Meet Urvashi Lele | Animator & All-Round Creative Individual

We had the good fortune of connecting with Urvashi Lele and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Urvashi, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Risk is a huge factor that plays into what I do. Every important decision I’ve made that has got me to where I am today has involved a huge amount of risk. I’ve moved to different countries twice now over the past 10 years, and that doesn’t come without a bit of risk.

This doesn’t mean that I have gotten myself into dangerous situations and hoped for the best. What I mean is that I have trusted my gut and worked really hard to achieve my goals through all the uncertainty and it has definitely paid off in the end.

I’m a huge believer in taking a leap of faith but also being prepared and ready for any unforeseen circumstances that might occur on the journey.

It all works out in the end but not by some stroke of fate or some bit of magic. It works out because you made it happen.

Please tell us more about your art. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
Established in 2014, Sir Pea Green Studios was named after a film that I created and developed. An Interview with The Owl and The Pussycat was based on the Edward Lear poem, “The Owl and The Pussycat” where the two characters elope on a pea green boat. With my love for character design, I created a character which became the mascot for my design studio – Sir Pea Green. My film, “The Owl and the Pussycat,” earned me the New Designers Screening Associate Prize, which is something I am very proud of because it honored my work as an artist.

My main areas of specialism are 2D Animation and Character Design. I have been working as a main animator on the series “Your Daily Horoscope” for Quibi. My original work can be seen for the Aires character’s episodes. I generally work with many different clients who never have the same brief – one of the addictive pleasures of the job.

I definitely take pride in having the honor and privilege of working with so many different minds from all over the world. I firmly believe that the ability of a designer to be an excellent collaborator is the biggest asset in their arsenal.

In terms of what sets me apart from the others; I have a varied set of skills. Besides the digital artwork which is my primary source of income, I also create pieces in fibre and traditional art. Fashion has always been a great source of inspiration to my work.

Clients have come to me with projects involving embroidery and dressmaking.

I think that the ability to create something unique by using a variety of media is something that I find extremely fulfilling and I would like to think it is what sets me apart, having multifaceted areas where my artwork can be seen.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc. In your view what are some of the most fun, interesting, exciting people, places or things to check out?
I have had so many friends visit me over the years and this is pretty much where I’ve taken all of them.

First things, first – The Getty Center. It is my favourite place in all of LA. In a building designed by the talented Richard Meier, there is always a gorgeous bit of art to take a look at.

After that, we would go to a Sofar Sounds gig – an intimate and acoustic musical performance which is in a different location every time. My favourite one was at a local brewery.

To eat, I would definitely go to The Wallflower in Venice – their braised beef is to die for. As for my non-meat-eating friends, I would take them to The Butcher’s Daughter on Abbott Kinney – the food there is just brilliant.

To get some alcohol in the system, I would go to either The Ace Hotel, Clifton’s in DTLA or The Other Room on Abbott Kinney. The Terrace Bar at Eataly in Culver City also has beautiful rooftop views of the Westside.

And lastly, for a relaxing day of doing absolutely nothing at all, I would go sit on the grassy fields of the UCLA campus with a delicious picnic and an exciting book.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Oh, wow. I certainly have so many people that I am grateful for. Over the past ten years, I have had the privilege and honor of living in three different countries where I met the most inspiring and beautiful people. They know who they are (because I’ve told them multiple times) and if they’re reading this, “You guys are amazing and I could not have gotten to where I am without you”

But the people whom I owe it all to are without a doubt, my parents. They raised me, encouraged me, tolerated me and pushed me to become what I am today. For them, it meant letting me go far away to pursue my dreams and I am so greatly indebted to them for that. They are the most amazing, intelligent people in the whole world and remain my greatest inspiration to this day.

Website: www.sirpeagreenstudios.com
Instagram: @sirpeagreen
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/urvashi-lele-2526656a

Image Credits
Lydia Caplan Urvashi Lele