ANFS Studio founder Shubhada Zunjarwad has been selected for inclusion in Marquis Who’s Who! This prestigious honor highlights her two-decade journey—bridging an accomplished tech career at Microsoft, Element Analytics, and Starbucks with her passion for fostering creative community hubs at ANFS Studio. Read the official press release to learn more about her story and vision for accessible art education.
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Every art instructor knows that kids possess an unfiltered, magical way of looking at the world. But every so often, a moment happens in the studio that stops you completely in your tracks and reminds you why you do what you do.
This week, I had one of those unforgettable moments during a painting session with a five-year-old student.
Our goal for the session was simple: paint a vibrant garden scene. We had just finished using rich blue paint to cover the top three-quarters of the canvas for the sky, and we were ready to move on to the bottom section to paint light green grass.
Then, a classic studio moment happened.
In the middle of the brushstrokes, my young student accidentally swiped a bold, vertical line of green right up through the middle of the blue sky. Most adults would have panicked or groaned at a "ruined" painting. But in our studio, we practice letting things breathe. We looked at it, paused, and simply decided, "Let's just let it be for now. We can figure it out later."
We set the canvas aside to dry and moved on to drawing details—fluttering butterflies, buzzing bees, and delicate flower petals.
And then came the absolute highlight of my week.
As the painting came together, this brilliant five-year-old suddenly stepped back, looked at her canvas, and experienced a flash of pure inspiration. She looked at that stray green line slashing through the sky and realized something profound: It wasn't a mistake at all. With absolute confidence, she looked at the line, smiled, and turned it into the soaring stem of a tall, beautiful purple flower reaching upward.
In that exact instant, her face lit up. She looked right at me and said:
"I am so proud of myself, I feel inspired... look, there is no mistake in art!"
Later, when I shared this sweet story with her mom, everything clicked into place. Her mom smiled and told me that they had been reading the wonderful book Beautiful Oops! at home—a brilliant story that teaches children how an accident is just an opportunity to make something wonderful.
Stories like this are why I love teaching. As adults, we carry so much pressure around getting things "right" on the first try. We worry about lines staying inside boxes and plans going according to script.
Children remind us that creativity isn't about perfection; it’s about adaptation, curiosity, and resilience. A stray stroke of paint isn't a failure—it's just a plot twist waiting for a creative solution.
Here’s to the little artists who teach us how to see the world differently, and to embracing the "beautiful oops" in both our art and our everyday lives.
How do you handle unexpected "mistakes" when you're creating or working on a project? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
My life is a whirlwind of schedules and responsibilities, so carving out time for myself at ANFS Studio isn't just a hobby; it's a sanctuary. As one of the studio's earliest students—joining back when we didn't even have a dedicated art space yet—I have watched this creative community grow, and it has grown right alongside my own skills. For nearly a year, these two-hour weekly sessions have been my anchor. Stepping into the studio, leaving the noise of the outside world behind, and simply focusing on creating something with my own hands is a profoundly peaceful and meditative experience.
When I decided to paint recently, I wanted the theme to be "Compassion." I chose the concept of “Nurturing Hands Planting Orchids,” as it felt like a perfect visual metaphor for gentle protection and care. This was going to be my largest and most personal oil painting yet—an ambitious project that would take many weeks to complete.
Bringing this idea to life was a step-by-step process that allowed me to immerse myself fully in the colors and textures.
We began with the background, layering different shades of bright yellow and soft green to create a vibrant, warm atmosphere. Building the soil was one of the most satisfying techniques; using a mop brush gave the dirt such a realistic, rough texture that felt tangible beneath my hands.
The next challenge was painting the orchids from a simple white base. This required patience, as I had to slowly layer shades to build up the light and shadow, defining each leaf and petal. Adding the first touches of magenta to the white orchid petals was a transformative moment—it felt as though the flower was suddenly waking up. The most joyful and rewarding part, however, was painting the final buds with rich magenta and purple. Watching them bloom on the canvas genuinely touched my heart.
One of the most intimidating parts was painting the human hands, especially as it was my first attempt at rendering anatomy. I was nervous about getting the proportion and skin tone right, but through careful guidance and practice, I found the rhythm. The result exceeded my expectations and gave me a huge confidence boost in my brushwork.
Finally, I wanted to capture a sense of positive energy flowing from those nurturing hands, symbolizing the life and potential they are helping to grow. We decided to add golden speckles to express that energy—and boom! The painting instantly transformed, gaining a beautiful sense of dimension, light, and magic.
This painting represents a simple but powerful idea for me: that nurturing hands don't just protect potential; they create the conditions for it to thrive, reminding us all to protect the goodness and beauty in life. Completing this masterpiece over 12–15 hours of dedicated work has been more than just creating art; it has been a journey of discovering my own creativity and finding a much-needed oasis of calm in my busy schedule.
Looking back at where I started, compared to some of the pieces I’ve worked on over the year at ANFS, reminds me of how far an inspired mind and a safe creative space can take you.
If you are a busy professional or adult juggling a hectic schedule, I wholeheartedly recommend finding your way to ANFS Studio. You don't need prior experience—just an open mind and a willingness to step into a space where time slows down. Discovering how to paint with your own hands is one of the most rewarding ways to quiet your mind, find inner peace, and bring a little extra magic into your everyday life.
A Blog by Dr. Trupti, Sunnyvale
