May 4th – July 31st, 2026

Opening Reception: 5:30 pm, May 7th, 2026

Sideshow Gallery, Lory Student Center

Lines and Legacies is a celebration of identity, heritage, and the immigrant experience, featuring the works of Denver-based artists Neha Thakurdesai and Aishwarya Puthran, both women of Indian origin. Together, these artists use their unique voices to honor their Indian heritage while exploring themes of resilience. Lines and Legacies invites viewers to reflect on the lines we draw and the legacies we carry amidst the shared humanity that unites us.

This exhibition aligns with the mission of the Asian Pacific American Cultural Center (APACC), which serves as a resource for CSU and partnering communities by providing services and educational opportunities rooted in student success for anyone who wants to connect with Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, Southwest Asian, North African, Middle Eastern, Southeast Asian, South Asian, Desi, East Asian, adopted, mixed race, and Asian American cultures.

Neha Thakurdesai

Neha Thakurdesai is a passionate artist devoted to creating distinctive works that echo the depth of human emotions and lived experiences. With training in the classical methods of fine art perfected by the Old Masters, she honors tradition while using it as a foundation to craft meaningful and timeless pieces. Her artistic practice spans a variety of mediums, including oils, watercolor, gouache, charcoal, and graphite. Each medium offers a unique language to explore the intricacies of emotion, texture, and form, enabling her to translate personal and universal stories into visual expressions. Through her work, she aims to forge a connection between the viewer and the art—an invitation to pause, reflect, and discover the beauty and complexity of the human experience.

Aishwarya Puthran

Aishwarya Puthran is a Colorado-based visual artist and the founder of  Tatva Art Studio. Her practice centers around mandalas and circular compositions, where intricate patterns unfold layer by layer, drawing inspiration from Indian aesthetics, geometry, and meditative processes. Through her work, Aishwarya explores themes of balance, rhythm, and inner stillness, inviting viewers into a contemplative visual experience. As a full-time artist and small business owner, she is passionate about community engagement and sharing art as a tool for connection, creativity, and mindful expression.

These mandala works are created through a slow, intuitive process, building patterns layer by layer. Rooted in Indian artistic traditions where mandalas are symbols of balance, focus, and inner awareness, the repetition becomes a quiet, meditative rhythm. While drawing from this cultural foundation, each piece evolves through personal exploration, inviting viewers to pause, reflect, and find their own sense of harmony within the details.