Usha Shukla was born and brought up in New Delhi, India. From early childhood she was fascinated by the outdoors. The vibrant colors of the Indian countryside left a strong impression on her. In 1996 when she moved to San Francisco, California, with her family, she found everything different except her interaction with nature. In 2005, after a visit to the Louvre Museum in Paris, she realized her true passion for art. She completed her MFA at the Academy of Art University, San Francisco, focusing on painting.
Combining her love of nature and passion for art, she paints large abstract paintings in vibrant colors. She has a unique process of mark making. Instead of conventional tools like brushes and palette knives, she moves the paint on wood panels using an air blower.
Her work is collected by several local art collectors. She won the 2016-17 Clyde & Co Art Award for Emerging Artists, San Francisco. She has participated in several juried group and solo shows on the West Coast and has won awards. She has a public art mural in the city of Livermore, California. Her six paintings are installed in the East County Hall of Justice, Dublin, CA, commissioned by the Alameda County Arts Commission. Two lamppost banners of her paintings are currently placed in the Inner Sunset, San Francisco, selected by the San Francisco Women Artists Gallery. Five of her works are in the permanent collection at the Sutter Hospital in San Francisco and one in Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston. She recently exhibited her work at Spectrum, Miami during the Miami Art Basel Week. She received the 2020 Alameda County Arts Leadership Award.
Instagram: @ushashuklaart
