Our Story

As my gaze stopped at the array of intricate dots and lines that lay there on the canvas in front of me, I was pulled into a spiral of thoughts, how did such thought-provoking pieces come to life?

“They are inspired by our village’s native pulses. The Gond tribe came up with these dots upon looking at Kutki, the Little Millet, and the lines by rice,” said Dinesh Shyam, a local Gond Artist answering my question magically.

“I’m sure you must have many customers for these beautiful pieces,” I exclaimed excitedly as I held a canvas with a painting of a peacock in the air. The vibrant hues of emerald green and ocean blue shone even brighter when placed in front of the light.

I watched a shift in Mr.Dinesh’s expressions as he said, “Not many find value in tribal art, they either claim that the art is too simple for their liking or that art in general is not worth its price.”

I stared at tribal art with awe, the piece that some consider too basic or something that “a child can easily replicate,” for an artist requires immense effort, patience, and soul. Yet, their struggles weren’t just limited to this, the artists also struggled with explaining the true beauty of their art to foreign customers, with their inability to speak English standing as a wall between their art and their customers, the gond artists struggled to make and maintain meaningful connections with interested global partners. As I concluded my interview that day, I realized that Gond art is revolutionized and would speak to the people of Madhya Pradesh better.

Shawls, T-shirts, waterbottles, notebooks, bookmarks, postcards, as I researched the innumerous products that were in high demand by teenagers in Madhya Pradesh, I realized that if incorporated, Gond Art would not only add its own unique flair to these products but also create an extensive and steadfast revenue stream for Gond Artists. It was then that Art That Travels, a project that created tangible everyday use products incorporating the traditional patterns and designs of Gond Artists, came to life. As tribal artists got involved the project helped the state’s Gond Art get the love and recognition that was long overdue.

Our Mission

Art That Travels exists to create meaningful connections between artists and the world. We believe that art is a powerful storyteller—capable of inspiring empathy, sparking conversations, and driving real change. Our mission is to bring this art to communities everywhere and support the people behind the creation.

Meet the Founder

Ananya Tayal

A passionate young mind with roots in both California and India, Ananya Tayal brings a globally informed yet deeply grounded perspective to Art That Travels. Now a student at The Sanskaar Valley School in Bhopal, Ananya blends her love for nature, literature, and economics into a vision that celebrates the timeless beauty of India’s tribal art.

Ananya believes in storytelling that travels—through brushstrokes, patterns, and colors that speak across borders and generations. Her multidisciplinary spirit drives her to combine logic with creativity, aiming to make traditional art both relevant and empowering in today’s world. From curating visual narratives to writing content that resonates with young audiences, Ananya plays a key role in shaping the voice and values of Art That Travels.