Vaishnavi - If You Have That Passion You Should Definitely Take That Leap, It's Definitely Worth It (Artist from India)

I'd say practice practice practice a lot!! If you're painting constantly you're gonna improve your skills and it will eventually help you find your voice as an artist.

1. Tell us more about your background and journey.

So My mom is a teacher and my dad is a software engineer, both of them are really creative and good at art, but couldn’t make art as their profession. Growing up, even in school, I was the creative kid in my class, but I did not consider having an art career cause the art world is super competitive and I was made to believe that if I was to be an artist, that I would just starve. 

So I did my bachelor's in Management Studies from R.A.Poddar college of commerce and Economics. Before my finals, we were struck by the pandemic lockdown for more than 6 months and during that time I focused completely on art and my art page and it just kept growing after that.

2. When did you decide you wanted to be a painter/illustrator?

After my page started getting noticed people started buying my art I started getting orders, but in the month of October 2020 after my online final exams, my job started. So I had gotten college placement in my previous semester, to start working in a huge finance company. 

I did work-from-home for 2 months where I barely got time for my art, they wanted me to work 12 hours a day and even on weekends! I was so miserable, I knew I had to quit my job cause it was taking a toll on my mental health. 

I legit had to convince my parents to let me quit my job and focus on art at least for a year. At that point, I knew that this is what makes me truly happy and that I’d do this for the rest of my life.

3. Is it a financially stable career?

Short answer? No. you’re not gonna get that monthly paycheck. Some months I make a lot of money other times its half of that, so there is always that uncertainty and you'll have to plan you’re financing that way. initially, I didn’t make money at all but slowly it kept increasing. 

Me at this point in my life, I don’t have any financial responsibilities so it was definitely easier for me to take this leap in my career. And at the age of 21, I am enough independent that I don’t have to ask my parents for money.

4. Who is your favorite painter and why?

It's Iris Scott. I found her account on Instagram a few years ago. She does large-scale finger oil painting. Her paintings are out of this world. I absolutely love her!

5. Where do you get inspired to create art?

I've always been obsessed with painting, somedays that’s all I think about. I do follow a lot of artists and different photographers on Instagram, I spend a lot of my time on Instagram so I’m super conscious of the content I consume, if you're gonna spend time looking at beautiful aesthetically pleasing pictures, You will want to create something similar so that definitely helps.

6. What piece of advice would you like to give to future aspiring illustrators?

I'd say just go for it! If you have that passion you should definitely take that leap, it's definitely worth it. I always keep this in my mind whenever I’m unsure/scared to try, “ yes, rejection/failure is scary, but the regret of not trying is scarier”. 

I'd say practice practice practice a lot!! If you're painting constantly you're gonna improve your skills and it will eventually help you find your voice as an artist.

Vaishnavi

Interviewed By - Khushi Garg