Shaping spaces with art

Self-taught artist Viola Rodrigues is bringing her murals, portraits, and canvas art to spaces across Goa through her platform, Vola Art Escape

RAMANDEEP KAUR | NT BUZZ

What began as a childhood passion for sketching has blossomed into a business. Through Vola Art Escape, Viola Rodrigues creates custom murals and paintings that transform spaces across Goa, from luxury hotels to private homes.

Her journey into art was influenced by her father, Vernon Rodrigues, a painter and art collector who frequently acquired works from emerging artists. “He always supported my love for art and encouraged me to pursue it,” she recalls. Surrounded by his artwork, she was inspired to follow her creative instincts from an early age.

As a child, she enjoyed sketching in her school books and drawing portraits of her teachers. “It got me into trouble, but they were fun memories,” she shares, adding that the school blackboard was another outlet for her creativity.

Now, as the director of Vola Art Escape, she leads a team that specialises in custom artwork, from murals and portraits to caricatures and canvas paintings. “Our goal is to bring our clients’ ideas to life,” she explains.

She takes a hands-on approach, working closely with each client to understand their needs. “We focus on design, size, and budget to create something unique,” she says. Based in Candolim, she especially enjoys creating large, wall murals with a Goan theme, alongside portraits and sketches.

Her company collaborates with a diverse group of artists, each bringing their own style. “We create one-of-a-kind pieces,” she says, acknowledging that while her journey has had challenges, her determination has kept her going. “Every setback has only pushed me to work harder and keep improving.”

Vola Art Escape has done myriad projects like 100 murals for a client in 30 days, transformed a Vagator hotel with murals and 60 canvas paintings, and created 300 canvas paintings and a 350 square feet mural for a Candolim-based resort.

Always experimenting with new techniques, she dreams of opening an art gallery and studios across Goa. “I want to create opportunities for others to explore their artistic expressions, just as I have over the past 15 years.”

She also hopes to adorn Panaji with murals that reflect the rich history of Goa. “I’d love to collaborate with curators like Nita Ambani and expand my company across India and internationally, showcasing the best of Goan and Indian art.”