At certain times of day on the coast, light transforms everything—the water, the land, even the air itself. I’m drawn to capturing moments, when shimmer, atmosphere, and subtle shifts in color become the true subject. My paintings aren’t about recording a specific place or subject, but about holding a space where feeling can settle—where light lingers, movement quiets, and the experience of being there remains.
Hello! I'm Aruna Rao, an impressionist coastal painter based in Florida, creating seascape oil paintings that capture the fleeting moods of light along the coast.
I grew up in a literary family in India, surrounded by stories and art from around the world. The vibrant works of French Impressionists like Degas, Monet, and Van Gogh first ignited my love for painting.
After moving to the U.S., I spent years in the IT industry before returning to that spark, earning an MFA in Painting with top honors from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco.
Since then, painting has become my full-time journey. My aim is to create coastal landscapes paintings that evoke something both intimate and universal. With each piece, I hope viewers not only see the beauty of a place, but also feel a memory, a story, or a moment of timeless connection.
My shimmer series and coastal landscapes are represented by select fine art galleries across the U.S., where collectors can experience the work in person. Outside the studio, I find moments of joy at home with my husband and our cats—a comforting rhythm of life that informs the calm, still presence in my paintings.