Biography
LAVINA "GRACE" DHINGRA, Ph.D.
Founder and Owner, Ethereal Grace, LLC.
Dr. Lavina "Grace" Dhingra is a contemporary artist and global educator, with a passion to spread Happiness. She creates lively, energetic, and yet peaceful Abstract and Impressionist paintings in oil, acrylic, and mixed media. As a painter, poet, and intensive meditator, Lavina loves to see the canvas explode in vibrant colors and textures. She is often intuitively guided into painting as a form of meditation or a joyful, spiritual dance with artistic tools.
Lavina believes that her art is a Divine gift and a Calling to serve. So she has recently self-selected "Grace" as her middle name for her evolving identity as an Artist. Her art is infused with a healing energy and intended as a Blessing for the viewer.
Lavina's abstract and floral paintings have been displayed in juried exhibitions including "Artists in Bloom" at the United Arts Council of Collier County and Naples Botanical Gardens (2021); and "Tiny Art" (2019) and "Traces of Red" (2019) at the Naples Art Association. Her recent paintings have been included in three exhibitions at Furman University, Greenville, SC (2024).
Opening Reception Naples Art Association, juried exhibition "Tiny Art."
Lavina's painting "Awakening" (2014), created after a life-threatening accident (which she describes as a life-saving miracle), is on display at the 1000-person capacity Meditation Hall of the International Art of Living Centre, Quebec, Canada.
His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar receives Lavina's painting "Awakening," Art of Living Canada 2015
Lavina is mostly self-taught as a visual artist, and discovers artistic techniques intuitively.
A tenured Professor of English and a Dean, Dr. Lavina taught at Bates College in Maine, for over two decades. She conceived and introduced over a dozen courses, including combining the visual and literary arts: "Worldly Women As Artists: Transnational Women Writers"; "The Creative Spirit: Self and Nature"; "Image and Sound: Reading and Writing Poetry"; "For the Love of Dogs." She now brings her passion for teaching to Workshops on unleashing one’s innate Creativity and Spirituality to create joy and well-being—through Painting, Poetry, and Meditation. She was honored to be invited to teach workshops at the World Culture Festival 2023, Washington D.C. She created three successful workshops titled "Paint Your Self Happy."
As a life-long world traveler, Lavina’s artistic imagination is fueled by imagery from her exposure to the landscapes, art, architecture, sculpture, and museums, in India, Nepal, Bali, Italy, France, Spain, Netherlands, UK, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Canada.
A highly published, groundbreaking scholar in global and immigrant American literary Studies, Dr. Lavina has delivered invited lectures at Universities in France, Netherlands, Spain, Trinidad, India, Canada, and the U.S including Hawaii, and at Harvard University, Brown, Williams, Smith, University of Illinois, Connecticut, Michigan, among others. Lavina's contemporary abstract painting "A New Dawn," is the cover art for her scholarly book on a Pulitzer prize-winning writer, Naming Jhumpa Lahiri: Canons and Controversies (2012).
Lavina is a committed volunteer, donor, and philanthropist for local and global causes. Lavina uses her divinely inspired art for hope, healing, and joy, to serve with art show fundraiser events, benefit Galas or auctions. These include children’s and teenage orphanages/foster homes, Arts and cultural Education, initiatives focused on wellness, happiness, and global peace; and sustaining Botanical gardens and National Parks. For event organization opportunities, please inquire by email: [email protected].
Lavina's passion for helping others started early in childhood. She is one of the few people in the world honored with a hand-signed character reference letter from Saint Mother Teresa for her volunteer service at the Missionaries of Charities orphanage, Calcutta, India. Saint Mother Teresa was a frequent visitor to Lavina's parents' home and an early inspiration embodying Divine Love and Service.
Lavina has received a certificate as a Biofield Healing Immersion® Practitioner, trained by Debora Wayne of the Biofield Healing Institute®, as part of her own healing journey and her desire to help others discover holistic wellness with non-medicinal tools. She has also completed certification for Marci Shimoff's "Happy For No Reason" Trainer program.
