Shanti Grandhi

Shanti Grandhi (she/her) is a painter living and working in Chicago, IL. She received her MFA in the Painting and Drawing Department at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She was born in Arlington Heights, IL and lived in New York City before joining SAIC.

Drawing on her South Asian background, while also challenging expectations of the model minority, she uses the urgency of mark making and the intensity of color to process her history. In confrontation with our digitally driven world, she delights in the illogic and inefficiency of physical materials. What manifests in her work is a cacophony—her engagement with Indian miniature paintings, her fascination with the politics of color, and her negotiation of the tension between figuration and abstraction. Ambiguous and elusive, her way of world building invites the viewer to engage freely and creatively in his or her own search for meaning and relevance.

Her work has been shown in solo and group shows including at Art City, Chicago; PDX Contemporary, Portland; Parlour & Ramp, Chicago; South Asian Institute, Chicago; Howling Pages, Chicago and SAIC Galleries, Chicago.

As a lifelong learner, Shanti also holds art history and business degrees from University of Pennsylvania, Columbia University and Harvard Business School. 

Art making requires active observation and investigation. To succeed one needs to be present, make an effort and be willing to explore your motivations. We will work together to make individual plans for growth and achievement. Classes are structured around foundational skills and techniques, personalized instruction, group critiques and community building.