creating animal allegories with reverence and humour
Inspired by South Asian folklore and the tradition of animal storytelling, my drawings merge natural history with the surreal. I love the power of these stories, where animals act as allegorical figures reflecting human behaviour, spirituality, and identity. Through my own narratives, I explore cultural memory and the evolving nature of tradition, using fables not as fixed lessons but as open-ended stories that invite multiple interpretations.
Working in mixed media drawings on paper, I use chalk pastel, ink, graphite, and paint to merge meticulous line work with gestural mark-making. As a self-taught artist with degrees in Architecture, I draw on my training to combine precise technique with a sensitive hand. This approach allows me to create artworks and stories that exist between tradition and reinvention, memory and imagination. The layering of materials mirrors the layering of meaning in my work, reinforcing the idea that stories are rarely singular or static. Ultimately, my work encourages viewers to find meaning in unexpected places and explore the connections between the natural world and imagination.
My work has been featured by the Art Gallery of Ontario and the McMichael Canadian Art Collection and is held in notable collections, including the City of Toronto's Fine Art Collection. In 2024, I held my first solo museum show, Folk Tails, with Toronto History Museums. Additionally, I have written and illustrated two children's books that showcase my art alongside original rhyming poetry.
I am also a co-founder of CAB Architects in Toronto, where I live.
CV
EXHIBITIONS
2025
Beyond the Sea | Nanny Goat Gallery, California USA
En Plein Air Competition | McMichael Canadian Art Collection, Kleinburg CA
Folkloria | Poetic Tiger Gallery, Idaho USA
2024
Folk Tails | Colborne Lodge, Toronto History Museums, Toronto CA (solo)
Artist Project | Exhibition Place, Toronto CA
All Killer No Filler | Northern Contemporary, Toronto CA
2023
In The Menagerie | Art Gallery of Ontario Sales & Rental, Toronto CA (solo)
Two Birds | Artwrk (solo)
Artist Project | Exhibition Place, Toronto CA
A Way With Whimsy | House SFW, Rhinebeck, New York USA (duo)
Modus Operandi | Northern Contemporary, Toronto CA
2022
Artist Project | Exhibition Place, Toronto CA
Drawing 2022 | John B. Aird Gallery, Toronto CA
Summer Group Show | Blue Crow Gallery, Toronto CA
Makeroom Auction Space | 401 Richmond, Toronto CA
The Gold Standard | Northern Contemporary, Toronto CA
2021
Summer Group Show | Blue Crow Gallery, Toronto CA
2020
The Space Project BLVCK | Hashtag Gallery, Toronto CA
Support Collection | CSI, Toronto CA
OOAK Online | Toronto CA
2019
Fix Up, Look Sharp | Northern Contemporary, Toronto CA
Off Brand | Northern Contemporary, Toronto CA
The Space Project Pilot VI | Hashtag Gallery, Toronto CA
AWARDS & GRANTS
2024 - Top Finalist in the McMichael Canadian Art Collection “En Plein Air” Competition
2024 - Top Finalist and Certificate of Achievement from Portrait Society of Canada Animal Portrait Competition
2024 - Finalist for CIBC C2 Art Prize
2024 - Ontario Arts Council Exhibition Assistance Grant
2023 - Winner of Deserres Artist Prize for Works on Paper
2023 - Recipient of Awakenings Mentorship, a Lieutenant Governor Ontario Heritage Award winning program
PUBLICATIONS
Playful Drawings by Charisma Panchapakesan, Create Magazine, 2022
Animal Drawings in Fantastic Settings, Design Stack, 2021
Best Books for Canadian Architects, Canadian Architect, 2021
The City of Homes, By Hand, Designlines, 2020
EDUCATION
2010 - Master of Architecture, University of Waterloo
2007 - Bachelor of Architectural Studies with Honours, University of Waterloo