She Believes ruled notebook, Rukmini Kelkar

2024
98 black lined pages
A5 14.8 × 21 cm
Perfect bound notebook

About the Artist

Rukmini Kelkar's vibrant practice brings together her Indian heritage and life in Ireland through colour, storytelling, and a deep sense of joy. Originally from Mumbai, she moved to Dublin in 2017 and embraced the twists and turns of her journey with open arms.

After leaving a career in dentistry, she discovered a passion for art, teaching herself to paint through online tutorials before graduating with an HND in Graphic Design in 2020. What started as a personal outlet grew into a full-time art and illustration practice. She is now a self-taught artist with an MA in Art and Social Action from NCAD, where she continues to explore socially engaged and community-based approaches to her work.

Her art reflects her experiences of migration, empowerment, and belonging, brought to life through bold, celebratory colour. Inspired by everyday moments, cultural identity, food, nature, and the complexity of belonging, her practice moves between painting, printmaking, public art, and murals.
At its heart, her work is a form of gentle resistance—a way to invite people in, spark connection, and perhaps simply make them smile. Deeply personal and often playful, her practice is rooted in the belief that creativity can connect people in unexpected and meaningful ways.