Some artists begin with a blank canvas. Shruti Vij begins with what has already been discarded. Based in Gurugram, Shruti is a mixed-media artist whose work brings together art, design, texture and sustainability. With a background in leather design from the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), New Delhi, she transforms leftover leather fragments into expressive works of art, giving overlooked materials a new identity.

Finding her creative voice

Shruti’s journey into art took several turns. After studying Psychology at Daulat Ram College, Delhi University, and later pursuing leather design at NIFT, she worked in the garment industry before returning to her creative interests. Visits to art galleries and painting workshops in Delhi introduced her to abstract art, opening up new possibilities for self-expression. What began as experimentation gradually developed into an independent artistic practice through Shruti Arts.

When leather becomes art

Drawing on her professional experience with leather, Shruti began exploring the potential of discarded scraps as an artistic medium. Each fragment is selected for its colour, texture, thickness and natural character before being arranged into larger compositions. Through cutting, layering and patchwork, individual pieces come together to create tactile artworks that sit somewhere between collage, painting and design. Rather than hiding imperfections, she allows them to become part of the visual story.

The beauty of imperfection

For Shruti, sustainability is about more than reusing materials; it is about changing the way we perceive value. Pieces that might otherwise be thrown away become meaningful works through imagination and craftsmanship. Her process is intuitive, with fragments arranged and rearranged until a composition emerges. This philosophy is beautifully reflected in her leather interpretation of Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, where an iconic portrait is reconstructed using fragments instead of traditional paint.

Giving materials a second life

Through Shruti Arts, Shruti continues to explore the relationship between creativity, craftsmanship and conscious material use. Her journey from leather designer to independent artist demonstrates how existing skills can evolve into an entirely new artistic language. At the heart of her work is a simple idea: what is discarded can still become something worth keeping. A scrap becomes a fragment, a fragment becomes a composition, and what was once overlooked becomes art.


Meet Shruti Vij — this month’s Founder & Maker at VERY Magazine.