It didn’t take too long for actor Samyukta Hornad to start ‘The ARTery’, an art space in J P Nagar 4th phase. The actor says that art space is for everybody who is artistically inclined, and wishes to showcase their piece of art.

A painter and writer herself, Samyukta says “Ever since I started painting, I have always wanted to start a space like ‘The ARTery’. I realised that art just flows. From writing, you can move to dancing and acting. They aren’t independent entities but connected in some way. I wanted to start a space for the like-minded.”

The actor says that the idea stems from her childhood. “My grandparents were very active in promoting and popularising art, music, culture, and theatre. Our home was always filled with conversations around these topics. That’s why the tagline of my art space goes: ‘Home is where the art is’,” explains Samyukta.

She logo of ‘The ARTery’ is a heart which is doodled by Samyukta. “The logo, a heart, is doodled by me. People can interpret it the way they want to. I look at it as a stairway that provides room for intimate conversations, workshops and script reading sessions,” she says.

The actor adds that there’s a lot of thought gone into doing up the interiors. “We have displayed the artworks of five artists. I was overwhelmed when a big artist like Baadal Nanjundaswamy did a 3D wall effect. That added so much meaning to space,” she adds. Who is the art space open to? “Everybody who identifies and feels one with the thought, imagination, and creativity that has made ‘The ARTery’ what it is. They are free to display their artwork. There could be IT professionals who write and paint or caricaturists -- it’s open to those with a creative bend of mind.”

Samyukta had her family and friends from the Sandalwood and the art circuit in full attendance at the launch. Allu Sirish, who happens to be a close friend of Samyukta, hopped in to support the cause.