Vibha is an Indian artist based in Edinburgh, where she has lived for the past three decades. She was born in India and grew up with abundant natural beauty as a backdrop. She is largely self-taught who started painting at an early age. Her education was in biological sciences and obtained her MPhil from University of Swansea and was awarded a doctorate in public health education from the University of Edinburgh. She started painting full time following early retirement.

Nature is central to her artistic expression. Walking through the Scottish hills evokes the same sense of wonder, freedom, and spiritual connection she experienced as a child while wandering in the forests of India. Her paintings merge two landscapes shaped by memory and belonging. The vibrant colours of India and the muted beauty of Scotland weave together the two worlds through emotion, colour, and atmosphere.

She mainly works in oil paints and in egg tempera and uses marble dust and dry pigment to create layers and texture. Her compositions draw on memories, photographs, and observation.

Vibha has exhibited her work at a number of exhibitions and sold internationally. She has successfully collaborated with a documentary photographer and a poet. A collection of her paintings was published as a collaborative poetry and art venture “Patient Dignity” in 2021.

Exhibitions

Elsewhere: Between monsoon and mist (28 May-1 June 2026) Solo exhibition, Dundas Street Gallery, Edinburgh

Through kindred eyes: Two South-Asian artists’ framings of Scotland (3 July -20 July 2025) - Scottish Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh

Amarathine III (August 2024) - Solo exhibition, Fairmilehead Parish Church, Edinburgh 

Exhibition of Paintings by Vibha Pankaj (December 2023)– Consulate General of India, Rutland Square, Edinburgh

Amaranthine II (June 2023) -Solo exhibition, Fairmilehead Parish Church, Edinburgh

Amaranthine I (November 2020) - Solo exhibition at the Dundas Street Gallery Edinburgh

Big Art Show 2024 (30 August – 16 November 2024), 2-10 Causeyside Street, Paisley

Now and Then (16–25 Aug 2024) – Centenary Show, Dalkeith Palace, Visual Art Scotland

Hill and Hedgerows (July to Oct 2023) - Featuring artworks of the Pentlands, Colinton Arts Edinburgh

Exhibition (May - June 2022) - Junor Gallery, J&G Innes Ltd, St Andrews

Patient Dignity (Nov. 2021) - Book Launch & Exhibition of paintings, St Vincent’s Chapel, Edinburgh

Scottish Society of Artists (Nov 1-23 2021) - 123rd ANNUAL Exhibition, RSA, The Mound, Edinburgh 

The art exhibition by Juniper Collective (March 2018) - The Dundas Street Gallery Edinburgh

Collaborations and Publications

Through Kindred Eyes: Two South Asian Artists’ Framings of Scotland, An Exhibition, July 3-20 (2025). A collaboration of paintings by Vibha Pankaj and documentray photographs by Hermann Rodrigues, The Scottish Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh.

Patient Dignity (2021). Bashabi Fraser and Vibha Pankaj; A collection of her paintings -collaborative poetry and art venture, published by Scotland Street Press.

Habitat (2023) Cover image –Bridges, Painting by Vibha Pankaj

Media and reviews

Vibha Pankaj in conversation (2022), Junor Gallery

Feature article (25 March 2022) - Interview: Patient Dignity (Bashabi Fraser and Vibha Pankaj), Publishing Scotland

Review of Patient Dignity (7th February 2022) - Poetry books to bring pleasure amid self-serving politics Prof. Alan Riach (Glasgow University), The National.

Artmag (2020) - Review of Solo exhibition, AMARANTHINE

BBC Radio Scotland, Sunday morning with Connie McLaughlin (21 November 2021), Poet Bashabi Fraser and artist Vibha Pankaj on their creative collaboration

An interview with Bashabi Fraser and Vibha Pankaj, Scotland Street Press (2021)

An interview of Vibha Pankaj, Awaz FM Glasgow Radio

Galleries, Junor Gallery, St Andrews; Colinton Arts Edinburgh