very young age and after his A-levels moved to London to study “Fine Art: Painting” at the Wimbledon School of Art, University of London.
In 2017 he was the winner of the LSA Artist Prize as well as the Viewers Choice Award. Vishal has shown his work at several Exhibitions and Art Fairs. He is a member and Board member of the Leicester Society of Artists.
Vishal is married to Meera, they have two children: Yash and Kheyali. In his spare time he likes to spend time with family and friends, likes listening to different types of music and enjoy seeing live performances when possible.
1) Which place, or city or country do you most feel at home in?
It doesn’t matter where I am; as long as I am able to make art, I am at home.
2) What are your proudest achievements?
Becoming a father is up there as it was something I didn’t know I could do because of a childhood illness. Career wise, the fact that I am an artist is everything... the results that come from it, like the commissions for amazing clients and organisations is incredible and makes me feel proud thinking about it for sure. When people know of my work before they meet me is also a very special feeling that’s happening more and more recently.
3) What inspires you?
Our life is full of inspirational events and moments. There are often too many inspirations in this modern world with information being thrown at us from every direction; but what helps me to be inspired is when I pause, ponder, and process my feelings through meditation. I am then able to understand things and manifest that idea into a form of visual art.
4) What has been biggest obstacle in your career?
The biggest obstacle I would say is not one thing in particular as there are many forms of distractions that keep me away from creating art consistently. Duties, obligations, interests etc take me away from doing what I need to do. We each have a purpose and I am grateful that I am following this career path to achieve mine.
5) Who has been the biggest influence on your career to date?
Fortunately, I have been influenced by many people in all sorts of different ways to be ambitious and as authentic as possible. However, since childhood I had an idea of who I wanted to be and that was influenced by a younger me. I am simply doing what I have always known makes me happiest.
6) What is the best aspect about your current role?
The satisfaction I feel at the completion of a project can be positively overwhelming. When I hand that masterpiece to its new owner, and I see their joy, fills my heart. Knowing my work is being admired by the public energises me to go bigger and better.
7) And the worst?
When I get so caught up with administration (proposals, applications, project prep etc) that I end up going weeks or months without painting …its absolute hell because I sit on ideas and don’t give myself the opportunity to see them through and then they often fizzle away and something else makes its way up the list.
8) What are your long term goals?
To continue doing what I have done so far at the same trajectory and see how far I can go. We have a finite amount of time in this life and as a child I set myself the simple task of being where I am right now. All I have left to do is to raise the bar and enjoy the journey the best I can.
9) If you were Prime Minister, what one aspect would you change?
I would push an environmental agenda on all fronts. Stopping the manufacturing of single use plastics, pursuing the production of renewable resources, and putting an end to factory farming.
10) If you were marooned on a desert island, which historical figure would you like to spend your time with and why.
Not a historical figure but someone I met through Facebook about 5 years ago, Vishal Joshi from Indore, India who sadly passed away last year, may he rest in peace. We not only shared the same name, we also shared similar philosophical thoughts and love for Fine Art.
