Divine Nature: Shilpi’s Vibrant Fusion of Indian Folk Art Blooms at the Mezzanine Gallery

Solo show invites visitors into richly detailed works that celebrate the sacred bond between nature and the divine.

Wilmington, Del. (August 1, 2025) – The Delaware Division of the Arts’ Mezzanine Gallery is pleased to present Divine Nature, a solo exhibition of works by Delaware artist Shilpi. The show will be on view from August 1-29, 2025, with a free opening reception on Friday, August 1, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.

Shilpi works across multiple mediums, including acrylics, oils, dry media, and graphite pencil shading, bringing both versatility and depth to her art. Her work is often inspired by nature, with flowers, trees, and birds playing a central role in her compositions. She focuses on capturing not just how something looks, but how it feels; using color, light, and texture to create pieces that are expressive and full of life. Shilpi’s richly detailed paintings draw on four classical Indian art forms: Pichwai, Kalamkari, Madhubani, and Gond. These explore what she calls “the sacred connection between the divine and the natural world.”

Viewers will encounter:

• Pichwai‑inspired panels, depicting Krishna amidst lotuses, cows, and peacocks, rendered in luminous natural pigments and delicate gold accents.
• Kalamkari compositions, featuring soft, earthy palettes that pair fine linework with floral vines, peacocks, and the deities Krishna and Saraswati.
• A Madhubani Tree of Life, whose bold lines and vibrant hues symbolize growth, continuity, and spiritual vitality.
• Gond paintings, alive with rhythmic dots and lines that animate forest creatures and honor the belief that all of nature is spirited.

By blending traditional techniques with her contemporary sensibility, Shilpi “aims to keep these ancient art forms alive and meaningful for today’s generation,” she says.

Shilpi’s work has been featured across Delaware and beyond. In 2024, she mounted a sold‑out solo show at The Gibby Center for the Arts in Middletown and participated in group exhibitions at the Center for the Creative Arts in Hockessin and at the Newark Arts Alliance (2022, 2024). Earlier presentations include Piscataway Public Library, NJ (2014) and juried state showcases in Uttarakhand and Srinagar, India (2006–2007), underscoring the geographic and cultural breadth of her practice.

Her artistry has garnered numerous accolades, among them first prize in the Camel Crylin Beginners Course sponsored by Camlin Limited, plus multiple state‑level awards for henna tattoo, rangoli, drawing, painting, and embroidery competitions in India. She complements these honors with a robust academic foundation. She holds a Master’s degree in Drawing and Painting (2007) and additional diplomas in fine arts, fashion‑textile design, and interior decoration, which together inform the technical rigor and narrative richness viewers will encounter in Divine Nature.

About the Artist

Shilpi is the founder of Shilpi Fine Arts in Middletown. Her practice centers on Indian folk-art methodologies, which she studies, preserves, and re‑imagines for modern audiences. Divine Nature marks her first Mezzanine Gallery exhibition.

About the Mezzanine Gallery

The Mezzanine Gallery, located on the second floor of the Carvel State Office Building (820 N. French Street, Wilmington, DE), is open to the public Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The gallery highlights the work of Delaware’s Individual Artist Fellows, showcasing a diverse range of artistic talent throughout the year. For more information, visit https://arts.delaware.gov/mezzanine-gallery.

Images in the banner: “Diving Malody” (2024), Acrylic on canvas sheet, 18”x24”. 

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Contact: Andrew Truscott, Program Officer, Marketing and Communications

302-577-8280, andrew.truscott@delaware.gov

About the Delaware Division of the Arts
The Delaware Division of the Arts is an agency of the State of Delaware. Together with its advisory body, the Delaware State Arts Council, the Division administers grants and programs that support arts programming, educate the public, increase awareness of the arts, and integrate the arts into all facets of Delaware life. Funding for Division programs is provided by annual appropriations from the Delaware General Assembly and grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. For more information about the Delaware Division of the Arts, visit arts.delaware.gov or call 302-577-8278.