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PhotoSparks, a weekly section from YourStory launched in 2014, publishes photographs that celebrate the spirit of creativity and innovation. Previously, 1010 publications have featured various events, including art festivals, comic book galleries, world music festivals, telecommunication exhibitions, grain fairs, climate change expositions, wildlife conferences, startup festivals, Diwali rangolis, and jazz festivals.

Recently, the Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath (KCP) held the 11th annual Art Bengaluru Collective exhibition. The exhibition, titled ABC Chitra-Colors 2026, gathered 300 pieces from over 45 artists.

This collective was founded by artists Rashid Kappam and Ranjit David. KCP is also known for its most popular event, Chitra Santhe, which is considered the largest annual street art fair in India.

Artist Manalini Singhal presented a series of works titled Bloom in Gloom. Her paintings are inspired by nature and reflect her philosophy of acceptance and transformation, with prices starting from 30,000 rupees and above. Singhal explains that the series draws inspiration from complex emotions that people often try to suppress, but internal transformation occurs when these feelings are fully acknowledged and experienced.

She notes that her creative approach has gradually shifted from realism to a more expressive and intuitive style as she sought to escape perfectionism and create from an authentic, subconscious space. Experiments have become an integral part of her process, touching upon both ideas and materials. Singhal rarely plans her paintings in advance; instead, they emerge through intuition, past experience, and the emotions she brings to the studio.

Singhal also uses artificial intelligence as a tool for marketing, communication, and online presentation, viewing AI as an ally rather than a threat, emphasizing that the emotional depth, life experience, and intuition that shape original art remain deeply human.

Sourima Das, an artist based in Bengaluru, is a self-taught individual who studied at Jadavpur University in Kolkata. She primarily works in realism and near-realism, combining this with full-time employment in the IT sector and nearly 25 years of dance career. She believes that sensitivity to rhythm, balance, and expression naturally manifested in her paintings and drawings, which highlight the beauty hidden in everyday details, prompting viewers to slow down and observe closely.

Das asserts that art is a way of paying attention, allowing her to pause, observe, and appreciate the unusual in the ordinary. Her works sometimes depict the empathy and strength of horses, with prices ranging from 15,000 to 1.5 lakh rupees depending on material, size, and complexity.

Aishwarya Vishwakumar, formerly the South Branch Head at Sony Pictures, moved to Kerala after her father's death to be closer to her mother and dedicate herself fully to art. Working under the pseudonym Tales of the Hue, she creates mixed media works dedicated to the endangered and vulnerable species of the Western Ghats, telling their stories on canvas. She views art as a way to study an animal or landscape intently until she truly sees it, transforming this attention into narrative. Prices for her works start from 35,000 to 1 lakh rupees.

Megna Chouhan, a self-taught contemporary artist from Bengaluru, draws inspiration from folk arts such as Gond and Madhubani, depicting the coexistence of life in nature. Her works are priced from 5,000 to 60,000 rupees.

Trina Choudhary, an artist and textile professor with a Ph.D., has been engaged in professional art and teaching students globally online for over six years. Her works combine modern, spiritual, and natural themes, with a price range from 15,000 to 60,000 rupees; she also takes commissions and custom pieces. Choudhary describes art as a living meditation and a language beyond words, where nature, spirituality, and human emotions meet.

Exhibition participants also shared thoughts on the importance of learning from mistakes and failures. Das explains that she does not consider any work a failure, and her biggest mistake is sometimes not knowing when to stop perfecting a piece. She emphasizes that growth comes through curiosity, experimenting with different materials, and accepting that not every piece needs to be a masterpiece, as every completed work becomes a step toward the next.

Chouhan notes that failures and difficulties are an important part of an artist's journey, but consistency is the only way forward. Vishwakumar admits that most of her mistakes are simply paintings that look fine, technically acceptable but not inspiring pride or genuine emotion.

In Hindu culture, every aspect, posture, and symbol of the deity Shiva conceals a profound spiritual, philosophical, and scientific message. The form of Nataraja, one of the most enigmatic and artistic depictions of the Mahadeva Devas, has always attracted the attention of scientists, artists, and philosophers from around the world. Every feature of this figure, who embodies the lord of dance, speaks of the mysteries of the universe. This text further examines Shiva's wondrous dance and the deep meaning of Apasmara, which he holds under his foot, offering important life lessons.

Nataraja, the form of Shiva, the king of dances, symbolizes the eternal cycle of creation, preservation, and destruction. The flow of energy in the universe never stops, and the bronze statue of Nataraja is considered the most accurate and living representation of this cosmic energy. Modern science and physics acknowledge this cosmic dance; a prime example is the massive Nataraja statue installed on the grounds of the prestigious CERN institute in Geneva.

On the sculpture of Mahadeva, he is depicted in a pose where he treads upon a small figure with one foot. This image is called Apasmara or Muyala. In Hindu mythology, Apasmara represents ignorance, foolishness, arrogance, and mental sluggishness. The fact that Lord Shiva crushes it with his right foot conveys the message that a person cannot attain true knowledge and liberation until they suppress or control their inner ignorance and pride. It also signifies that in the frantic race of life, reason and consciousness must always triumph over ignorance.

Surrounding Nataraja is a fiery circle called the Prabha Mandala, which symbolizes the physical cycle of the universe, the sphere of time, and the cycle of rebirth. In Shiva's upper right hand is a drum (Damaru), which is a symbol of the first sound of creation (nada or cosmic vibration) and the beginning of time. The upper left hand holds fire, indicating that this entire universe will eventually end or be consumed by this fire. One of his hands is raised in the Abhaya Mudra gesture, which offers solace to believers, assuring them that those who follow the path of Dharma and spirituality should not fear.