Lace tatting, rug weaving, beaded curtains and conversations about fabric and colour. Long before she called herself an artist, Ayesha Aggarwal was surrounded by women who made things. Growing up in India, she learnt that creativity wasn’t reserved for a studio. It was woven into the everyday, from the clothes people wore to the objects that made a house a home.

At 13, Ayesha left India for boarding school in Australia and has lived between both countries since. Based on Kaurna Yerta (Adelaide), the Indian-Australian maker brings her love of craftsmanship to ceramics, painting and installation. Her curiosity keeps her experimenting, and the colours of India keep finding their way into her work.

Her solo exhibition, i just want to paint flowers, was a leap into personal territory. Created for SALA Festival, it brought together oversized painted plywood flowers, ceramics and reflections on mental health and intergenerational trauma. Visitors were invited to paint flowers, turning an intimate exploration of emotion into something shared.

Whether learning a new technique or inviting strangers to create alongside her, Ayesha is interested in what happens when art becomes an experience rather than simply an object. For someone who grew up surrounded by making, perhaps the most meaningful thing she can create is room for others to join in.