Sathi Maiti, OD, FAAO, has always had a passion for art. Growing up, art was a constant in her life, as she took classes throughout high school, indulging her creativity alongside her studies. “Even in college, I thought about majoring in design,” she reflects. “I liked everything—science, writing, art—but I took the more practical path with science and optometry.”
Even so, Dr. Maiti never entirely let go of her artistic side. She continued to draw, paint and explore other forms of creative expression, including crocheting and embroidery. However, her art took a back seat during the demands of optometry school and her early career.
It wasn’t until the pandemic in 2020 that Dr. Maiti found the time to reconnect with her artistic roots. “I was out of work for a while, and I had the time to get back into it,” she says. Watercolor became a new focus, and she began to draw and paint more frequently.
This rekindled passion for art led to an unexpected opportunity when one of the practices where she works started getting involved in local neighborhood events, including an art walk. “They asked if anyone knew any artists who might want to show their work,” she recalls. “I said, sure! I’ll frame some pieces, and now they’re up in the office.”
For Dr. Maiti, this was her first art show since high school, and it marked a shift from viewing art purely as a hobby to sharing it with others. “I never thought about showing or selling my work,” she says. But after posting some of her pieces online, she began receiving inquiries from optometrist friends and followers asking if her eye-related artwork was for sale.
Eye-related themes often find their way into her work, but overall, it’s the process and joy of creating that keeps her going. Her dog and prompts to draw a theme a day are also ways she’s staying engaged.
Dr. Maiti is posting her art through her Instagram account, dr.maitiseyeballsandstuff, and anyone who is interested in purchasing something can contact her there to specify size and get cost information.
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