Varsha Urs on Graphic Design After Architecture

I was at the World Coffee Conference 2023 recently which was held at Palace grounds where I tasted coffee from around the world. There were so many refreshing flavor profiles that were subtle yet tasty. Apparently, the altitude at which the coffee beans are grown makes a huge difference in how the coffee ends up tasting.

I got talking to quite a few coffee growers, baristas, and cafe owners and found it to be thoroughly interesting. Here are a few words with one such co-owner of a cafe who also happens to be a self-made artist. Varsha is based out of Mysore and is an architect by education who took up drawing as a profession.

1. You are an architect by education. What inspired the career change to a graphic designer/artist?

While studying architecture, I was interested in the creative process of thinking and designing rather than the final execution of built form. Later in the course, I realized I had no plans of pursuing architecture as a career but to take the creative thinking process developed from here and apply it elsewhere. I also design, print, and stitch my own clothes.

With this, my plan was to start something of my own. Now I do illustrations, wall art, bespoke fabric printing and painting, and also the creative mind behind Vui Coffee. You can check out my work @versaurus. Vui Coffee illustrations at (www.vuivui.in)

2. Did being an architect give you an artistic bent of mind? How did you make the switch to a more creative career?

Being artistic and creative made me pursue architecture as a course, here skills like creative process while approaching a task, attention to detail, and user-empathetic design were sharpened. Later I realized I wanted to focus more on these skills and connect them to fashion & illustrations.

I met Amaresh 3 years ago while playing Basketball and then got introduced to Vui Coffee and all things about coffee. Here my artistic skills were very much needed, and through the journey realized how much I enjoy communicating content in the form of sketches and illustrations.

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3. You run a cafe with your partner. What would success look like for you 10 years down the line?

The way we work at Vui Coffee is very unique & different. We believe in not separating the act of thinking & doing. Every person is a Thinker and Doer, we learn to do everything from Roasting, Brewing, and Sketching. This enables truthful expression and realizing each person’s potential.

The way cafe seating is designed enables social interaction. We have designed common tables for seating as this allows people to get to know each other and interact. We believe in Quality and attention to detail in the product we serve from Coffee to Food to Interiors.

Hence success would be for people to enjoy this space and appreciate the values we bring to the table.

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4. How do you choose where to travel to, when you do?

I love traveling, travelling allows me to experience and understand food, history, culture, and architecture. During traveling I enjoy sketching these places and allows me to understand these places better and relive the experiences.

Since most of the trips that I have done are with my family, we make sure to travel once every year. We love to choose places with beaches, skyscrapers, and mountains.

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5. What is your favorite movie genre?

My favorite movie genres would be crime, psychological thrillers, and real-life documentaries.

Shutter Island, Inception, The Departed, Get Out, Source Code. I love these movies as they are suspenseful, mind-boggling & intellectual. Inception for its Cinematography and amazing plot.

Icarus, I Tonya, Last Dance, Chernobyl, Coach Carter - I find them to be inspiring and motivating.